Now in its eighth year, the Godrej Food Trends Report continues to be one of India’s most trusted barometers of change in the culinary landscape.

With insights from a growing community of over 2000 experts and thought leaders, this edition explores the key shifts shaping how we eat, cook, and connect through food in 2025, and beyond.

Below are 12 standout trends featuring expert insights and bold predictions shaping the year in food.

CULINARY EVENTS WILL BE IN DEMAND

Growing interdisciplinary intersections with food themes will drive a surge in food-focused events by institutions and venues that are not traditionally associated with food. 2025 will see more food conferences, festivals, and residencies that bring together communities across industries and disciplines, fuelling the demand for collective exploration of important themes and issues that affect our larger food ecosystem.

DESTINATION DINING WILL INSPIRE TRAVEL

Destination dining involves weaving together remote, immersive environments, narratives of terroir and seasonal, and hyper-local produce with Michelin-level culinary artistry to craft an unforgettable dining experience. As the concept grows, it will stimulate and inspire travellers looking for unforgettable dining experiences in 2025.

FOOD ACTIVISM WILL RISE

Rising concerns over food sources, quality, processing methods and transparency, has given rise to a community of consumer-activists, raising key issues on social media on behalf of the general public. They are educating their peers, advocating for transparency, and demanding accountability from the industry and policymakers, and are set to play a prominent role in shaping food narratives in 2025.

FOOD COMMUNITIES WILL FLOURISH

Food has ascended to the forefront of popular culture today, mirroring the influence of film, literature, art and sports on community, culture and society, and evolving into a movement of its own. In 2025, this movement will flourish in the form of vibrant food communities like supper clubs, cookbook clubs, and whatsapp groups, offering platforms to like-minded individuals to build meaningful relationships around shared passions for food.

FOOD CONVERSATIONS WILL DOMINATE MEDIA

In 2025, food will be a dominant topic across media. As demand for relatable media continues to grow, content creators are quickly recognising our collective ability to recognise and engage with topics around food. This surge in interest will drive a boom in food content across formats (books, shows, social media), perspectives (art, science, history), and voices (regional, cultural, including rural, tribal, and vernacular).

 

FROZEN SNACKS WILL BE HOT

Driven by demand for convenience, affordability, and variety, frozen snacks have shed their stigma, fueling growth and innovation. In 2025, expect a rise in pre-prepped, semi-cooked, gourmet, and comfort options, boosted by improved technology, hygienic packaging, and quick commerce for greater appeal and accessibility.

FUNCTIONAL DRINKS WILL MUSHROOM

Functional drinks will dominate in 2025, appearing in a variety of pre-mix and ready-to-drink formats across retail and home kitchens. Offerings will become increasingly niche, including functional ingredients that target specific requirements from consumers seeking better health, nutrition, fitness, and wellbeing.

 

HERITAGE ALCOHOLS WILL HIT A NEW HIGH

The rising popularity of heritage spirits and liqueurs like Feni, Mahua, Toddy and Kesar Kasturi is being fueled by easier access, innovative bar programs, generous media coverage, and an increasingly positive public discourse. Further improvements in regulations, quality control, accessibility, and adoption by major brands will propel heritage alcohols to new heights in 2025.

HIMALAYAN CUISINES WILL STAND TALL

In its perennial quest for culinary novelty, the industry now finds itself looking for inspiration from the lesser known cuisines of the Himalayas. The mere thought of these mountains invokes strong associations with a fresh, mindful, and healthy lifestyle, as being witnessed across hospitality formats, food media content and social media conversations. For their additional appeal of being ingredient-forward, clean and flavourful, cuisines from Ladakh, Jammu, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nepal are now poised to take center stage in 2025!

MICRO-RESTAURANTS WILL SHINE

Micro-restaurant formats will redefine dining experiences in 2025. Limited capacity (8-20 covers), prepaid reservations, and intimate settings at these outlets will offer greater control on back- end logistics, allowing them to experiment more freely with their offerings, and emerge as hubs of innovation.

MODERN VEGETARIAN DINING WILL COME ALIVE

Over the years, prominent plant-forward movements like vegetarianism, sustainability, and veganism have inspired adventures and innovation to go beyond conventional vegetarian menus. 2025 will see food outlets offering exciting modern vegetarian food that even hardcore carnivores will not be able to resist.

TASTING MENUS WILL BE POPULAR

The tasting menu has come of age. In 2025, it will evolve into a form of artistic expression. Chefs will approach the dining experience as a performance, employing innovative techniques and theatrical elements to create immersive, multi-sensory experiences that take guests on a journey of emotional and intellectual discovery.

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