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As we make our way closer to the holiday season, we’re keeping our eyes peeled for the trends you need to know. And this month, we’re reporting on what consumers are putting into their pantries, on their tables, and into their mouths—from the coolest drinks and viral snacks to supplements for better health and sweet gifts for the festivities ahead.
Below, you’ll find four key food and wellness trends we anticipate will drive your end-of-year sales. Backed by Faire’s unique data insights, we have everything you need right here as you begin your product discovery—plus, some tasty bestsellers too.
Banana-flavored treats
According to Food & Wine, “Banana is now taking over the internet, the ice cream aisles, coffee shops, and even the milk department, with more people getting creative with their favorite bright yellow fruit.” Indeed, TikTok agrees that gifting banana bread is more desirable than flowers these days, and the beverage topping Yelp charts? It’s banana coffee, a South Korean drink popularized by Jung Kook, singer of the K-pop band BTS.
And it’s not just fresh bananas that people are into—it’s the artificial flavoring, too, that’s making its way into fashion and beauty. Take Prada’s latest banana yellow balm. Fashionista reports that “the smell or taste of artificial banana [brings users] feelings of comfort and nostalgia.” In the same story, Tano Skincare founder Sean Finney says, “Bananas are a happy fruit; from their bright, cheerful color to their familiar scent, there’s a sense of playfulness. In a world that feels heavy and complicated, that kind of positive connection resonates.”
That playfulness is certainly resonating on Faire, as searches for banana are up 104% from December to September.
If you’re looking to dig into this b-a-n-a-n-a-s trend (sorry!), here are just a few ideas. Created exclusively for the Savannah Bananas baseball team, there’s banana cream soda that’s both nostalgic and refreshing. For those who need a quick crunchy snack, how about this monkey popcorn? Compartes is known for its luxurious chocolates, and its take on this trend does not disappoint: a bananas foster chocolate bar, which blends caramelized banana, buttery sweetness, and smooth milk chocolate with a hint of rum.
If your shoppers want to start their day with something a little bananas, there’s banana jam, or they can end their day with banana Moon Pies. Finally, a luxurious pint of ooey-gooey banana pudding marshmallow fluff for dipping, scooping, and enjoying ice cold or at room temp. (Sharing with friends is not required.)
Protein, protein everywhere
We first reported the surge in protein-based searches in the spring, and the demand continues. When AP reported that “the ‘proteinization’ of foods is here to stay,” it was right. Starbucks just launched its brand-new protein-infused line of lattes and cold foam drinks, and brands are continuing to create protein-packed iterations, from protein chips and pretzels to protein candy bars to protein water, so consumers can meet their macro goals.
On Faire, searches for protein are up 118% from December to July. And we have lots of protein snacks for retailers to stock up on to make every bite an opportunity to get those grams.
- Wholly Balls – The Breakfast Ball: Cookies for breakfast? Yes, please. These delightful little bites are packed with 9g of plant-based protein per bag. They’re also gluten-free and get their flavor from organic peanut butter, walnuts, cinnamon, vegan dark chocolate chips, and a touch of sea salt.
- Bunky – Aged White Cheddar Protein Popcorn: For snackers who want to add nutrition to their favorite popcorn, there’s Bunky, which offers cheesy popcorn infused with 10g of protein per bag. Enjoy it after a workout, while watching TV, or at the movies for a healthier snack.
- French Squirrel – Berets Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bites: Candy bar meets proteinous snack. In every bite, you’ll get 7g of protein, not to mention a chewy peanut buttery center and an organic dark chocolate shell enhanced with a pinch of sea salt.
- Slate Milk – Vanilla Latte: Make it easy for consumers to try the protein coffee craze when you stock up on this satisfying vanilla latte that packs a full 20g of protein in every can. Pour it over ice for a swift kick of sweet, satisfying, low-sugar, high-impact energy.
- Hormbles Chormbles – Classic Milk Chocolate Protein Candy Bar: Is a protein candy bar too good to be true? It isn’t with Hormbles Chormbles, whose bars offer 0g of sugar and 10g of protein in a bar that’s rich, delicious, and just 100 calories.
- Beck’s Broth – Bone Broth Protein Hot Chocolate: Self-care meets protein needs in the form of this super cozy bone broth hot chocolate. Keep a few packets out by your register for shoppers to see what they’re missing, or do a taste test on cold days near your entrance to beckon shoppers inside.
Gut health in focus
Protein isn’t the only wellness trend these days, as biohacking Gen Zers and millennials are also focused on better managing their gut health through supplements and diet. According to Whole Foods Magazine, “consumer demand for all types of microbiome support, including probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics, has soared, and the market shows no signs of slowing.” If you look at the Markets and Markets report, you’ll note that the microbiome category reached $810 million in sales in 2024 and is projected to rise to $4.21 billion by 2030.
Indeed, whether it’s in supplement form or as a snack, Gen Z is especially interested in functional foods—foods that work double duty in pleasure and in health, whether that’s a probiotic bar or a sparkling prebiotic soda.
On Faire, we’re seeing similar interest: Searches for probiotic jumped 60% from December to January of this year (with sustained volume through today), and searches for prebiotic have jumped 48% from December to July.
So how can you help your younger consumers, er, consume foods that will get their guts in shape? There are probiotic supplements, superfood powders, and tasty little superfood gummies. Try a prebiotic and probiotic sparkling lychee drink, which would look lovely in any cocktail glass, or a Poppi prebiotic soda. There’s even Fire Cider, a raw herbal tonic with “the mother,” which promises ultimate gut health with a simple daily shot.
Gift-worthy chocolates and candy for the holidays
As we make our way to the holidays, retailers are starting to look for gift-worthy chocolate—though not the typical run-of-the-mill chocolate gifts. Case in point: Searches for chocolate have grown 90% year over year as of July. Consumers want to upgrade to specialty chocolates and holiday candy for their stockings and gifts (and we’re seeing those searches begin their seasonal climb now).
Chocolate isn’t the only thing making seasons bright. Consider sparkling syrups, gourmet marshmallows, and cocoa toppers to make their holiday.
- Runamok – Limited Release Snow Globe Sparkle Syrup®: Nothing makes a holiday morning more special than pancakes drizzled with real Vermont maple syrup. Actually. What if that Vermont maple syrup was full of edible sparkles? For the discerning maple syrup person, the adult with a giddy inner kid, or an actual little kid, this is a delightful gift everyone will devour.
- The Hudson Valley Marshmallow Company – Gourmet Marshmallows: Speaking of winter mornings, those breakfasts should certainly be accompanied by hot chocolate. And that hot chocolate most definitely needs marshmallows. For that, there are gourmet marshmallows from The Hudson Valley Marshmallow Company, which come in a range of flavors, from chocolate chip to French toast. (This would also be excellent for s’mores.)
- Mayana Chocolate – Hot Chocolate: For those who treasure hot chocolate, upgrade their experience with this rich drinking chocolate from Mayana. Pro tip: Pair it with a nice mug and a candy cane on your shelf to set the scene.
- Wood Stove Kitchen – Candy Cane Sparkle Cocktail & Mocktail Mixer: For holiday parties ahead, this mocktail/cocktail mixer will shake things up with plenty of edible glitter to make every drink a sparkly surprise. Drop this onto your shop’s bar setup with a few nice shakers and a recipe card to inspire shoppers to grab a bottle before they leave!
