And, with the end of August comes the end of British Summer (or, it did until the September heatwave arrived). With August came plenty of new food & drink trends – on TikTok and beyond.
Wine Overtakes Spirits and Beer
According to the Drinks Business, drinks sales were up in the week from 27th August. Average drink sales in venues were up 0.2% when compared to the same period last year. Perhaps most interesting – wine took the top spot as the best performing category, ahead of both spirits and beer.
Wine has been the best performing category for the majority of this year, but the week from 27th August saw sales increase by 6% compared to the previous year.
In general, wine sales have continued to grow in previous years. Mintel reports that in the years 2017-22 the total wine market grew by 7%. However, they also report that due to stretched finances and cost of living pressures throughout 2022, and now into 2023 – this was expected to slow down. They predict that by 2025 the market will begin to grow again as finances improve.
Interestingly, when looking into wine related searches on Google Trends, we can see that the wine that is peaking search interest is orange wine. According to Google Trends, searches for orange wine are up 13% in the past year. Following a sharp peak in 2020, the trend has slowly increased over time to now 25K searches in the past month.
Orange wine is not made from oranges, nor does it have anything to do with oranges at all. Orange wine is actually a naturally made white wine. It is made by mashing up and fermenting white grapes, but with little to no-additives which is what gives it an orange hue and a different flavour. So, whilst the wine market is growing over spirits and beer – will Orange wine be the next big drink?
Healthy but Easy Recipes
#healthy was still the number two trending hashtag on TikTok in August. Whilst the summer has come to a close, people are still on a health kick. However, with children heading back to school, and autumn nights drawing closer what we all long for is healthy, but easy food. Not only are we more budget conscious than ever, but we are creatures of ease and habit – so the easier something is to cook, the more likely we are to do it.
#easyrecipe also took one of the top 10 spots in the TikTok trends for food & beverage in August, as did #girldinner which is still a big topic of conversation. The ‘girl dinner’ is essentially exactly that, something easy to put together, yet often healthy and quick meal.
Healthy food isn’t always what we think, however, it can be many different things and this month it seems that we were all about skin health. The Metro reported on the phenomenon, curated by a US influencer, which claims to have found the secret to perfect skin. The ‘skincare breakfast’ supposedly improves the overall health and look of your skin through nutrients in the food.
So, whilst we are constantly on the search of the next health food – it’s important to consider what the different health benefits of foods could actually be.
TikTok Trends
TikTok, the home of food & drink trends.
This month on TikTok we have seen a few returning favourites as well as some new additions. As mentioned, the #girldinner trend doesn’t look to be going anywhere – with a trending sound to accompany it.
A new food trend also came into the mix in the form of Hwachae – a traditional Korean dessert that consists of fruit, milkshake and sprite amongst other additions. Across TikTok we are seeing influencers try this dessert and their reactions. It is likely we’ll see brands and/or restaurants jump on the trend as it grows.
We are continuing to see people share their versions of ‘girl dinner’ alongside those jumping on the trend as a parody. Brands have continued to get involved and there are even variations of the trend with ‘Mom Dinner’ and ‘Lazy Girl Dinner’.
Another trend that is coming back, is the #cocktailnight trend. There are a few variations of this trend but essentially it is all about staying in, making cocktails and spending time with friends. People then document this on TikTok and usually it has a theme – whether that be a cocktail based on your job or a colour. Similar to the #bringaboard night trend it’s all about having fun with your friends on a budget and not going out.
We do expect to see these trends continue, as we all search for new and creative ways to enjoy time with friends without spending a fortune. It is important for brands to adapt to the changing landscape and get involved in these trends.
To find out more about how your brand can get involved in conversations, email hello@hatch.group
