The world of food is constantly evolving, but trends give us a snapshot into consumer behaviours and cultural shifts while providing insight into what people value. They also reveal changes in how we approach health, sustainability and convenience and how we connect with food emotionally. 

Here, industry experts give us their insider perspectives on what is expected to dominate this year when it comes to our plates and glasses. From global influences and shifts in consumer preferences to sustainability innovations and emerging ingredients, these are the trends shaping our food experiences this year.  

The rise and rise of sustainability  

More of a way of life now than a trend, interest in sustainability is only continuing to grow. Rosalind Murray, Woolworths Foods Trends & Insights Analyst, predicts that there will be a big shift in the industry as people become savvier and demand much more accountability from brands and businesses. “With consumers already feeling the impact of cost increases due to ingredient shortages, awareness of sustainable practices will grow,” she explains. This will impact how people shop but also where they choose to eat out.  

For chef Ryan Cole of Eat Out three-star restaurant Salsify at the Roundhouse and COY in Cape Town, sustainability goes beyond being a buzzword, it’s a practice. “Every restaurant should be recycling and minimising food waste, and beyond that there should be a conscious effort and choice in how the business operates and runs. It’s going to set our industry up for the future,” he says.  

Chef Ryan Cole of Salsify at the Roundhouse and COY.

Celebrating local ingredients 

Hand in hand with sustainability comes honouring local ingredients. “At Salsify and COY, we are focussed on finding and rediscovering local ingredients that are in season. We’re currently on the amadumbe [a starchy root vegetable] train on the cassava route. It’s something I’m playing with a lot at both restaurants, in different applications, but to bring the best out of them,” says Ryan. 

“I think South Africa is getting into a space where our diners are less and less impressed with imported goods – it’s definitely not as cool to be serving Scottish scallops or salmon. People are rediscovering humble ingredients that have been overlooked in the past and finding the beauty and joy in their familiarity,” he says. 

And when he talks about local, he doesn’t just mean our country, he means the continent too. “For me, it’s all about looking into Africa for inspiration and celebrating our diversity. We’re putting our own ingredients on a pedestal and making them special. It’s also about learning from them,” he says. “I’d like to believe that we (in Africa and South Africa) have gone past the era of looking to Europe for what we do next or how we do it.” 

The love-for-all-things-local trend applies to drinks as well. “President Trump’s tariffs have had an enormous impact on the global drinks industry, affecting US exports into foreign markets, and as a result of retaliatory tariffs, foreign imports to the US. This has resulted in a “local is lekker” attitude in the markets impacted, where consumers are being encouraged to drink local products. Even should tariffs be reversed, I predict this mentality will endure for some time, across spirit categories,” says Leah van Deventer, writer, educator, judge and consultant specialising in cocktails and spirits. 

A more balanced approach to drinks 

No- to low-alcohol drinks have become more and more popular as people continue to explore a wider range of drinks options. Leah sees this trend evolving even further: “I’ve noticed that the low-and-no trend has evolved from cocktails using alcohol-free distillates, which tried to mimic spirits, to drinks that embrace their alcohol-free nature as standalones. There’s also an uptick in drinks featuring nootropics, adaptogens and CBD that focus on relaxation and wellness instead of inebriation.” 

Rosalind agrees: “Non-alcoholic drinks and the sober-curious movement are going to gain more traction. People are exploring a more functional and balanced approach to drinking both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.”  

Letting ingredients shine 

When it comes to what’s on our plates when eating out, we can expect to see more emphasis on the ingredients used, as well as back-to-basic techniques that let the ingredients take centre stage. “In restaurants, I think we’re going to see much less intervention with ingredients, focusing rather on impeccable flavour from locally sourced and hyper-seasonal foods,” says Rosalind. Ryan agrees, saying, “we also need to pay attention to ingredient-led cooking taking centre stage.”  

But it’s more than just the ingredients, it’s how they’re allowed to shine. “Like ingredients, techniques are going back to their roots – back to bare basics. So, for me, there’s a lot of fire cooking, and there’s a lot of secondary fire cooking – meaning, we cook in the ashes and the embers overnight in the wood-fired ovens,” Ryan explains. “Now, it’s all about simplicity. The beauty and diversity of ingredients. From our various positions in the world, we’re celebrating things that are unique to where we are and rediscovering the forgotten ingredients of our respective regions,” he says.  

 

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“I think the food trend should be seasonal produce,” says Iming Lin, founder and farmer at Meuse Farm, which supplies many of South Africa’s top restaurants with vegetables and herbs. “Luckily for us, I think what most inspires the chefs are great flavours and the trends are perhaps more in how to prep/use the ingredients rather than the ingredients themselves. Well, maybe those are just the trends we can capitalise on since, regardless of what crop is in fashion, we won’t force a crop to grow out of its season anyway, and there’s only so much of a crop family we can grow on a balanced farm.”    

The relationship between food and wellness 

As more people focus on the connection between what they eat and how they feel, food is no longer just about fuelling the body – it’s about nourishing it. As this connection becomes clearer, food that supports and celebrates wellness is becoming more popular. “Food has long been at the centre of the wellness conversation, and it has ramped up considerably in the last year. Consumers are more proactive, questioning and curious about the role of food in wellness,” says Rosalind. “There is a drive towards more personalised, preventative and holistic approaches and food plays an integral role in managing an individual’s needs.” 

Ryan is seeing this link as well. “I think in 2025 there is more of a light being shone on health and rejuvenation, with the public and popular opinion being that it’s all about less – people want to feel better,” he says.    

Other trends to watch out for 

Leah foresees some lesser-known beverages moving into the spotlight in 2025. “Asian spirits and brews, like shochu, awamori and saké, are gaining global popularity, as is hard tepache, from Mexico, which I saw in cans recently while abroad.” 

Rosalind believes that “sensory, stimulating foods and ingredients and interesting combinations of tastes and textural elements” will grow in popularity this year and that there will be a crossover of highbrow and lowbrow foods, i.e. a combination of premium ingredients in everyday formats. She also thinks that there will be a “blurring of the boundaries of traditional cuisines – mashups and crazy riffs on recipes that draw inspiration from myriads of global flavours and ingredients.” 

Ryan is all about giving Africa a voice, an identity and celebrating it, but isn’t too fazed about getting caught up in the noise: “At the end of the day, when trends and fads come and go, the only thing you have left is your ability to physically cook and translate beautiful food onto a plate. Hype is cool, but food always wins, and something must be utterly ******* delicious for a restaurant to last.”