Gourmet News

At-Home Meals Top 2022 Food Trends, Kroger Report Says

Published May 6, 2022

At-home meals will continue to dominate in the year ahead, according to Kroger’s 2022 Food Trends Report, which attributes the popularity of home meals to convenience, affordability, social gatherings and the desire for sustainable and nutrient-rich food items.

Kroger 2022 Food Trends Report Kroger’s 2022 Food Trends Report contains 10 top trends that will influence consumer food purchases in 2022, while uncovering the “why” behind the trends. Overall, the trends can be broken down into emerging flavors, food item premiumization, and behavior shifts, all of which paint a picture of what consumers are sourcing and the ways in which they are preparing food in 2022. The findings show that consumers continue to have an increased passion for home-prepared meals, an awareness of both their own health and the planet’s, and a desire to seek comfort through food, which directly correlates to what will be on shopping lists this year.

“Last year, even as many Americans returned to work and eased back into social gatherings, it became apparent that new habits were formed in 2020 and that they are here to stay – including cooking more at home. Customers are enjoying the convenience, affordability and just plain fun that comes from preparing meals at home,” said Stuart Aitken, senior vice president, chief merchant and marketing officer. “As at home meals remain a staple, Kroger is proud to provide customers with fresh food options that meet them where they are in the kitchen – whether that’s a fresh heat-and-eat meal on a busy school night or a four-course recreation from your favorite restaurant you’ve missed.”

“Unlocking these trends allows us to prepare for the year ahead, adapt our offerings, and innovate within Our Brands to ensure we continue to provide customers exactly what they need and want to delight themselves and their guests in 2022 and beyond,” said Juan De Paoli, vice president of Our Brands. “At-home meals hold major significance for our customers, and we take the importance of supporting these moments very seriously. The Our Brands team is endlessly striving to provide quality items that become the perfect backdrop as customers pridefully serve as they celebrate holidays, birthdays, milestones, anniversaries, and other get-togethers. We’re excited to unveil new offerings in the year ahead that will add a wonderful – and tasty – touch to these gatherings.”

Kroger’s top 10 trends for 2022 can be broken down into three categories: emerging flavors, item premiumization, and behavior shifts.

Emerging Flavors
1. Umami away! Umami is the taste that just makes things taste…better! Asian cuisine has long understood how ingredients high in umami help elevate other ingredients and round out flavors in a dish, but the umami trend is exploding across new products, multicultural cuisines, traditional cooking, and hybrid mash-ups.

2. “Everything” is … everything. ‘Everything’ seasoning is the trending flavor for 2022, as consumers top their favorite meals with a savory touch. Be on the lookout for ‘everything’ inspired foods from the bakery, to dips and even specialty cheeses to follow the trend.

3. Tastes of tequila. The biggest beverage taste of 2022 follows the umami trend – savory tequila. As consumers continue to host at home, tequila is a shareable spirit that opens the door to experimentation. With tons of mixes to explore and custom cocktails to create, consumers are using tequila as a base to delight guests with diverse palettes.

4. #TBT flavors. As consumers cook more at home, recipes from their childhood are delivering comfort and joy to people. Think of the nostalgic 90s comeback, but apply it to meals.

Item Premiumization
5. PLANeT-based foods. Consumers continue to focus on the health of the planet, not just through plant-based foods, but also by reducing their waste impact with upcycled ingredients and more recyclable packaging. Plant-based foods are now being purchased for indulgence, comfort, and nostalgia, rather than being solely known as the healthier choice for our bodies, while still helping consumers lower their carbon footprint. Customers can also recycle flexible plastic packaging from Kroger Our Brands products through our national partnership with TerraCycle.

6. Grocery glow up. Cooking at home isn’t just about convenience anymore; emulating restaurant and travel experiences at home with upleveled, “Instagram- able” meals is trending today. Consumers are raising the bar when recreating dining experiences at home and have been met with the premiumization of frozen food as well.

7. Hyper-local: Consumers are more conscious about the environmental and social impacts of their purchases and are making it a point to purchase products grown or made close to home. Alternative farms have created a way to get locally sourced, natural ingredients at their peak freshness – so everyone can support and enjoy their local farms – and in-store bakery items are providing consumers a chance to support small businesses.

Last year, Kroger launched Go Fresh & Local in 2021, which offers additional opportunities for fresh suppliers to become part of the organization’s supplier network. Last year’s winners will soon be appearing on shelves and include Maazah, Nona Lim, Queen Charlotte’s Pimento Cheese Royale, Simply Southern Sides, and Soupergirl. As part of Kroger’s Framework for Action: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion plan, the organization is committed to increasing its spend with diverse suppliers to $10 billion by 2030 – after reaching $4.1 billion in spend in 2020, representing a 21% increase from the previous year.

