The holiday season is here, and your consumer base is on the hunt for the next big treat for their upcoming festivities, hastening the holiday rush. The final quarter of the year is the time to ramp up sales and production, iterate on your strategy, and establish your cadence for a fresh start  – all of which you can do more efficiently with knowledge of the top holiday food and beverage trends. 

With new additions to the marketing landscape (such as social media, viral food trends, and the rise of micro-influencers), it feels impossible to manage it all. However, the team at Inecta is here to help. We’ve compiled the top general holiday food and beverage trends in 2022, showing you exactly where you can focus on maximizing your impact before the start of the new year. 

Read on to learn more about how you can get the most out of this final quarter of 2022! 

What are the top holiday food and beverage trends in 2022? 

Social media presence, streamlined operations, and trend-worthy treats are all massive themes of the year for food and beverage businesses. But that’s not all! Read on for our list of some of the most highly anticipated trends for businesses in the holiday food and beverage space in 2022.

Holiday consumerism is on the rise 

Brand awareness is more critical than ever before as holiday consumerism continues to rise. Despite the ongoing threat of a looming recession, industry leaders were shocked to see that buyer trends and preferences haven’t changed much. In fact, data from the Food Industry Association shows that shoppers are spending even more money at stores compared to 2021 – indicating strong market hope for the economy and an opportunity to double your profits in 2022. 

Focusing on outbound marketing, brand awareness through social channels, and organic lead generation through accessory marketing initiatives (such as email lists, lead magnets, and social media trends) are fantastic ways to make the most of this opportunity in Q4. 

Deal-savvy shoppers are your best bet for consistent profit 

Although the demand is on par for the holiday rush, consider resisting the urge to raise your prices. Data from the same report showed that 71% of consumers do plan to adjust holiday meal shopping to look for even more ways to save. This allows you to start markdowns now and encourage bulk purchasing, giving you a strong foundation for Q4 closure and Q1 start. 

Lean into holiday advertising 

If you’re considering lowering your holiday advertising budgets due to the unpredictability of social channel algorithms and preferences in the final quarter, we recommend against it. While it can be difficult to secure the same amount of leads as you might during less competitive times of the year, the concept of brand awareness and customer advocacy is still vital to the success of your marketing plan. 

Data from NCSolutions has shown that nearly half of all American consumers (approximately 47%) enjoy holiday advertising during Q4, starting as early as October – as it puts them in a 

mood to buy and indulge. A strategic use of marketing funding during this time would be investing in market research via micro surveys, actual surveys, and software. Optimizing your campaigns for the holidays can be a pivotal place to bolster your overall consumer base and experiment with new engaging ad types, tapping into the “magic” of the holiday advertising season. 

Start from now – no matter what season of business you’re in 

If you haven’t started already, the time is now. As of the post-pandemic statistical counts, consumers are shopping earlier and earlier each year – with some shopping as early as mid-September and mid-October. The cause for this isn’t confirmed empirically. However, some have hypothesized that consumers are finding new ways to satiate a need for comfort, home, and familiarity after the unpredictable and unprecedented events of the COVID-19 2022 pandemic. 

Go where your customers are 

Use this year as an opportunity to “push the limit” and explore new frontiers with your classic marketing efforts. Try any one of the marketing trends that have dominated the channels in 2022, including: 

• Video ads: Engaging video ads are making splashes across every social network. They also play to the algorithmic preferences, naturally resulting in higher brand reach, awareness, and engagement. 

• TikTok: TikTok isn’t just for dancing. Food and beverage business are going viral via food trends, quirky brand campaigns, and outgoing customer service experiences. TikTok has grown to encompass core demographics across generations, so you won’t have to worry about aiming too “low” or exclusively with Gen Z. 
• Influencers: Harness the power of instant trust by investing in micro-influencers for your product. These experts can act as interim brand ambassadors and spread the word about your unique selling points. (USPs) 

Streamline your food and beverage operations with Inecta 

Looking for a way to streamline your food and beverage business? Consider centralizing your operations through a cloud network-based ERP, backed by Microsoft for an even more optimized experience. Inecta has led the industry for over 20 years, and is here to provide you with stellar management assistance through top-rated software and e-tools. For more information and to get started today, please visit our website. We look forward to serving you.