A few weeks ago I spent the day at the 2025 Summer Fancy Food Show held at the Javits Center in NYC. It’s always a fun time sampling and sipping my way through aisles of artisan food and beverage products.
Long retired from my career in the food industry, I’m still a foodie at heart. I’m so happy that Specialty Food Association (SFA) granted me a press pass to its marquee event – merci beaucoup.
Iron Chef Michael Symon talked with Bloomberg writer Kat Odell about food trends
Now that my food coma has subsided, I’m ready to roll with my Judi Foodie Trend Report. Included are products I found appealing after navigating my way through more than 2000 exhibitors from 59 countries and six continents, including the Show’s partner country, Italy.
My favorite cheese is Parmesan Reggiano in the Italy section of the Show
Ooh, ooh, ooh, my favorite country. I spent a significant time wandering the Italian booths and consuming multiple bites from the wheels of Parmesan Reggiano. While I’m taking a break from my Italy vacay blog posts — I’ll be back next time with highlights from Lake Como.
Let’s dive in.
Power up with protein
If you’re not getting enough protein in your diet not to worry. The food biz is here to fix that with added protein in snacks, frozen foods, drinks, and more. For example, Wilde Protein Chips have 10 grams of protein per serving with ingredients like chicken breast, egg whites and bone broth.
I tasted Kan Zen Meal which range from 17 – 23 grams of protein with 10 grams of fiber. These Japanese-inspired frozen foods are “comfort food for wellbeing.” Pasta Rummo from Italy is introducing Maxima made with organic pea flour — providing 21g of protein per 100g of pasta. Its rigatoni with sauce was quite good, better than Kan Zen frozen.
Rummo Maxima Pasta contains 21 g protein per serving
For those who like chocolate protein snacks, DEFI Superfood Bites in flavors like Dark Chocolate Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, provide 25 grams of protein in a 4 oz. bag. These sweet and crispy morsels are made with buckwheat as well as casein and whey proteins. The female founder is a fitness-loving foodie and gives a percentage of her sales to women business owners.
In the Debut section, was David, a protein bar with 28 grams of protein, zero sugar, and 150 calories —offering the highest protein-to-calorie ration on the market. I just read that the company closed a $75 milion Series A funding round in May. A fellow foodie and I weren’t won over by the taste of these protein bars — but based on funding — what do I know?
New David Protein Bars are named after another David from Florence, Italy
(Note at my annual fitness check-up at the gym yesterday the trainer said that based on my weight I should be eating a significant amount more protein than I currently am. I’m consuming way too many carbs! I better take this to heart if I want to build lean body mass post 60.)
Say cheese – high-fat protein is here to stay
Speaking of protein, as a cheese lover I have to say there was no shortage of high-fat cheeses at the Show. I made sure to try them all — English, Cheddar, Brigette’s Brie & Fig, American Cheese Society’s Beehive Flavored Cheeses, Buffalo Cheese and of course, as I’ve already noted Parmesan Reggiano. Glad I’m not having my cholesterol checked anytime soon.
English Cheddar was one of the cheeses I sampled
Good guts and glowy skin
My daily probiotic capsule pales compared to other ways I can consume probiotics for my IBS. Let’s see:
– Pressed Juicery offers Multivitamin and Probiotic Shots packed with a variety of cultures. It’s a quick way to sip your probiotics in the morning.
– Rmbr Kombucha stands for “real memories, better rituals” promoting non-alcoholic community drinking. I like any kind of kombucha and vinegary flavored bevs.
RMBR Kombucha has pretty packaging
– Solti Ginger Super Shots brand says these shots “support circulation, strengthen your immune system, and boost energy so you can feel your best every day.” I love anything ginger.
Kea Wellness introduced Liquid Collagen Creamer in individual packets
. Nature’s Garden Probiotic Mixed Berry Yoggies are a different way to get probiotics. These real fruit bites coated in creamy yogurt contain 2 billion probiotics and 3 grams of fiber in a 20 gram pouch. They do have 3 grams of fiber but zero protein.
Collagen supplements are all the rage. Since we lose collagen as we age this was of interest to me. I know my daughter A adds collagen powder to her morning coffee. Kea Wellness makes portable packets of Collagen Liquid Creamer to add to coffee or lattes. Each packet is enriched with 3000 mg of collagen peptides to support skin elasticity and hydration.
Medicinal teas to refreshing tonics
There were an abundance of tea makers at the Show. Some new teas that caught my attention included:
– Twinings Refreshers Herbal Tea Instant Beverage crafted to “deliver bold fruit flavor with bits of real strawberry or peach.” I liked the fruity taste and appreciate that they have no caffeine.
