The Top Digital Trends in the Food and Beverage Industry

Digitalization in the Food and Beverage Industry

The global food and drink industry is a lucrative landscape, and the 2024 Global Market Report pegs its worth at around $7,000 billion. It expects this figure to reach an estimated $8,817 billion by 2028.

Digitization has transformed countless industries with constant technological advancements and the F&B industry is one of them, particularly in the realm of digital marketing. From fully mechanized kitchens and sensors that gather data on product performance, to software that can assess shelf life or book reservations digitally, leading food and beverage operators have leveraged different technologies to deliver optimized services.

The COVID-19 Effect

While long behind us now, the COVID-19 pandemic did force businesses in the food and beverage industry to digitize operations. As interactions with customers were limited, entrepreneurs had to think of innovative ways to keep their businesses running. However, the peculiarities introduced a goal that wasn’t just about surviving but also about coming out stronger.

Digitization offered the solution to hit the ground running. Among others, online grocery shopping, better food delivery services, increased social media presence, and optimized digital food and drink marketing, are fine examples of the digital revolution that seized the F&B industry. Admittedly, few of these practices already existed before the pandemic. However, the crisis served as a catalyst that forced food and beverage marketing companies to introduce new technologies and optimize existing ones.

Trending Consumer Practices

In this highly competitive market, having a solid food and beverage marketing strategy that focuses on the digital landscape is essential. However, making wrong moves is perhaps more disappointing than having no strategy at all.

Intentional marketing utilizes relevant information at your disposal to formulate effective strategies that drive sales. To achieve this, businesses need to stay on top of the latest trends in the food and beverage industry. This helps identify what your customers are looking for and value. It also gives you the means to map out applicable marketing strategies.

Here are some of the leading food and beverage trends from the consumer’s perspective.

Plant-Based Alternatives

Veganism has become a buzzword in the food industry. According to Fortune Business Insights, the value of the global vegan food market stood at $33.14 billion in 2023 and grew to $37.37 billion in 2024. It is set to get to around $103 billion by 2032.

Data collated by Sentient Media surrounding the increase in veganism offers some interesting numbers too.

• Retail sales of plant-based foods in the U.S. increased from $3.9 billion in 2017 to $8.1 billion in 2023.
• Global sales of plant-based foods increased from $21.6 billion in 2019 to $29 billion in 2023.
• Plant-based food companies raised more capital from 2020 to 2023 than they did in the preceding 14-year period.

Several consumers now opt for plant-based alternatives to traditional foods like milk and meat while others completely maintain vegan diets, abstaining from animal products altogether. Interestingly, while vegetarianism and veganism are becoming increasingly popular, only a small fraction of the population identifies solely as vegan. This shows that plant-based meals are popular among meat eaters as well.

Organic Foods

With unhealthy diets as the leading cause of obesity and other health issues like cardiovascular diseases, consumers are becoming more conscious of their eating habits. Organic foods circumvent all artificial food processing and offer consumers fresh produce for healthy living. Enthusiasts often shop for produce from local markets or farms for guaranteed quality.

From parents who desire healthier meals for their kids, to individuals trying to make better lifestyle choices, and even social media influencers who simply want to embody the movement, organic living has become a prominent food and beverage trend among several social groups.

Sustainability

With climate change looming large, several consumers want to know if their products are eco-conscious. Society now frowns upon products made from single-use items while regarding recycled or repurposed materials as ethically superior. Consequently, consumers want to see companies making a concerted effort to responsibly source and distribute materials with respect for the planet and its inhabitants.

Additionally, zero-waste initiatives are gaining popularity. This applies to both material and food waste. In a bid to reduce waste pollution, consumers now favor biodegradable materials over plastic. Likewise, to slash the estimated 30% to 40% of food wasted yearly as reported by the US Department of Agriculture, consumers are now finding innovative ways to avoid wastage. This includes sharing leftover meals with the underprivileged and using them as compost.

Customizable Menus

Variety, they say, is the spice of life. While some consumers have staples on the menu, others prefer to tailor what they eat. Food customization is an interesting trend among consumers where they get to combine various elements from different arrangements on a menu. While certain difficulties like cross-contamination, flavor incompatibility, and ingredient allergies threaten this trend, businesses have managed to deliver suitable modifications with favorable results.

Foreign Cuisines

As the digital space continues to expand, consumers are getting acquainted with various corners of the planet and their respective delicacies. The more foreign dishes people see online, the more they desire to taste them. According to Fona, a food flavoring company, about 55% of shoppers order global foods from grocery stores at least once a month. With several online recipes native to various parts of the world, consumers can now have a taste of diverse cultures within the comfort of their own homes.

Aesthetically Appealing Dishes

This is possibly the most popular of all food and beverage trends in the industry. In addition to taste, consumers also want things that look good. After all, sumptuous cuisine affects all our senses. Even hearing chicken sizzle in hot oil is enough to create desire in some. However, our sense of sight is perhaps one of the most sensitive when it comes to foods, following closely behind taste and smell.

Merely seeing a beautifully plated meal is enough to make the average person salivate because we immediately assume the taste from what we see. With the availability of multiple platforms for sharing visually striking content, this food and beverage trend, also known as “Instagrammable food” isn’t going away any time soon.

