JUST ONE QUESTION: What feels interesting in food & drink right now?

We’ve also partnered with our good pals Stickybeak for this one - they’re offering a free on-demand Stickybeak consumer test, worth £1,200 to the winning brand.

We asked our friends across food and drink one simple question:

“What feels interesting in food & drink right now?”

We’ve also partnered with our good pals Stickybeak for this one - they’re offering a free on-demand Stickybeak consumer test, worth £1,200 to the winning brand.

If you came to our last Best Before event you’ll remember Stickybeak - they’re a consumer testing platform built for marketers. It helps FMCG brands get real consumer feedback on everyday marketing decisions.

The winning FMCG brand can use it to test anything from NPD concepts and campaign messaging to packaging, brand health or market fit, helping them get fast feedback from real consumers before making their next marketing decision.

To enter, brands can nominate themselves or nominate a person or brand with a marketing or research-related question they need help answering. The competition is open from 18 - 30 June 2026.

Head over to our Instagram to nominate yourself or a brand you would like to win.

This competition is open to both new and existing Stickybeak customers.

If you win - you will be contacted and then the prize must be redeemed with the Stickybeak team directly. The test must be completed by 30 September 2026.

And here’s what feels interesting in food & drink right now according to Sam Thomas of Yallah Coffee, Joe Hill of One Planet Pizza, Kat Goldin & Lucy Patto Davidson of Goat Rodeo Goods, Valentijn van Santvoort of Holies, Heejin No of Miss Kim, Ros Heathcote of Borough Broth and Anna Henwood, CEO of Stickybeak…

Ros Heathcote, Borough Broth

Wellness trends are over. It's all about everyday wellbeing.

I think one of the biggest food trends we’ll see is a shift from ‘wellness’ to everyday wellbeing.

Consumers are moving away from ultra-processed, high-claim health products and back towards simple, trustworthy foods made with whole ingredients.

The latest Soil Association report showed the organic market grew 4.2% last year, with staples driving growth as shoppers increasingly prioritise health, transparency and everyday nourishment over quick fixes.

For many people, whole food nutrition is a more effective foundation than supplements alone.

About Ros: Ros Heathcote is the Founder & Managing Director of Borough Broth, the award-winning organic food brand launched in 2015.

Built from a small East London kitchen, Borough Broth is now stocked in major UK retailers including Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Ocado, offering a range of organic bone broths, soup bases and frozen broth cubes.

Kat Goldin & Lucy Patto Davidson, Goat Rodeo Goods

Something we've been noticing is how quickly "too perfect" has become a bit of a liability.

There's been a mass convergence in food and drink marketing - the perfect condensation spray, studio lighting, products on solid colour backgrounds - a lot of it looking AI-generated whether or not it was.

Polished has become associated with "generated" in a way it wasn't two years ago.

You can see consumers asking: "Did a human actually make this?" - and the answer mattering in a way it didn't even a few months ago.

In response, humanity is creeping back in: imperfect photography, handwritten details, founders with actual personalities, flavour decisions that are a bit weird and unapologetic about it.

More than an aesthetic trend, it's become a trust signal.

The brands cutting through right now have a specific voice, a specific place, a specific reason they exist the way they do…the humanity is becoming the USP.

About Kat & Lucy: Kat Goldin and Lucy Patto Davidson are the founders of Goat Rodeo Goods, a modern kitchen provisions brand known for bold taste, versatility and a no-rules rodeo approach to everyday scran.

They make fresh cucumber pickles, condiments and seasonings all with cracking visuals and unforgettable names - built to elevate everyday; great food, for real life.

Sam Thomas, Yallah Coffee

Regenerative agriculture, without question.

Both in coffee but also in other areas of food and drink, like oat milk (Wildfarmed x Minor Figures).

The future of good quality food and drink goes hand in hand with regenerative farming, so to see it becoming mainstream is promising!

About Sam: Sam Thomas is Head of Coffee & Roastery Operations at Yallah Coffee in Falmouth.