Behavior Shifts
8. Natural health & beauty. Consumers are seeking out natural products to increase beauty from the inside-out. Eating for beauty and medicine is trending with food and beverage products that have health and beauty-boosting benefits are trending in 2022, with examples including fermented kombuchas, collagen-rich bone broths, antioxidants, probiotics, reductions of sugar, and additions of omega-3s.

9. Good enough to share. Whether you’re vegan, organic, gluten-free or otherwise, you can have your cake and share it too. Foods for specific diets or eating styles taste so good when everyone can enjoy them and no one is left out of a great eating experience.

10. All aboard charcuterie. Charcuterie has created a board craze, especially when it comes to breakfast and dessert. Boards have branched out beyond appetizers to offer consumers a variety of small portions to make the most out of every meal. As “boardies” start or end their day, breakfast and dessert boards open a world of flavors without the commitment to a single dish.

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USDA Invests $22.5M for Chesapeake Bay Water Quality

Published May 6, 2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest an additional $22.5 million in conservation assistance in fiscal year 2022 to help farmers boost water quality improvements and conservation in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The new Chesapeake Bay States’ Partnerships Initiative will support Bay-area farmers, building on a $1.1 billion investment made by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service over the past decade. USDA is also announcing a new task force – jointly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – to better quantify the voluntary conservation efforts of farmers in the Bay watershed.

“Farmers in the Bay are voluntarily implementing conservation on their farms that is helping to curb sediment and nutrient loss and improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed,” said Robert Bonnie, under secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “There is still more work to be done and USDA is committed to continuing to support Bay producers and harnessing the power of partnership to ensure meaningful and lasting improvements for the future.”

“For farmers here in south central Pennsylvania working to reduce nutrient runoff while facing a challenging economy, this USDA investment is a game-changer for developing practices to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed,” said Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA). “Farmers are leading stewards of the land and have a critical understanding of the best way to protect our waterways while simultaneously improving their bottom line.

“Thanks to USDA and the funding I secured in the recently passed spending bill, Pennsylvania farmers will receive increased and targeted conservation assistance, ensuring they prioritize cost-effective practices which restore water quality and improve on-farm resiliency. I’m going to keep working to ensure our state does its part to clean up the Bay, fight the climate crisis and support farmers.”

“I am pleased to celebrate my collaboration with Senator Casey to reduce upstream sources of nutrient loading to the Chesapeake Bay,” ,” said Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD). “As Maryland’s largest economic sector, agriculture in many ways defines our state. Similarly, best agricultural practices telegraph the health of the Chesapeake Bay. So federal investments that enable the watershed’s farmers to implement conservation measures at scale – and in highly effective, cooperative ways – give us reason to take heart.

“Thanks to the science-driven, regional partnership that has guided us for decades, we have a road map to achieve our restoration goals. These new USDA investments in our farmers will move us significantly forward.”

“The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure and a regional economic engine that every state in the watershed has a responsibility to protect. In order to meet the goals of our Bay Agreement, we need all hands on deck,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). “That’s why we fought to launch this new partnership which will support the Bay region’s farmers, bolster their conservation efforts, and help get us on track to reach our 2025 goals. Today we’re building on the partnership with the USDA and Bay state lawmakers to establish this regionwide effort that will add more momentum to our charge to protect the Bay for generations to come.”

This new initiative exemplifies the approach of voluntary, locally led conservation that the Biden administration has prioritized through the America the Beautiful Initiative. The Chesapeake Bay States’ Partnership Initiative will provide a new and innovative framework to leverage USDA conservation financial and technical assistance, locally led conservation, and coordination with state partners.

For fiscal 2022, NRCS is providing $10 million from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, $10 million from the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program and $2.5 million from the Conservation Stewardship Program.

NRCS will address resource concerns based on a locally led approach and continue to use a targeting process, developed by the NRCS State Technical Committee, to ensure funds are awarded to priority watersheds within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Through this Initiative, NRCS will prioritize support of practices that reduce nitrogen and sediment, improve management of livestock and waste, and conserve wetlands, all of which align with the Bay’s water quality objectives to reduce nutrient loading, restore wetlands and install riparian buffers. Practices include riparian buffers, cover crops, waste storage facilities, and prescribed grazing, among others.

This funding will allow states to respond to the high demand from Bay area farmers for additional conservation support, as well as offer new and targeted sign-ups. NRCS will also work with USDA’s Farm Service Agency to identify needs and opportunities for buffer management on acres that may be coming out of the Conservation Reserve Program.

In addition to the establishment of the new initiative and the additional funding for fiscal year 2022, USDA and EPA are establishing a new federal Task Force on Crediting Chesapeake Bay Conservation Investments. The Task Force will work over the next year to identify improvements to more fully credit farmers’ conservation efforts in cooperation with the Bay States and the agricultural community.

