In January 2022, we released our report “10 Trends Shaping the Future of Food in 2022” which explored trends that are driving the transition to a climate-smart, healthy food system. This year, volatile macroeconomic conditions resulting from war, inflation, supply chain disruption and climate events have influenced the pace at which these trends evolved and entered the market.

In this report, we explore the year’s events that influenced the realization of each trend and our view on its momentum going into the new year. Each trend is designated with a momentum score of accelerated, moving faster than our expectations, on pace, moving at expectations or delayed, being hindered by lack of innovation or funding, or being impacted by external factors such as regulation, macroeconomic shifts or changing consumer behaviors.

In reflecting on these trends and the events of the year, our conviction in them over the long term remains strong. Following this report, we will apply our assessment to a nuanced set of trends that we see emerging in 2023.