Working in coffee and sourcing for 10 years, he is fascinated by the industry and its challenges; how we ensure a bright future for producers and good quality coffee for everyone.

Heejin No, Miss Kim

I find it fascinating that more food brands in the UK are incorporating Korean flavours, especially sauces and kimchi.

Whether authentic or not, it reflects growing curiosity about Korean culture.

In drinks, matcha and naturally functional beverages like kombucha and apple cider vinegar are everywhere. The trend shows a desire to return to natural ingredients and healthier options.

What I feel ironic though, is that many health-conscious consumers still haven’t experienced real matcha or authentic Korean food. That’s why there are so many flavoured “matcha” products and “natural” drinks. Still, it is better than it was 10 years ago.

About Heejin: Heejin No is a London-based art advisor and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience connecting Korean and international contemporary art. She is the founder of Miss Kim, a premium Korean food brand bringing authentic Korean flavours and cultural storytelling to a global audience.

Joe Hill, One Planet Pizza

One thing that feels really interesting right now is how much the plant-based category is evolving.

For years, people assumed it was mainly vegans and vegetarians driving demand, but we’re increasingly seeing growth come from dairy-free and health-conscious shoppers instead.

Millions of people are now reducing dairy for intolerances, digestion, or general wellbeing reasons, but they still want products that feel indulgent and taste amazing.

What’s becoming really clear is that the opportunity extends far beyond traditional plant-based shoppers, with 26% of UK households now buying into dairy-free products - and a huge amount of that demand is actually being driven by children and families, not just adults.

About Joe: Joe Hill is one half of the father-and-son duo behind One Planet Pizza, on a mission to put people, animals and the planet first - and bring delicious plant-based ’za to humans everywhere.

Valentijn van Santvoort, Holies

For decades, Big Food sold sugar disguised as food and drinks, hiding behind ‘healthy’ packaging, marketing buzzwords, and massive advertising budgets.

What’s changing now is that people are finally rejecting the old playbook.

Consumers are reading labels, questioning ingredients, and realising how much of the industry was built on misleading marketing.

That creates a huge opportunity for challenger brands. People still want convenience and taste, but they also want honesty.

The future belongs to brands that are transparent, unapologetic, and willing to challenge an industry built on outdated habits and ultra-processed products.”

About Valentijn: Valentijn van Santvoort is the co-founder & CMO of Holie’s, a challenger brand disrupting Big Food with low-sugar cereals and bars built for a new generation of consumers.

Anna Henwood, Stickybeak

A trend I'm watching closely is what I'd call ingredient stacking.

Consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated about food and wellness, and products are no longer expected to do just one job.

Coffee now comes with collagen, sodas come with gut-health benefits, and ice cream comes packed with protein.

Brands are increasingly combining multiple functional benefits into a single product.

What's interesting is that consumers aren't really buying collagen, prebiotics or adaptogens - they're buying outcomes like energy, beauty, focus and gut health.

The winners will be the brands that make those benefits feel simple and believable, rather than overwhelming shoppers with a long list of ingredients.

It's the kind of shift I'd want to test rather than assume, because consumer language around health is moving fast.

About Anna: Anna Henwood is the CEO of Stickybeak, a consumer testing platform for FMCG brands - test everything from packaging and pricing to taglines and campaign creative, so you can launch with confidence and avoid costly missteps.

Designed for marketers (not researchers), it’s fast, affordable, and incredibly easy to use. No agencies. No waiting weeks. Just a truthier truth, straight from your target audience.

Over you to, what feels interesting in food & drink right now?

Drop it in the comments,

and don’t forget to head over to our Instagram to enter the competition to win a free marketing research project with Stickybeak.

ABOUT BEST BEFORE

BEST BEFORE was born from a simple idea: to shine a light on the brilliant people shaping food, drink, and hospitality - starting in Brighton, stretching beyond it.

Our mission is to spark inspiration, encourage collaboration, and build meaningful connections.