Trends shape society in every way, especially including food. As we have seen recently, food trends can conflict with one another, thus causing hefty debates between food lovers.  So, how do we keep the peace and work together to focus on obtaining the highest-quality food experiences possible?

Trend Tracker
A recent article on smartblogs.com reflects on food culture and the great debate of local, fresh, and organic vs. food technology, in general.  These words have saturated our food market for the past few years, and continue to cause confusion as we work to agree upon clear definitions and direction for use of the proper labels.

So how do suppliers, manufacturers, and consumers work together when trends shake things up? The smartblog article looks at a white paper from 2009 titled,Technoemotional: An Innovative Cuisine Trend Emerges, which provides detail to the issues we are currently experiencing.

Handling Trends
One conclusion: stop pendulum-shift thinking. We should avoid taking sides and having a revolutionary perspective on trends. New trends do not need to refute previous or current trends. Trends can in fact combine, or at least coexist.

Photos Courtesy of Jubilee Farm                  Photos Courtesy of dailymail

On the same note, don’t abandon current trends, in this case “fresh” and “quality.”  This is especially helpful for chefs as we start to see a heightened presence and interest food science technology. The trend of buying local, fresh, and seasonal foods are likely to remain popular, even as 3D food printers and other technology evolve. Here, there is an opportunity to combine trend interests and create fresh and healthy foods, using technology.

Rethinking technology is another implication taken from the white paper.  CPGs should conceptualize their technology to not just produce the most cost-effective and efficient products, but to create a high-quality, unique product that nature alone cannot produce.

At the mention of “quality,” the last conclusion suggests a redefinition of the word quality. What does it mean to enjoy a quality food experience? This could differ greatly from person to person, thus causing a challenge for manufacturers who aim to make the best quality foods for everyone to enjoy.

What is your definition of quality? Do you agree that trends can coexist and that we can work together to focus on creating an excellent food experience and food culture?

The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA) was founded in 1909 and is the national association of the U.S. flavor industry.  FEMA’s membership is comprised of flavor manufacturers, flavor users, flavor ingredient suppliers, and others with an interest in the U.S. flavor industry.  The association is committed to ensuring a safe supply of flavor ingredients used in foods and beverages enjoyed by billions of men, women, and children around the world.