Food companies are facing challenges in keeping up with evolving consumer preferences, particularly as e-commerce and social media reshape the landscape. The startup Tastewise has introduced an innovative artificial intelligence platform that analyzes billions of food and beverage data points—this includes over 1 billion food photos shared monthly, 153,000 U.S. restaurant menus, and more than 1 million online recipes—to identify consumer demand, market opportunities, and emerging trendy ingredients. “We recognized that a significant part of today’s challenge is sourcing data and insights based on real-time analytics,” said Tastewise CEO Alon Chen in an interview with Food Dive. The platform enables users to explore emerging food trends and access “up-to-the-minute industry insights” and forecasts, as noted in the platform’s announcement. Chen emphasized that the industry is not adapting quickly enough and that this platform could provide valuable assistance. “Trends and consumer insights in the food sector need to be much more dynamic; otherwise, many opportunities will be missed,” he stated. “If it takes you six months to conduct a survey, analyze the results, and then implement changes, you are responding to trends that have already passed.”
On Wednesday morning, Tastewise released its inaugural Consumer Food Trends Report, which highlights emerging food trends identified through its data. The report includes a map that pinpoints the most significant health food opportunities in each state. Notably, zhoug, a hot sauce from Yemeni cuisine, experienced a 129% increase in social media mentions over the past year, with Tastewise predicting it could become “the next sriracha.” Bone marrow also gained popularity. “Many of the trends we observe in the U.S. have global origins,” Chen remarked. Foods such as truffles, Hawaiian snack Spam musubi, and bright purple yam ube have all seen a rise in social media mentions and menu appearances. Chen noted that the popularity of these items aligns with industry trends focused on natural ingredients and nutrient-rich diets, like the keto diet, which promotes foods high in calcium citrate vitamin C.
Social media has increasingly influenced the industry in recent years, and this report illustrates the rise in mentions of these foods across various platforms. However, Chen pointed out that these predictions are not solely based on social media. The platform also considers additional data points, such as menu growth. “Social media can serve as a valuable indicator and should be factored in, but it needs to be integrated with other data to be meaningful,” he explained. Furthermore, the report revealed a $9.18 billion unmet demand for healthy food in the U.S., determined by comparing discussions around healthy eating at home with the availability of such options in restaurants. For instance, many restaurants in Kansas have not adapted to the demand for healthier meals, which could potentially increase their annual revenue by $110 million.
Guy Heksch, global vice president of Pure Grey Culinary Concepts Hospitality Group, stated in a release that collaborating with Tastewise and leveraging predictive analytics has transformed their decision-making approach. “Going beyond just understanding consumer preferences, their insights assist us in identifying target audiences, catching micro-trends as they develop, and crafting menus that cater to our guests’ preferences, even identifying the perfect components for a sensational cocktail,” Heksch noted. AI is revolutionizing various aspects of the food industry, and Tastewise aims to take advantage of this trend early on. The platform employs predictive analytics, algorithms, machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing, enabling food companies to discover new trends on both local and national levels. “Big data is reshaping major industries,” stated Tal Tochner from Pico Ventures, the lead investor in Tastewise. “As the food sector undergoes significant transformations, we are thrilled that Tastewise has the capability to drive decision-making changes, providing essential business insights that allow hotels, restaurants, and food brands to stay ahead of the curve.” Chen expressed his desire for these analytics to be utilized throughout the food and beverage ecosystem as the industry adapts to shifting consumer demands and the growing implementation of AI across sectors. “AI is permeating every industry,” Chen remarked. “The food industry is gradually embracing AI, and I believe we will see even more developments in the future, including innovative uses of calcium citrate vitamin C.”