“We appreciate USDA’s extensive investments that support agricultural conservation efforts that benefit farmers, local streams, and the Chesapeake Bay, which is in addition to new watershed funding announced by EPA earlier this week from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Adam Ortiz, EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional administrator. “EPA and USDA are united in our commitment to give farmers the credit they deserve. Together, we will work with our federal, state, and agricultural partners to find solutions that are supported by the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership’s process and accounting protocols.”

The Task Force will develop an action plan that is responsive to the needs of the Bay states and agricultural community. Solutions will maintain the scientific integrity of the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership’s decision-making process and accounting tools and ensure producer privacy is protected. The Task Force will leverage findings from successful data sharing pilots and look for opportunities to integrate time-saving technologies to identify conservation practice implementation.

Agricultural lands compose nearly 30 percent of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which includes the District of Columbia and portions of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. This region has more than 83,000 farms responsible for more than $10 billion in agricultural production each year.

NRCS harnesses proven conservation practices and programs to help farmers improve their operations while at the same time improving water quality and conserving natural resources in the Bay watershed.

Between 2018 and 2020, NRCS helped farmers implement conservation on 1.26 million acres in the Bay watershed, which is the size of Grand Canyon National Park.

From 2006 to 2016, farmers in the Bay watershed made significant increases in the adoption of structural practices, conservation tillage, and cover crops that reduced sediment loss, surface losses of nitrogen and phosphorus from cropped fields and increased per acre carbon stored in cropland soils by 69 percent.

Across the Bay from 2006 to 2016:

Application of edge-of-field practices nearly tripled, from 9.6 percent to 28.3 percent of cropland acres using a riparian buffer, field border, filter strip, or critical area planting.
Cover crop use increased nearly 11-fold, from 3 percent to 33 percent of acres using cover crops in their crop rotation.
No till increased by 52 percent and conventional tillage decreased by 61 percent. Conservation tillage of all types were being implemented on 82 percent of acres in the Bay watershed.

Meanwhile, FSA’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, part of CRP, has enabled conservation partners and producers to provide natural resources benefits in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Currently, more than 155,000 acres are enrolled in buffer, grass, and tree practices designed to improve water quality and wildlife habitat.

CREP highlights include

In Delaware, one-tenth of all waterways have a CREP conservation buffer.
In Maryland, acreage enrolled in CREP has annually reduced sediment loading into streams from agricultural lands by more than 28,000 tons in 2021.
In Pennsylvania, acreage enrolled in CREP has annually reduced sediment loading by more than 38,000 tons in 2021.
In Virginia, over 1,745 acres have been enrolled in permanent state conservation easements that extend the benefits of CREP since 2004.

To learn more, visit NRCS’ Chesapeake Bay webpage or download fact sheets for CREP, EQIP, ACEP and CSP.

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Coors Light Energy-Efficient Rooftop Ads Have Chilling Effect

Published May 5, 2022

Globally, 2021 was ranked the fifth warmest year on record since 1880, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Heat waves are more frequent, and in Miami, there have been more 90-degree days than ever before. Air conditioners are humming non-stop, utility bills are skyrocketing, and overall, it’s just hotter.

In response, Coors Light has debuted Chillboards, rooftop billboard installations proven to cool buildings down.

The minimally branded rooftop installations are located atop apartment buildings in Miami and painted with Mule-Hide Finish reflective white roof coating, a formula proven to reflect 85 percent of sunlight. On one rooftop tested, Coors Light discovered the ad lowered the surface temperature of the roof by as much as 50 degrees. View how it works in this short video.

“The science behind Chillboards is actually pretty simple, dark surfaces absorb sun rays, but specially formulated white coating reflects them, resulting in a cooler temperature,” said Marcelo Pascoa, vice president of marketing for the Coors Family of Brands. “We realize not everyone will be able to paint their roofs white, but we hope to inspire Americans to make choices that reduce energy usage and puts a few dollars back in their pockets.”

The new rooftop Coors Light ads, which have different phrases such as, “Chillboards” and “Ads Nobody Can See, But Everyone Can Feel,” are written in the typeface “coolest,” designed to cover more than 95 percent of the surface space in reflective white paint.

“Simple and cost-friendly initiatives like Coors Light Chillboards can have a significant impact on the quality of life for renters and homeowners,” said Jane Gilbert, Miami-Dade chief heat officer. “If more communities started seeing the value of painting roofs white, we could cool down millions worldwide.”

In support of the energy-saving program, Coors Light is giving away 5,000 gallons of roof coating. For more information, visit www.Chillboards.com.

Coors Light worked with Creative Director Set Free Richardson and Street Artist Andulaz The Artist to produce the Chillboards.

In March, Coors Light spearheaded efforts for Molson Coors to move away from six-pack plastic rings by the end of 2025, a move that will eliminate 400,000 pounds of single-use plastic annually. Learn more about Coors Light sustainability agenda.

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