Upcoming food and drink trends include honey and canned fish.

The new food trends sound like a return to the caveman diet: fish is the most fashionable protein, honey is the flavor of the day and game meat is an improvement on the charcuterie boards.

That's according to the hundreds of items on display at the Summer Fancy Food Show, a trade show hosted by the Specialty Food Association that has earned a reputation as a place to spot the next big flavors, foods and drinks that will dominate menus. and grocery stores. shelves. The annual show returned to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York this week, Sunday through Tuesday.

More than 2,400 businesses showcased their food and beverages for attendees, including restaurant operators, specialty food retailers and trend watchers. Past trends making their way onto consumers' palates include yuzu, mushrooms and sophisticated alcohol substitutes.

Previous shows have also been a springboard for smaller brands seeking a wider audience. Honest Tea, Ben & Jerry's and Tate's Bake Shop are among the companies that attended the show in its early days on their way to becoming well-known consumer brands now owned by the industry's biggest players.

Here are some of the highlights from this year's Summer Fancy Food Show:

Humans have consumed honey for thousands of years, but it is gaining prominence as a flavoring among some food and beverage manufacturers. In the SFA's preliminary report on the program, its trend experts mentioned honey and highlighted its health benefits.

Honey was the star in both food and drinks throughout the program. Green Bee showed off its honey soda, which includes Honeycomb cider flavor. Owl Creek Organics & Natural Flavors showcased honey spreads, with flavors ranging from caffe mocha to lemon poppy seed. And the Dutch company Klepper & Klepper used honey as a flavoring for its licorice.

In previous years, canned fish was mainly relegated to the stands in the Spanish and Portuguese pavilions. But this year, exhibitors displayed their canned fish products throughout the fairgrounds.

TikTok helped fuel the canned fish trend last year, boosting sales of canned sardines. Now, specialty food companies are responding.

This is not the canned tuna of yesteryear. There are more flavors, different varieties of seafood and more modern packaging. Wildfish Cannery, an Alaska-based company founded in 1987, showed off a new retro design for its sockeye salmon, giving it a more upscale feel. Krill Arctic Foods showcased its canned krill meat, which may lack the same curb appeal on its packaging but boasts of the food's nutritional profile.

Exhibitors also showcased new ways to eat fish on the go, hoping to capitalize on consumers' desire for greater convenience and more protein in their diets. The association named “satiating snacks” as one of the trends it has been watching.

Acme Smoked Fish highlighted its new Lox in a Box snack kits, available with cream cheese or avocado. Legend of Master International, an Asian food purveyor, sampled its Kani fishcake sticks, made to be eaten like string cheese or cooked with.

Much like canned fish, the popularity of charcuterie boards owes much to social media, where users can dazzle their followers with elaborate displays of preserved meats, cheeses and fruits.

Companies at the Summer Fancy Food Show showcased some new options to enhance charcuterie, especially salami. Tempesta Artisan Salumi offered black truffle-flavored salami, while Salt & Twine’s selection included a mezcal and salted lime flavor.

But the exhibitors did not limit themselves to having fun with the flavors. Some are looking beyond pork to make cured meat. Driftless Provisions' salami uses elk, venison, and bison along with pork. Fossil Farms' salami line included lamb and wagyu beef.

What would a cocktail or glass of wine be without an appetizer to accompany it? Aimed at consumers who need help finding the perfect pairing, both Wine Chips and The Drinks Bakery showcased their appetizers, created to be consumed with specific alcoholic beverages.

The Scottish company Drinks Bakery sells “drinking biscuits”. Their parmesan, toasted pine nuts and basil cookies (called crackers in the United States) can be eaten with approximately 20 drinks, from a root beer to a shot of whiskey.

Wine Chips, on the other hand, sells thick potato slices specially designed for snacking while drinking wine. For example, their Sel Gris flavor, named after French sea salt, is made to pair with any sparkling wine, such as Champagne.