Alimentaria 2026 Trade Fair

Admin
Mar 28
4 min read

Last week we had the opportunity to visit Alimentaria 2026, one of the leading food industry trade fairs in Europe, held in Barcelona.

The event is truly impressive — not only because of its size and number of exhibitors, but also, from a marketing perspective, because of the quality of the stands.

We attended the fair because we wanted to see the final result of the Cremette tand that we designed for the event, integrated within the TGT area.

Here are some photos of the stand:

And since we were at such an impressive trade fair featuring the leading brands in the food industry, we took the opportunity to do some "cool hunting" to identify the trends that are redefining the sector.

After visiting the different stands and the innovation area of the fair, we were able to identify 16 major trends, which we detail below:

Trend nº1: “The protein hype” — there is a real obsession with high-protein products. It doesn’t matter whether they are snacks, dairy products, drinks, supplements, processed foods… everything carries the “high protein” label. It is clear that eating habits are changing and there is a search for healthier diets, but we have serious doubts about whether it is necessary to “boost” products when we can obtain protein more naturally.

Trend nº2: “Healthy credibility” — consumers continue to search for healthier diets, and it is no longer only about unprocessed foods. All brands want to communicate this concept… and if the product itself does not naturally fit that positioning, no problem — they look for a partner (commercial agreement) with credibility, especially on social media. This is how we find “healthy chocolates” or “processed snacks” suddenly endorsed by influencers or content creators. But beware: that does not necessarily mean the ingredients actually meet healthy standards.

Trend nº3: “Extreme experiences” — just as some consumers are highly focused on healthy eating, others are looking for limits and are open to trying the strangest and most extreme things possible. Insects, unusual flavors, and extreme spicy products play a major role here.

Trend nº4: “Impossible flavors” — a variation of extreme experiences, but with its own territory. The idea here is to mix local and foreign flavors to create products that are also visually striking and encourage impulse purchases.

Trend nº5: “Multi-purpose products” — some basic products are being repositioned and becoming trends in themselves. One example is potato chips. A few days ago, we talked about Lay’s creating a restaurant concept based around chips, and now we find chips reinvented as sweet products. We move from snacks to desserts with chocolate-covered potato chips.

Trend nº6: “Focus on sustainability” — this is no longer a trend, but a necessity, and brands — including retailers — are stepping up. Packaging has always been a hot topic, especially for fresh prepared products, and now BonArea is proposing reusable trays. Consumers can return them to supermarkets to be reused (up to 50 times before being fully recyclable). In addition, customers receive a €0.50 incentive when returning them. We are convinced we will see more similar initiatives from retailers in the coming months.

Trend nº7: “Everything can be takeaway” — since COVID and the gradual return to offices, “tuppers” have taken over workplaces. But not everyone cooks — or cooks every day — creating huge demand for ready-to-eat products. And this category keeps growing. No matter what you imagine, even products as delicate as eggs are now available in ready-to-eat formats.

Trend nº8: “Technology drives products” — the food sector could not remain disconnected from technological evolution, especially technologies increasingly present in kitchens. One of the star products in recent years has been the air fryer, and now products specifically designed for air fryers are starting to appear everywhere.

Trend nº9: “New habits, new food” — we want to give our bodies what they need to stay fit, but at the same time we have little time to cook. The result: easy-to-consume superfoods, regardless of where we are or how much time we have. The most common format is the shake, now transformed into “shots” capable of fully replacing a meal.

Trend nº10: “Infinite synergies” — well-known brands in different categories joining forces to create combined products attractive to consumers. What is interesting is that one brand controls the customer relationship while the other provides the “sexy” differentiation factor. The goal is clearly a win-win collaboration.

Trend nº11: “From competitors to partners” — an interesting trend in categories where a product format became a standard after patents expired and replicas flooded the market. Now former competitors are partnering with the original brand. Starbucks capsules are an example. The original player controls the consumer relationship (machine + recurring consumption), while others realize it may be better to become an ally rather than compete directly.

Trend nº12: “Sauce obsession” — a clear trend coming from the restaurant industry into homes. The variety of sauces available to combine with food is practically endless. There are sauces of every type, flavor, and price range.

Trend nº14: “The battle for differentiation” — we live in a world where it is increasingly difficult to stand out based only on the core product, especially in the mid-market segment. Basic products compete on price, premium products compete on quality and prestige, but the middle segment is a battlefield. Differentiation on shelves becomes critical, and packaging plays a fundamental role. At Alimentaria 2026, many brands were clearly investing heavily in bold and even risky packaging proposals.

Trend nº15: “The unexpected can come from Asia” — Alimentaria 2026 featured a strong presence of Asian products with truly surprising and bold proposals. These products also rely on highly radical visual identities that immediately attract attention. They dare to do everything, far beyond traditional Asian products and the already established Bubble Tea trend.

Trend nº16: “The fast business of tea” — the food industry could not escape the world of private labels and franchise models (often short-lived). The latest example is tea. We have already seen the boom of vape stores, perfume stores, phone case shops, bakery chains, empanada chains… mostly based on low-differentiation products and franchise models. Now the focus seems to be shifting toward tea. Will our streets soon be filled with tea shops? Beyond the Bubble Tea stores that are already multiplying…

Here we leave you the keynote with the summary of the 16 trends: