Ten Trends Emerging In The Aftermath Of COVID-19

Words like “handcrafted” and “homemade” in the not-so-distant past signaled quality. Amid a pandemic, such terms may ring unappealing to consumers as contactless experiences become the norm.

“The last thing I want to think of right now is a grandma in her trattoria in Italy fondling my dough,” said Elizabeth Moskow, principal of consulting firm Bread & Circus Ltd. “I’d rather have some machine that’s sanitized every 20 seconds folding and mixing and proofing dough.”

Expect new claims such as “bot-made” and “sanitation verified,” as well as more automation in restaurant kitchens, she said.

“We’ve seen Sally the salad-making robot, and White Castle is using a bot called Flippy to flip its hamburgers,” Ms. Moskow said. “Are we going to start seeing cutesy names for robots in foodservice?”

Chalk it up to the many changes in how consumers dine and shop for food and drink since the coronavirus outbreak upended the marketplace this past spring. Packaged food brands and restaurant operators are adapting in ways that will likely continue into next year and beyond, Ms. Moskow said.

Each year, Ms. Moskow forecasts the top food and beverage trends, compiled in partnership with Spoonshot, a food innovation intelligence platform. Her predictions this year were informed by the sudden shifts in consumer behaviors brought on by COVID-19.