A former crime scene investigator applies her finely honed ’sleuthing’ skill to predict food trends.

Suzy Badaracco is a former crime scene investigator who applies her finely honed ’sleuthing’ skills to predict food trends. Suzy is also a toxicologist, certified chef and registered dietitian with degrees in criminalistics, culinary arts and human nutrition. She predicts and profiles health and ingredient food trends relating to consumers, fast food, fast casual restaurants, grocery stores and manufacturing for a variety of organizations.

 

Guest Expert: Suzy Badaracco
Title: President
Organization: Culinary Tides

Suzy, tell us a little bit about what constitutes a trend?

I don’t believe in fads, but in well supported and weakly supported trends. I watch for blips, shadows, and trends. The blips are dots in chaos, shadows are the birth of trends or blips coming to the front of the pack with very loose ties to other existing trends, but still a bit nonsensical.

Can you provide an example?

One example is the color white. White chocolate is coming in because it’s balancing all the dark chocolate. In restaurants, we’re seeing white mousse for desert. White asparagus is showing up in magazines, and cauliflower is also making an appearance. Other shadow whites coming up at the same time are white vanilla (used by Martha Stewart), white balsamic vinegar (at Trader Joe’s) and white tea.

Why do you think the color white is becoming so popular?

It’s just a guess, but it may tie into consumer desire for simplicity. Trends, weak or strong, have a clear pattern or tie to other trends. They can be tracked and profiled and have the power to create new births or deaths.

Other examples?

An example is the whole grain phenomenon. It’s linked into regional, single grain and flat breads. It’s tied into other trends and you can track it, profile it, see whose weighing in against it and what companies are doing with it. Some people track trends, meaning they just watch what’s happening and stand behind the whole time.

Describe your approach to forecasting trends.

I profile the trend to see what the government is doing with it, if there is a new ally coming on, or if a company is coming out with new products. A company can still stay ahead of the trend, even though it has hit the ground. Trackers are the followers. It’s important to predict what is coming.

What are the next 5 food trends you think we’ll see?

1. Restaurant Scene: Izakaya. These are Japanese small plates similar to Tapas.
2. Research: Epicatechin. This is tied to various health issues including cholesterol, demenia, Type II diabetes, blood pressure and anti-cavity. It is found in cocoa, wine, tea and blueberries. Research will still have a Boomer focus, with age related research staying in the lead.
3. Food Service: Watch for more crossovers of restaurants appearing in supermarkets, curbside delivery and home delivery.
4. Retail: Cosmeceuticals. These will be coming in on the tail of the popularity of Nutraceuticals. Watch for it to cross from chocolate to other foods.
5. Packaging: There will be increased front of package labeling which has already begun. And let’s just see what Congress adds to the mix.

Suzy’s food profile

1. Sweet or savory? Depends on what kind of a day I have had!
2. Cuisine yet to be mastered? Indonesian
3. Favorite comfort food? Chili cheese fries
4. Is there any food you absolutely can’t stand? Organ meats (liver, kidney, brain)
5. Your ‘last meal’ menu? Lobster tail with drawn butter, baked potato with butter and sour cream, broccoli au gratin, salad greens with garbanzos, my own banana cream pie, wines from Argentina, Italy, and So. Africa…you did say my LAST meal, right?

Suzy Badaracco is president of Culinary Tides. She can be reached at sbadaracco@culinarytides.com or www.culinarytides.com.