Trend-Check 2026: AI-Powered Digital Twins Call Real vs. Hype on the Year’s Food Predictions
TORONTO, November 18, 2025 — Every fall, the food world fills up with lists predicting “the next big thing.” This year, 6 Seeds Consulting, a marketing and research agency for food and agriculture, asked a sharper question: are those trends real?
Using its synthetic research platform — powered by AI-driven synthetic personas that mirror real consumer behaviour — 6 Seeds put 16 of the buzziest 2026 food trends through the test. Each earned a verdict any brand can use: Go Big, Watch Closely, or Hot Air.
“Everyone in food is drowning in predictions, but few can tell you which ones are real,” said Andreas Duess, CEO of Toronto-based 6 Seeds Consulting. “Our synthetic research platform lets brands find truth fast by testing trends with AI-driven digital twins that think like real people: skeptical, price-sensitive, and driven by taste. Unlike focus groups, they don’t lie to be liked, get tired, or follow the loudest voice in the room. They just tell the truth about what actually feels worth eating.”
Winners + Losers
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Neostalgia:
comfort foods reborn with premium twists.
“No one wants a sanctified Pop-Tart.”
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Gut & Wellness:
“Fiber is in, hype is out.”
Beans, oats, and kimchi win; neon sodas and gummies don’t.
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Flatbreads Everywhere:
the weeknight MVP.
“Bread is for weekends; flatbread rules the week.”
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Beef Tallow Takeover:
nostalgic but niche.
“Fries like the old days — the OG fryer fat that gave ’80s McDonald’s its magic. But at home? Not everyone’s craving Eau de Fryer.”
The verdicts show a shift from hype chasing to food that works on Tuesdays: familiar, functional, flavour-first.
For brands:
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Stop chasing hashtags. Anchor on convenience, flavour, and visible benefits.
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Make claims believable — mood, gut, or protein must show up on the plate.
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Lead with texture, culture, and specificity; consumers reward detail.
Get the Full Report: Food Trend-Check 2026: Real or Hype? available free at 6seedsconsulting.com.
Media contact:
Saskia Brussaard | [email protected] | 30 Adelaide Street East, Toronto
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