“Social media has allowed us to share pictures of the delicious or interesting things we eat to a much wider audience, whenever we want, in a way that we never could before,” said Mike Kostyo, resident trendologist and senior managing editor at Datassential, told SFA News Daily.
In this Q&A, Kostyo spoke about how social media plays into larger industry trends and some pointers for food makers on how to understand and take advantage of them.
Do social media trends eventually shape larger industry trends?
Social media trends absolutely shape larger industry trends, and they become more important every day. A food trend is simply the result of communication, meaning you try a new food and think it's delicious, you share that knowledge with friends and family, they share it with their network, and soon a trend develops. The same thing happens across the industry, whether it's chefs talking about new products they like or research and development teams at food manufacturing companies discussing what they have been seeing and researching. At Datassential, all of that discussion and trend growth is what we're tracking all the time.
Social media has only made all of this communication easier, faster, and more democratized. You can share the meal you had or made in an instant. It's particularly important for food trends because food itself is so visual.
What’s an example of a trend that started on social media but then became more mainstream?
A lot of what we see on social media is a particular dish or concept that may itself be a fad, but it speaks to larger need states or trends that will hit the mainstream. For instance, when we saw all of the really colorful drinks and foods hit social media, like unicorn drinks and toast, it didn't mean that unicorn toast itself was going to become a mainstream trend, but it did showcase that there was a real desire from consumers, particularly younger consumers, for foods that were beautiful and really eye-catching for use on social media. So, then you saw Starbucks releasing their really colorful beverages, we saw gas stations putting rainbow bagels in the bakery case, or smoothie companies showcasing really beautifully arranged smoothie bowls. The underlying need for social media-ready foods in general was the real trend.
Another example is the whipped dalgona coffee mini trend that popped up on social media last year. It didn't mean you were going to see dalgona coffee on every menu and retail shelf, but it showcased that consumers were stuck at home and missing some of those unique coffee beverages they would traditionally only get from a coffee shop on the way to work or school. The retail coffee brands we work with saw that and developed options that allowed consumers to easily create more barista-quality drinks at home. If you see something that suddenly seems to be everywhere on social media, ask yourself why. That's where you'll find lessons that can inform your own business, product line, and marketing initiatives. Why did everyone suddenly start making that feta pasta on TikTok? If you start to think about it, you can probably think of some underlying consumer needs that drove the popularity of that dish, and those needs can inform your own initiatives and help you track other trends.
How can you tell if a trend has staying power or is just viral for the moment?
There are a few hallmarks of a true trend that we look for, as opposed to a fad. One is that it's a dish or ingredient that can be used in a wide range of applications. This is why it's much easier for a flavor or sauce to trend: you can use it on a burger, sandwich, pizza, incorporate it into other sauces, etc. If it's an option with a very specific need or use, there's less of a chance that it will show up everywhere. From an industry perspective, there also has to be enough of a supply for that item. If it's very expensive or not easily obtained, its trend potential is naturally limited. We also look for dishes or ingredients that are exhibiting slow, steady growth driven by a real need or desire, as opposed to items that become incredibly popular in a very short amount of time and the growth is mainly driven by the media. Slow, steady growth is sustainable.
What’s your favorite food or recipe you’ve tried because of social media?
I love to follow cocktail trends on Instagram. There are some really amazing bartenders and cocktail accounts that are constantly sharing their beautiful drinks on the platform. I've learned about so many new spirits and really upped my garnishing game because of Instagram. Plus, cocktail recipes are usually short enough that you can include the entire recipe in the caption of the photo itself.
Also, the @menwiththepot account on TikTok is amazing. It's two guys who create these fantastic camping meals, but the videos themselves are very calming and meditative. They use this special cleaver that became so popular that they created their own branded version.
Related: Trendologist Shares 10 Flavors to Watch; Viral Tik Tok Recipe Leads to Increased Demand for Feta Cheese.