Originally published February 23 2006
Food trends in 2006 will develop around white tea and exotic superfruits
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A new report issued by the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) predicts that the biggest food trends of 2006 will be exotic fruits and white tea.
These are the latest sectors "well-positioned for growth" in trend predictions for 2006 by food trend tracker the Center for Culinary Development (CCD).
"Fruits such as mango, papaya, and pomegranate, once considered exotic, have become mainstream," according to the organization, which identifies "healthy eating" and "ethnic mainstreaming" as partly responsible for the popularity of these products.
Other exotic fruits, or "superfruits," that consumers will opt for to boost their mood and energy levels include guava, lychee, pomelo, yuzu, and tamarind as well as berries such as acai, guarana and goji, said the CCD, which tracks trends and develops products for food companies and restaurant chains.
Indeed, in Europe the increased popularity of exotic fruit contributed significantly to a growth rate of 26 per cent for the European organic food industry between 2001 and 2004, according to market analyst Datamonitor, and the US market looks to be following suit.
"Sales of premium fruit are on the rise in the US, as are sales of ethnic food in general.
Exotic fruits, which combine the perceived authenticity and flavour intensity benefits of ethnic foods with the health and quality benefits of premium fruit, are set to grow in future years, driven by consumers' desire for greater healthiness, authenticity and flavour," Datamonitor analyst John Band told FoodNavigator-USA.
"The same thing that has happened with wine, coffee, and chocolate is now happening to tea.
"While black and green were the colors in demand, white tea is now cropping up with ever-greater frequency on our radar.
"Food-fashion-forward" restaurants have picked up on this trend, serving a number of small plates such as Mexican and Thai tapas, said the CCD, adding that small plates and bites "will continue to have big momentum."
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