Digital Trends in the Food and Beverage Industry

Now that you know the popular practices among your target consumers, you may benefit by looking at what is trending in the food and beverage industry. These trends will help you reach out to prospects in the digital space and convert them into customers. If you feel you don’t have the required time or expertise to implement these measures on your own, using the services of a food and beverage marketing firm might work well for you.

1. Eco-Friendly Branding

Awareness about environmental sustainability is at an all-time high. Gone are the days when consumers were unbothered about the effects of industrialization on the environment. With more people adopting eco-friendly lifestyles, many consumers will only associate with brands that are also environmentally conscious, particularly in the food and beverage industry.

From the food & beverage marketing perspective, your brand is your business personality. Beyond the products and services you offer, your brand determines your reputation in the public eye. To appeal to the demographic of consumers who value eco-friendly practices, your brand should communicate that you share the same sentiments about the environment. While product packaging is a prominent part of branding, the most effective methods are in the digital sphere.

Digital marketing for food brands acquaints consumers with your business even before they hold your product in their hands or experience your services. For instance, your company website is a powerful digital marketing tool but it is also an efficient medium for introducing and promoting your brand identity. Additionally, because consumers are likely to research your business online before patronizing it, it is vital that your digital brand aligns with the values of your target audience.

2. Social Media Marketing

According to Statista, there were around 5.44 billion internet users in the world as of April 2024, with 5.07 billion being social media users. Statista also points out that the average time an internet user spent on social media stood at 143 minutes per day in 2024.

These numbers go to show that social media is a great platform to market your business and generate leads. As a food and beverage company, it’s even more effective because most social media networks are visually tailored. You can leverage this by appealing to your consumers’ sense of sight.

A food and beverage marketing agency can help you run sponsored social media ads and influencer marketing campaigns through which you may attract and convert customers with visually striking posts and promotional offers.

Additionally, the far-reaching capabilities of food and beverage social media marketing help break geographical limitations by making your online presence accessible from any corner of the globe. Besides, users can share your content with their followers, creating an ever-growing chain of visibility for your business.

3. Google Business Profile

Local food and beverage setups stand to benefit by creating their business profiles on Google, as it makes them visible to potential customers within their area. According to Semrush, 23.77% of consumers turn to Google when they need information about local businesses.

Once people search for businesses like yours on Google, particularly on Google Maps, you’re included in their top results. They can immediately review your details, which is why you need to complete and update your profile regularly. Given the ease with which you may update your business profile on Google, this is among the simplest food and beverage marketing ideas to implement.

For best results, add all relevant details to your Google business profile. These include attractive photos of your business, its physical address, working hours, multiple ways to contact you, and your company website (if you have one). These important details make it easier for local customers to find and trust your business.

4. Food Blogging/Vlogging

Food blogging combines tasteful writing with visuals of food to deliver satisfying experiences to consumers. Many aspiring chefs and leisure cooks religiously follow several food blogs across the internet. This holds many opportunities for your business. For example, you can run paid ads on popular blogs or have bloggers review your products and services. Alternatively, you may create your own blog to market your business.

Food vlogging is all about creating videos of food (cooking or eating) and is becoming one of the most rewarding digital trends in the food and beverage industry. Whether it’s to learn new recipes or satisfy cravings, consumers are flocking en masse to watch these videos. Interestingly, there is an assortment of these vlogs across various skill sets. Be it the amateurish beginner, the up-and-coming home cook, or the professional chef, food vlogging caters to various tastes and levels of sophistication.

A food and drink digital marketing agency can leverage this trend by promoting your brand to an already established audience. It can help you sponsor food bloggers and vloggers or send them your products to cook in front of thousands or millions of subscribers.

If you are in the restaurant business, you may invite some prolific food bloggers/vloggers and influencers to your establishment. Have them enjoy your services in front of their fan base and recommend your brand with added incentives. You can also manage your own account on video hosting platforms like YouTube where you showcase your products and services to a growing audience.

5. SEO Content

You need more than just content to drive consumer engagement; you also need to ensure optimizing it for high-ranking relevance. Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential part of your online presence. It helps consumers find your business when they search for related products and services, and it is the leading source of organic web traffic.

When people conduct searches on platforms like Google, they get to view different websites on the results pages. However, you don’t automatically appear on search engine results pages (SERPs) because they rank websites based on how relevant their content is and other parameters.

With a near-saturated online world, using the right keywords in your content is one way to optimize it, thereby multiplying your chances of visibility. However, SEO also requires paying attention to branded content creation, on- and off-page optimization, page speed, link building, and other factors.

6. Email Marketing

Litmus suggests that businesses may expect a $36 return on every dollar invested in email marketing, making it one of the highest returns on investment (ROIs) in the business world. If you are looking to diversify your marketing channels, you should consider email marketing.

However, you need to ensure that you don’t spam consumers with random emails. When customers grant you access to their emails, personalize their experiences by sending them relevant information about your services. Monitor their interactions with your business to determine which products and services would interest them.

For instance, a customer who frequently orders pizza would appreciate emails about special pizza offers. Such targeted emails drive sales by encouraging customers to indulge their habits.

Conclusion

From showcasing the right brand personality to leveraging social media and optimizing your website design for better visibility, you have gone through some of the top digital trends in the food and beverage industry.

Remember that your business needs an effective marketing strategy to survive in a fiercely competitive realm, and partnering with a result-driven digital agency gives you the means to implement the latest trends and drive growth.