It’s the month of all things spooky, cosy and pumpkin spiced. As with every month, October has seen plenty of new food & drink trends for us to look at. October is always a pretty big month food and drink wise – we’re edging closer to party season, it’s getting colder and it’s time for sober October. So, with that being said, what did we see this October?
All Things Comfy and Cosy
Whilst this October might not seem as cold as years previous, in fact if anything it started a great deal warmer.
However, that doesn’t stop us craving comfort food as the nights get longer, and the days shorter. There is nothing better than curling up in front of the sofa with a warm, hearty meal – and whether you’re craving soup or stew you’re not alone as #comfortfood was one of the top food and drink trends on TikTok in October, with 71 million views.
It’s no surprise, as we can see on Google trends that during October and November, searches for ‘comfort food’ peak.
When it comes to food & drink brands, knowing this kind of information is key – so you can get your warming recipes ready to share in October and November and get ahead of the curve.
Speaking of comfort food, and all things warm and cosy – it’s pumpkin spice season. Whilst some are looking forward to Halloween, and Christmas, others are looking forward to a warm, spiced latte.
Interestingly, however, this is contained to October. #pumpkinspce trended number 12 on TikTok for food & drink in October, but as soon as the month ends it drops off as people switch up their coffee order to something a little more festive. Google trends reflects this, and we can see the love of pumpkin spice isn’t going anywhere as searches have increased 12% in the last year.
Sober October
We all know that low and no-alcohol has boomed this year, so with Sober October coming around again it’s interesting to see just how much interested has increased in 2023. The Grocer reported in October that sober curiosity has been increasing ever since the pandemic – with data showing that interest in ‘mocktails’ has grown 50% in the last 12 months, and interest in ‘low-alcohol beer’ has grown 35%.
The same Grocer research reveals that the shift in behaviour around alcohol is being driven, unsurprisingly by gen Z – with 70% of gen Z describing binge drinking as ‘very risky’ and 41% associate it with having detrimental effects on their mental wellbeing.
This is only set to continue, as we expect to see the rise in the cost of alcoholic drinks, meaning people will likely switch more to low and no-alcohol alternatives and soft drinks as a cheaper alternative.
Air Fryer Fanatics
At the beginning of the month, John Lewis released their latest consumer report and air fryers played a major role. The Grocer reports that the number sits at around 30%-46% of Brits owning an air fryer.
It’s being a trend for a while now, with Air Fryers selling out last Christmas and the sector continuing to grow rapidly throughout 2023. However, it’s now clear to see it’s not a trend that is going away any time soon. And, with that, retailers are making moves to stay on trend.
Tesco announced the same week that it would be adding air fryer cooking instructions to a range of it’s own brand products, with a bigger rollout coming soon. Other brands are following suit – with a range of air fryer specific oils making their way into supermarkets.
It just goes to show, sometimes trends aren’t short-lived and there is still time for brands to make the most of them!
For more information on how Hatch can help you make the most of trends, get in touch at hello@hatch.group
