Chocolate hummus and savory yogurt: 7 emerging food trends

CORRECTS FIGURES- Convention goers sample a variety of pates at the Summer Fancy Food Show specialty food convention, Tuesday, July 1, 2014, in New York. About 90,000 pounds of delicacies were donated and distributed to food pantries across the five boroughs. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Last month, more than 47,000 people flocked to New York City’s Javits Center to get a taste of what’s new, next and hot in the world of food at the Summer Fancy Food Show. The bi-annual convention welcomed more than 2,670 exhibitors who were there to showcase their small-batch products to buyers and industry professionals. More than just unlimited samples surfaced from the event. Louise Kramer, communication director for the Specialty Food Association, says the show is an epicenter for emerging food trends. “It’s really about what’s next in food,” Kramer said. “Sometimes these products might land on a store shelf six months from now or even a year from now.” Curious as to what you’ll be seeing at the market this year and into next? Kramer broke down the top trends from this summer’s Fancy Food Show. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

‘Everything’ goes beyond the bagel Everything bagels are beloved by many for their savory topping of poppy, caraway, sesame, salt, garlic and onion. And now that flavor bomb is no longer limited to breakfast. According to Kramer “everything” is popping up in everything — from yogurt to nut mixes, “and even an everything bagel hummus.” (Thinkstock)

Thinkstock

Mango + Avocado Savory Yogurt Creations offered at the Chobani SoHo Café on Thursday, April 24, 2014, in New York. (John Minchillo/AP Images for Chobani)

Savory yogurt “We’re used to having yogurt with fruit and sweetness in it, maybe topped with granola,” Kramer said. But at the Fancy Food Show, yogurt was anything but sweet. In addition to everything bagel-flavored yogurt, there was beet yogurt and yogurt topped with puffed lentils. Spicy granola even made a splash — to add a crunch to all of the savory options. (John Minchillo/AP Images for Chobani)

John Minchillo/AP Images for Chobani

This Sept. 29, 2014, photo shows chocolate hummus in Concord, N.H. The hummus is rich, creamy and chocolatey, and thick enough to spread easily. Think of it as a slightly more textured Nutella, and every bit as sweet and delicious. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

Sweet hummus Hummus is most commonly consumed with pita chips and crudités — but not the latest varieties. At the Summer Fancy Food Show, Kramer says one of the most popular foods was a sweet hummus, served in flavors such as chocolate chip hummus, brownie hummus and snickerdoodle hummus. The producer behind the product started making the dessert hummus for her husband’s Super Bowl party. “The husband and his pals actually thought that it was chocolate chip cookie dough and they ate every bite,” Kramer said. Best to ditch the carrot: Dessert hummus is best served with breadsticks. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

AP Photo/Matthew Mead

MIAMI BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 27: Zico Coconut Water on display at Goya Foods Grand Tasting Village Featuring MasterCard Grand Tasting Tents & KitchenAid® Culinary Demonstrations during 2016 Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival Presented By FOOD & WINE at Grand Tasting Village on February 27, 2016 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Aaron Davidson/Getty Images for SOBEWFF®)

The coconut craze is not slowing down The coconut trend is not new, but Kramer says it’s in no rush to leave. From coconut water, to coconut milk, coconut oil and dried coconut snacks, people are still going coconuts for the tropical fruit. “That’s a trend that’s been bubbling up for a few years,” Kramer said. (Getty Images)

Getty Images

This Sept. 30, 2013 photo shows a healthy Halloween snack mix in Concord, N.H., which includes chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and nuts. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

There’s a whole latte more to pumpkin than the PSL Pumpkin made a huge splash at the Summer Fancy Food Show. Kramer says while the squash is most typically associated with fall — “Starbucks put it even more on the map with its Pumpkin Spice Latte,” she said — this summer it proved it has a place in all four seasons. Entrepreneurs at the show debuted everything from pumpkin salsa to pumpkin oil. There was even a Moroccan apricot pumpkin tagine sauce. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

AP Photo/Matthew Mead

**FOR USE WITH AP WEEKLY FEATURES** A display of spices lends color to a section of the Fancy Food Show, Tuesday, July 11, 2006, in New York City. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Spice-infused snacks These days, it’s hard to find a chocolate bar that isn’t dusted with sea salt. And now, food producers are taking that concept one step further. Kramer says a lot of ginger and chili-lime flavored snacks appeared at the show — both in sweet and savory items. Hot honey — honey infused with chilis — was another popular item. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

In this photo taken Wednesday Nov. 2, 2011, garlic chili pepper gourmet beef Krave Jerky is shown in the foreground in Sonoma, Calif. As football heads toward the season-ending showdowns, gourmet jerky lovers have more choices. High-end jerky is available in everything from the traditional beef to turkey, lamb, and even fish. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Jerky goes gourmet “This is another example of products that are becoming much more prevalent — new twists on jerky,” Kramer said. Lots of food start-ups are tackling the dried meat and seasoning strips with unique flavors, such as pineapple-orange and basil-citrus. But at the show, Krave Jerky introduced beef bars to the masses. “Essentially, it’s jerky fashioned into bars. And one of the flavors was chipotle cherry,” Kramer said. She says the new bars cater to a growing population that prefers snacks over meals. “They traded meals for snacks and they want to get a real protein punch out of the snacks that they’re eating,” Kramer said. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

AP Photo/Eric Risberg