In the Debut section was Pixie Doodle Farm Tea, a line of herbal teas designed to help with everything from your nervous system to respiratory health and anti-inflammation. How I wish a cup of tea could fix my physical ailments.
Spindrift was sampling new natural sodas in flavors like Strawberry Shortcake and Concord Freeze
As for tonics, Spindrift is introducing what they call a “healthy soda” with real squeezed fruit and no added sugar. I’ve had Spindrift sparkling waters and like other bev companies they are expanding with decadent sodas including Orange Cream Float (Orange Vanilla Soda) and Shirley Temple (Cherry Citrus Soda).
Mocktails continue to trend with beverages such as Curious Elixirs Booze-free Craft Cocktails.
Milkadamia offers a more sustainable way to buy oat milk
I’d be remiss if I skipped the many nut milks that are maxing out in the marketplace. A new one that stood out is Milkadamia Oatmilk Sheets. These unboxed, precycled, flat-packed slices simply require the addition of water for a barista quality cup of oat milk.
Vegan and nutty goodness
There were plenty of products targeted to the plethora of humans who are vegans. Beyond nut milks, if you don’t eat cheese or dairy there are good quality plant-based substitutes like Farmer Foodie Cashew Parm and Cashew Butter. There is also Amaza Flaxseed Butter. The Alle Processing booth was busy with attendees sampling its Vegan Burger Crumbles and Vegan Diced Chicken — these products were okay. I wasn’t crazy about the texture.
Farmer Foodie Cashew Parm is for vegans who miss their cheese sprinklings
Hot sauce and chef-hyped condiments
Whether you’re eating meat or going meatless, there was no lack of sauces and seasonings to add flavor to your meals. I spoke to a teacher who founded a side-biz with “Hold the Pickle Spice Mix” — for pickle-lovers. She said her spices were doing great.
In terms of condiments, the heat is on. There were all kinds of hot sauces, hot honey and spicy mustards. New to the category, James Beard winning Iron Chef Michael Symon, who was interviewed about food trends, was promoting his POP Mustards, which he claims are the caviar of mustards.
I met Iron Chef Michael Symon while sampling his new POP Mustards
And for cooking, there were plenty of different oils to provide added flavor — from avocado to pumpkin to EVOO.
It’s a Dubai chocolate craze
Saving the best for last, I have to tell you that I think I tasted almost every Dubai chocolate vendor at the Show. I had heard about this chocolate that recently surged in popularity on TikTok so was curious to see what the rage was all about. According to AI, Dubai Chocolate is a unique combination of flavors and textures blending rich milk chocolate with Middle Eastern inspired ingredients — pistachio cream, tahini, and crunchy knafeh (shredded phyllo dough).
My food coma was likely due to the Dubai Chocolate I ate at the numerous booths sampling this trendy confection
So what did I think after six types of Dubai Chocolate — it is so good, so good, so good. Some of my favs brands are Leonessa, Royale, Rolling Pin, Nut Factory, and Dubai Vibe Kosher.
Sweet treats and creamy confections
Beyond Dubai Chocolates, there were plenty of other sweets to sample. The following are ones I deem worthy of the calories:
– Whipnotic Brownie Batter – I hesitated to try, was convinced by the founders, and then thought hmm this is pretty good flavored whipped cream.
– McConnell’s Dark Chocolate Sorbet is a chocoholic’s dairy-free dream.
–Frost Buttercream – This refrigerated buttercream frosting is made with real eggs and egg whites. It greatly simplifies frosting a cake. I’d definitely buy it rather than make homemade.
–Baris Chocolate Covered Raspberries – I love the combination of these frozen berries and chocolate. It’s OMG delish!
What’s more delicious than a frozen raspberry dipped in dark chocolate – it’s OMG amazing
–Dolce & Gabbana Panettone – I’d buy these cakes just for the designer packaging. (Note these are sold out everywhere I checked onlne so maybe check again during the holidays.)
– MUZE Chocolate – This food company makes functional chocolate enhanced with ingredients like chamomile and melatonin to induce sleep; maca and L-arginine to help with libido; mane and matcha to help focus; and Ashwagandha and HTP to calm the mind. I took a sample of the SLEEP MUZE and will let you know if it works once I try it.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, if a piece of choclate each night can cure my post-menopausal insomnia then I may have to splurge and buy a case!
MUZE are deliciously Functional Chocolate to help humans sleep, focus, calm and improve libido
That’s a wrap for Judi Foodie’s 2025 Food Trend Report. Bon Appetit until next year.
Judi
Reader J said: “Cannot wait to see some of these foods on my grocery store shelves.”