Modern Retail Podcast: What’s in and out in food and beverage for 2026
Expo West 2026 confirms high-protein, fiber-focused, and seed-oil-free products as dominant food/bev trends, with MAHA movement accelerating consumer scrutiny of ingredients. Brands combining functional ingredients (creatine + coffee, protein + soda) in portable formats are gaining shelf and search traction.
Search demand for 'beef tallow,' 'seed oil free,' and 'high protein' is compounding — sellers in food/bev who haven't updated their backend keywords and A+ content to reflect these terms are leaving organic traffic on the table. Run a Search Query Performance report on Amazon for your top ASINs and check if these trend terms are in your top 1,000 queries yet.
MAHA-driven ingredient scrutiny is reshaping CPG competitive dynamics — brands slow to reformulate or reposition face margin compression as new entrants with cleaner labels win organic search and retail placement.
Pull Amazon Brand Analytics > Search Query Performance this week — if 'seed oil free,' 'beef tallow,' or 'fibermaxxing' aren't appearing in your category's top queries, add them to backend search terms and PDP copy now before competitors index first.
Within 30 days, audit your product listings for 'all-in-one' or 'stack-friendly' positioning opportunities — bundling functional ingredients (e.g., creatine + protein, coffee + collagen) into variation listings or virtual bundles can capture the routine-simplification demand trend.
Bottom Line
Seed-oil-free and high-protein trends mean keyword and positioning updates are urgent for food/bev sellers.
Source Lens
Industry Context
Useful background context, but lower-priority than direct platform, community, or operator intelligence.
Impact Level
medium
Seed-oil-free and high-protein trends mean keyword and positioning updates are urgent for food/bev sellers.
Key Stat / Trigger
No single quantitative trigger surfaced in this report.
Focus on the operational implication, not just the headline.
Full Coverage
Store of the Future // March 14, 2026 Modern Retail Podcast: What’s in and out in food and beverage for 2026 By Gabriela Barkho Subscribe: Apple Podcasts • Spotify In this episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels and senior reporter Gabriela Barkho discuss their favorite food and beverage trends of 2026.
Fresh off Expo West, the episode’s discussion revolves around what is considered “in” and what’s “out” across categories. Protein sod and functional coffee remain hot items. Meanwhile, the noise against seed oils continues to grow in the better-for-you space, with brands boasting products made with alternatives like beef tallow and avocado oil.
The emerging trends in 2026 include: High-protein and “fibermaxxing” across nearly all food and drink categories. An all-in-one approach to routines, such as combining a daily creatine dose with morning coffee, often in portable packaging. The MAHA movement’s growing influence on trends in food, beverage and wellness is only growing in 2026.
Original Source
This briefing is based on reporting from Modern Retail. Use the original post for full primary-source context.
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