Education Session Preview: Food & Beverage Trends Shaping Convenience in 2027

It’s not always about the food. Many of the forces influencing food and beverage decisions originate outside the food industry. Economics, health, travel, demographics, cultural exposure and the broader emotional environment all influence what consumers choose—and which flavors resonate, said Suzy Badaracco, president of Culinary Tides Inc. Badaracco is the featured speaker for the Education Session “Food and Beverage Trends Shaping Convenience in 2027” on Tuesday, October 6, at 2:45 p.m. at the NACS Show.

As consumers navigate rising costs, evolving wellness priorities and growing exposure to global cultures, the food and beverage industry is undergoing significant change, Badaracco said. Understanding the impetus for change and adapting to fluid trends is key to a convenience store’s success.

“Ultimately, flavor trends don't develop in isolation. What's happening economically, culturally, physically and emotionally changes what consumers want flavor to do for them,” Badaracco said. “Sometimes flavor is about discovery, but it can also provide reward, distraction, control or a safe opportunity to be fearless.”

Selective Spending

To no one’s surprise, economic pressure remains one of the strongest influences on purchasing decisions, according to Badaracco. Although consumers may be more selective about spending, they continue to seek affordable experiences and small indulgences, she said, using food and beverages as a low-cost source of reward, comfort and escapism.

Health also has a significant impact on decision-making, Badaracco said. Protein, hydration, gut health, energy, GLP-1 medications and other wellness priorities are changing what consumers want from food and beverages. Still, she said, flavor becomes particularly important because many consumers aren't willing to sacrifice enjoyment to receive a functional benefit.

Travel and cultural exposure are not to be ignored, Badaracco added, as well as demographic shifts. 

“Consumers encounter flavors through travel, restaurants, social media and increasingly diverse communities,” she said. “As exposure increases, the definition of ‘adventurous’ keeps moving. A flavor that once signaled novelty can quickly become part of consumers’ everyday vocabulary.”

According to Badaracco, demographics reinforce all of this. Younger and more culturally diverse consumers have grown up with broader flavor repertoires, so global influence isn't necessarily perceived as exotic or adventurous—it's expected.

Changing Tastes

Consumers are driven by emotional factors, too, she said. And that impacts taste. 

“When the world feels uncertain or consumers feel they have less control, bold flavors can provide a safe way to push boundaries. Spicy foods, extreme heat and increasingly global flavors can offer distraction, reward, controlled risk and even a sense of fearlessness— you're choosing the challenge and deciding how far you want to go,” Badaracco said.

To navigate through changing trends and tastes, Badaracco underscores the importance of the research-driven foresight and behavioral approach. The approach, she said, is based on military intelligence and chaos analytics, which examines the forces causing change and how those forces interact instead of simply looking at what's trending.

Tracking signals across industries and over time can help retailers determine whether a trend is strengthening, weakening, changing direction or making connections.

“That allows us to assess their longevity and trajectory and gives companies a better idea of what's changing and what to do about it,” Badaracco said.

Some trends or products defy shifts. But Badaracco said convenience retailers can distinguish hype from staying power by looking behind the product at the forces supporting it. A product can generate enormous attention, but attention alone doesn't make it a trend, she said.