Our latest month-by-month recap of our latest Ebook - 17 Years In Food & Beverage Trends - has landed, taking a deeper dive into August highlights from that month over the years.
thefoodpeople was established in 2005 rooted in our purpose to shift the future of food and drink by inspiring and informing people, business and institutions to harness the power of trends and foresight. Why do we do what we do? Well, we believe that food & drink connects us all, by working with our community, industry and our collaborators, positive impact in food & drink can shape a better future for all.
Since then a lot has changed across the food and beverage landscape, change that we've looked to capture in our 17 Years In Food & Beverage Trends E-Book. We look at what events, people, culture, regulations, technologies, and products defined these years, as well as the changes and impact on these for the future.
Here are some of the highlights captured from various months of August over the years.
August 2011 - Going back twelve years ago now, we saw moves across innovation, health and sustainability to name but a few areas. Heinz introduced its new Squeeze and Stir soups as the brand pivoted on packaging to limit the use of metal packaging due to rising costs. In the US, QSR chain McDonalds revamped their Happy Meal to include apple slices and a small side of French fries along with a choice of hamburger, cheese burger or chicken McNuggets. Then, from Australia we saw the launch of the KeepCup - an item that would go on to become a globally renowned product focused on reducing single-use cups.
August 2015 - The month of New Wave Coffee. Coffee was entering a new era - using a combination of science and tech to ensure that every aspect behind coffee making was controlled and perfected; the grind, pressure, temp, filtration, time, water purity and milk prep. August 2015 was also the month where we saw the flavour Ginger really spike, it's what everyone wanted in their drinks, particularly juice shots. In terms of NPD, Oreo Thins were released this month to the world - a more sophisticated development of the well-loved American cookie.
August 2016 - The month of the Rio Olympics as the legacy moved on from London. It was the month where we saw peak Doughnut Walls trending at weddings, the month in which Waitrose opened the UK's first cashless store, and when IKEA opened a DIY pop-up restaurant in Shoreditch called The Dining Club. Finally, this month was when we saw Watermelon become the latest trending flavour. Hailed for its impressive raft of health benefits, plus its enviable hydration boost, this trend hit our Instagram feeds, our juices, our menus and even our fashion.
August 2019 - Smoke and char were two words that encapsulated summer cooking in August 2019, when the fire cooking era was an excitable realm given that it was accessible to each and every chef - from home BBQs all the way up to Michelin starred restaurants. Also trending this summer was rhubarb, as chefs began to utilise the humble root aesthetic and taste in the most exquisite summer tarts. The rate at which retail closures were hitting the high street continued to gather pace, with 7568 retail stores closing in 2019 in the US, up from 5864 in 2018.
August 2022 - Social media platform TikTok started selling fresh food through the TikTok Shop page with brands selling through the app able to work with creators to offer exclusive discounts. Pasta Evangelists, The Veg Box Company and The Fresh Fish Society were amongst the first brands involved. Keeping it digital, Patron Tequila entered the metaverse for the first time with its Summer made Sensational: A Patron Pop-Up Series. The experience allowed
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A lot has happened in the month of August over the years - discover more in our 17 Years In Food & Beverage Trends E-Book. Find out how you can get your copy here.