Familiar but unexpected, indulgent but small, flavorful but functional—consumers want it all. While this can seem like a burden to foodservice teams, Innovations 2026 exhibitors showed that simple twists to crowd favorites (like flatbreads or chicken sandwiches) or adding one surprising ingredient to menu items (like Tajin or Filipino sausage) can be all it takes to provide elevated eats.
At Trend Explorer, an exclusive tasting event for operators at Innovations, exhibitors brought six Datassential trends to life through inventive small bites and beverages, all made with products available through Dot Foods. In part one, we covered loaded and layered, playful plates, and functionally diverse. Now, let’s share the highlights from our remaining three trends.
Global Comfort
At Innovations, renowned chef Jet Tila and Flavor & The Menu’s Cathy Nash Holley spoke about the surge of global flavors on U.S. menus, driven by younger generations’ interests in more textures, exciting dining experiences, and social media trends. But not all consumers have the same appetite for adventurous flavors. By bringing together foreign flavors and familiar favorites, global comfort blends nostalgia with discovery to create dining experiences that appeal to consumers across generations and food preferences.
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Two exhibitors gave global takes on chicken and waffles. Conagra’s version took us to India with waffle sticks skewered with butter chicken and finished with a mango-infused maple syrup. B&G transported us to South Korea with Korean fried chicken and a chile-infused maple syrup.
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Pizza and flatbreads were another popular starting point for global comforts. Michael Foods’ topped their flatbread with Mexican birria, mashed potatoes, cheese, onions, jalapeno, and garlic aioli. General Mills brought us back to Korea with a vegetarian kimchi flatbread with mushrooms, ginger, hoisin sauce, mozzarella, and green onion.
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Breakfast favorites are also getting an international spin. Burry Foods’ Manila Morning Melt combined Filipino-inspired longanisa sausage, eggs, cheese, hashbrowns, jalapeno jam, and aioli on an English muffin.
Not Your Mother’s Snacks
Snacks aren’t just small bites to hold over consumers between meals. Their little pick-me-ups, indulgent but still affordable items to give people a break from stress. According to Datassential, 26% of consumers snack more often today than a year ago—and with all that snacking, restaurants need to bring fun and creativity to their little treats to stand out.
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Why choose between sweet, salty, and spicy when you can have it all? Tajin’s creamy taro tea was layered with vanilla, drizzled with caramel, and finished off with a Tajin rim for a chili-lime kick.
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Mars Snacking elevated popcorn with trendy flavors, serving two variations: hot honey, bacon, and peanut as well as ube and white chocolate.
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Breakfast flavors bring comfort to multiple dayparts, including snacks and appetizers. JBS Prepared Foods & Pilgrim’s gave chicken wings the breakfast treatment with a spicy maple glaze and coating of bacon bits.
Protein Renaissance
Whether it’s to grow muscle, lose weight, or simply enjoy the satisfying flavor of meat, consumers are adding protein in abundance. Protein maxxing has taken over every area of the menu, even coffee (or “proffee”), giving chefs room to get innovative with protein.
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Impossible showed that plant-based can still be innovative and delicious. Their plant-based chicken sandwich was topped with a spicy, fruity mango piri-piri sauce.
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Califia Farms appealed to consumers’ growing interest in protein, nostalgia, and non-alcoholic beverages with their take on the ’90s espresso martini. Their chai espresso mocktail included protein-packed soy milk.
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OMG … It’s Gluten Free brought BBQ pulled pork sliders, a classic sized just right for snacks and appetizers. The gluten-free bun makes it more accessible for people with gluten intolerance.
What’s On the Menu in 2027?
Experience Trend Explorer as well as sessions, networking, entertainment, and more at next year’s Innovations. Our trade show returns to Houston on April 20-23. Save the date for Innovations 2027, and be sure to explore products from all our exhibitors on the Dot Foods Shop website.
Discover all the products featured at this year’s Trend Explorer.