Top Trends Identified at Winter Fancy Food Show

The Top 5 trends have been been picked by a panel of food experts at the 35th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco.

The panel included:

• Lessley Anderson, senior features editor, CHOW;
• Kara Nielsen, trendologist, Center for Culinary Development;
• Tanya Henry, food critic, Marin Independent Journal;
• Nancy Wall Hopkins, deputy editor, food and entertaining, Better Homes & Gardens;
• Kay Logsdon, editor, The Food Channel;
• Denise Purcell, editor, Specialty Food Magazine;
• Joanne Weir, PBS television host, Joanne Weir’s Cooking Class

The top trends identified are:

• Good-for-you foods
• Coconut
• Gluten-free
• Exotic citrus
• Nostalgic foods

The panel walked the halls of the Winter Fancy Food Show on Sunday to make their selections, then met as a group. Their picks are part of the Fancy Food Show’s online Food Trend Challenge. Hundreds of retailers, restaurateurs, journalists, producers, farmers and others in the industry played the online game for a chance to win monthly prizes and bragging rights as the trendiest person at the show.

Grand prize was awarded to Eddi Marie Julian, Beckles Candies and Gifts, Modesto, Calif. She won the great prize of a free trip to the 56th Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City this June 27 – 29.