Whole Foods Market's forecast for 2027 names eight food and drink trends, ranging from Japanese comfort food and bitter flavors to beans and food made with fewer ingredients. The list, released October 14, is a retailer's prediction based on its buyers' observations, not a measurement of what everyone around the world will eat next year.
The company's complete report is useful as a window into how brands and grocery shelves may change. It is also a marketing document with product examples. A useful way to read it is to separate a culinary idea from the health or sustainability claim attached to a packaged product.
The eight predictions, in plain language
The list is geographically uneven: Whole Foods operates primarily in North America and points to products available in selected US stores. Yōshoku is an established Japanese culinary tradition, not a cuisine invented by a 2027 grocery trend. Its appearance on this list reflects the retailer's expectation of broader US retail interest.
What can shoppers actually use?
The bean boom is perhaps the most practical entry: lentils, chickpeas and other legumes can be used in substantial meals without buying a special trend product. The report describes both restaurant dishes and packaged options. Its ingredient minimalism theme is more complicated. A short ingredient list can help someone understand a product, but length alone does not establish nutritional quality.
The beautrition category deserves particular care. The release lists products sold with skin-related positioning and mentions “drink your sunscreen” as an emerging idea. That phrase should not be taken as evidence that a drink replaces sunscreen or established skin protection. A forecast of what might appear on shelves is not a clinical recommendation.
How to judge the forecast later
The telling test will be whether these ideas move beyond press releases into sustained demand, restaurant menus and repeat purchases. Some trends may already be familiar outside the US, while others could stay niche. EatingWell's coverage offers another reading of the report; our Lifestyle section follows practical food and wellness topics beyond a single retailer's predictions.
The thumbnail shows products assembled for Whole Foods' official 2027 trends release. It illustrates the forecast and does not independently validate any health claim.
