If it seems as if fall and winter promotions started early, it’s true – we noted in our latest holiday food and beverage trends report that holiday foods and beverages began to trend in July, priming buyers for the festive season.
Brands launching products embracing the spirit of the season include supermarkets, wholesale, candy, soda, chain restaurants, and bourbon makers. We’ll look into some of the top holiday food and beverage trends taking shape this year.
Timing of articles and increased competition
Whether it’s Halloween or Christmas, year after year articles begin trending months in advance of the holidays. If last year is any indication, there should be a steep rise in engagement in October, especially for Halloween, Día de los Muertos, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas.
Based on the trends from 2020, it would not be surprising if the number of articles around holiday activations published each week crosses the 5,000 article mark by the end of October.
Even though the number of articles written has been consistent with the previous year, there is already a drastic difference in engagement.
The drop in engagement represents an added challenge for food and beverage brands looking to capture attention and break through the noise this year.
Novelty shapes and other trends
The trends from last year and 2021 thus far indicate that people are revamping traditions and excited to try new flavor combinations.
The report touches on trends such as food products mimicking novelty shapes, including a Baskin-Robbins’ ice cream cake resembling a roasted whole turkey in 2020 and Waitrose announcing a camembert and garlic knot wreath for Christmas this year.
Other trends on the menu:
- Charcuterie boards with hot cocoa and pumpkin-themed spreads
- Hybrid flavors such as Pepsi’s “hot cocoa”-flavored soda
- Seasonal Pinterest dinner and cocktail recipes
You can see more examples from brands and the top publishers driving engagement in our 2021 holiday food and beverages report here.
