An ode to grocery in 2022

Before we all skip ahead to 2023, we wanted to honor our favorite grocery trends of the past year—the products, brands, and innovations that made us ooh and ahhh.

And what better way to celebrate, than through song? As we are not singer-songwriters, we enlisted everyone’s least favorite mastermind, AI. Turns out, computers can write a solid chorus. 

Here are the 2022 trends we loved,
with lyrical accompaniment from robots.
 

The many shapes of water 💧

Yesterday’s catch 🐟

Preserved seafood is on the rise and we’ve entered the ‘hot girls eat tinned fish’ era. As more brands serve up better fish in new formats—salmon sausages, glamorous packaging, plant-based alts—this is a category we’re confident will grow.
Blue Circle salmon sausages, Fishwife, Emily Mariko’s wildly popular leftover salmon recipe, Tiny Fish Co, Seed to Surf

Social lubricants, sans the hangover 🍸

We know alcohol isn’t *the best* for our bodies, but we still seek to disassociate, just a little. Brands in the non-alc and adjacent categories are increasingly adding functional ingredients—meant to specifically help you relax, energize, or even boost your empathy. All helpful social lubricants, sans the hangover. 43% of our own visitors say they’re interested to try more adaptogenic products in 2023, compared to other trends.
De Soi, KA! Empathogenics, Barbari, Bonbuz, Sun Chaser

Maximalist eating ✨

Of all the possible trends to try, our community says they’re most interested in new ‘toppings’. Not only must these accessories detonate flavor, they’ve got to make your plate look exciting, too. Phone eats first.?
OffLimits Cereal Glitter, Fancy Sprinkes Edible Glitter, so many chili crisps, TikTok’s Pink Sauce, Runamok Sparkle Syrup

Dairy parity 🧀

We’ve reached a tipping point, where animal-free dairy alternatives actually look & taste like their conventional counterparts (thanks, science!).  We’re talking animal-free dairy milk, animal-free collagen, AI-produced cheese—that actually look and taste like the real thing. When it comes to nutrition, novel products like plant-based blue cheese and potato milk outpace traditional dairy too (higher protein!).
Perfect Day, Bored Cow, Jellatech Collagen, Climax Cheese

Better-for-you took aim 🍫

The never-ending quest for better-made pantry staples has gotten…specific. We’re seeing more precise replicas of our favorite childhood snacks than ever before, and we’re here for it. Direct comparisons to familiar snacks help to encourage trial—so, what beloved snack will get its makeover in 2023? Dunkaroos or Chipwiches, please?
Flings, Why? Snacks, Sundays, Grown-As

Asian flavors in many forms 🥟

Luckily for everyone, Asian flavors have expanded across categories with no signs of slowing down. In the freezer, dumplings are expected to double their 6.3B market size in the next decade. In the fridge, flavors like yuzu & calamansi have re-ignited our love for citrus. In the pantry, brands with Asian founders are reinventing classics for an audience that can’t get enough.
Immi, Gochujang cookies, Bowlcut, Phil’s Finest

Lyrical credit: OpenAI

With love and groceries,
Team PUG 💙