AUSTIN, TX - Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council unveiled their top food trends for 2026 in the retailer’s annual Trends predictions report. Whole Foods Market predicts 2026 the year of fiber frenzy, fine-dining freezer finds, and an uptick in tallow. These and more are set to influence the food landscape in the coming year.
The Whole Foods Market Trends Council – a collective of Whole Foods Market team members ranging from foragers and buyers to culinary experts – develop these trend predictions each year through a combination of deep industry experience, keen observation of consumer preferences and collaborative sessions with emerging and established brands.
“Each year, our Trends report captures the pulse of what’s next in food, and 2026 is no exception,” said Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Whole Foods Market, in the recent release. “This year’s trends highlight how curiosity, creativity and conscious choices are shaping the way people eat and shop. We’re inspired by the innovation we’re seeing across the food landscape and can’t wait to watch these ideas come to life in our aisles and beyond.”
“Our trends predictions are inspired by the council’s deep expertise and boots-on-the-ground discovery – at farmer’s markets, industry trade shows, local restaurants and more,” said Cathy Strange, Ambassador of Food Culture for Whole Foods Market and member of the Trends Council. “The 2026 list reflects how quickly ideas can move from emerging concepts to everyday favorites. It’s exciting to see how these trends will shape conversations in kitchens, communities and the broader food culture in the year ahead.”
Whole Foods Market’s top food trend predictions for 2026 include:
Year of the Female Farmer
With multigenerational farms dwindling and fewer young people choosing careers in farming, it’s more important than ever to celebrate changemakers in the industry. Consumers may have already started to notice an increase of women in agriculture highlighted in media, event panels, and on brand websites and packaging. Organizations like the National Young Farmers Coalition offer funding opportunities through their Young Farmer Grant program which donates 50% of its grants to female-identifying, nonbinary and trans farmers, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Brands are taking part, too. Lotus Foods provides support to women on the farms they source from by providing premium wages and funding improvement in their local communities, and Kvarøy Arctic has an international scholarship and internship program specifically for women focused on aquaculture. True Moringa supports women tree crop farmers in Ghana, allotting them a plot of land and providing training and access to irrigation, organic certification, childcare, health insurance and more.
Try the Trend: Acure + Apricot Lane Farms Avocado Oil & Lavender Hand Wash, Cowgirl Creamery Mt Tam, Damya Extra Virgin Olive Oil (available in select stores), Diestel Family Ranch Regeneratively Raised Ground Turkey (launching March 2026 in select stores), Fable Fish Co. Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky (part of Whole Foods Market’s 2025 LEAP Early Growth Cohort), Kvaroy Arctic Salmon Nuggets, Lotus Foods’ Organic White Jasmine & Forbidden® Rice, Painterland Sisters Vanilla Bean Organic Skyr Yogurt, Rancho Durazno Certified Organic Yellow Peaches (available in select stores), Tomatero Farm Organic Early Girl Dry Farmed Tomatoes, True Moringa Simplicity Pure Moringa Oil, Van Hoekelen Greenhouses Potted Plants and Cut Flowers Cooking Spray
Focus on Fiber
Protein continues to be king, but fiber is gaining traction as consumers seek gut health, holistic digestive wellness and natural ways to feel fuller longer. Brands are getting on board with more fiber-forward callouts on packaging, and increasingly, we’re seeing products with added fiber hitting the shelves, like pastas, breads, crackers and bars. Roots like cassava and chicory are regulars on ingredient panels of prebiotic beverages, and konjac is a fibrous favorite in plant-based, ready-to-eat meals. Meanwhile, pantry staples like oats are the star of up-and-coming products, which tout the ingredient for being rich in prebiotic fiber and easy on the gut. It’s safe to say these fiber finds are not just for your grandparents anymore!
Try the Trend: 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Caramelized Pineapple Prebiotic Soda, Bio.me Daily Prebiotic Fiber, Halfday Iced Tea Prebiotic Half & Half, Happy Family Organics Happy Tot Fiber & Protein Pouches, Olyra Blueberry Soft Baked Bites, Sola Everything and Blu-Berry Bagels, Three Farm Daughters Cavatappi Pasta with Prebiotic Fiber (available in select stores).
See the full report here.
