Move over kale and quinoa, in 2016 Australian foodies will be talking about amaranth, black rice and Kakadu plums instead.
That’s the prediction from About Life, a network of grocery stores and wellness centres dedicated to healthy eating, which has put together a list of top superfoods for 2016.
As Australians’ appetite for health foods continues to grow, the predictions could come in handy for small businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors looking to stay on top of the latest trends.
Among the superfoods that About Life predicts will take off in 2016 are teff, a grain native to Ethiopia known for its levels of iron, calcium and vitamin C, and ghee, a type of clarified butter that About Life predicts will take over from coconut oil in cooking.
Gluten-free grain amaranth also makes the list, along with black rice and mushroom powder. Australian bush food, the Kakadu plum, is also in the list of eight top superfoods given its high levels of vitamin C.
Other superfoods to keep an eye on this year include collagen powder and baobab powder.
About Life wellness ambassador Vladia Cobrdova told SmartCompany this morning she has kept track of product trends in the health food industry for 15 years and this year’s superfood predictions are based on a combination of demand from About Life customers and the types of products that suppliers are offering.
“For example, collagen is big at the moment because it is important for gut health, we are seeing it coming into the market in our retail stores,” she says.
Cobrdova says she also pays careful attention to health trends in the US food market, which is says is “well ahead” of the Australian market.
Conversations with About Life customers, particularly in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, are another important source of information, says Cobrdova, as are media reports about the benefits of particular superfoods.
While health food stores and retailers can tap into these trends by stocking these products, Cobrdova says we will “definitely” see the same products featured on menus in cafes and restaurants.
“Look at charcoal last year, we started to see charcoal burgers and buns,” she says.
News Editor
Prior to joining SmartCompany, Eloise was news editor at Books+Publishing, the trade press for the Australian book industry. Eloise has degrees in media and communications, marketing and business management, and political science. You can follow her on Twitter at @ellykeating.
