Ben’s List 39

Pinterest has released its annual trend report, revealing 20 key trends for in 2025 across various industries, including home décor, fashion, beauty, and food & beverage. Known for spotting trends early, Pinterest analyzes billions of searches and uses visual technology to identify emerging patterns. In this article, we’ll focus on how these trends are impacting the food & beverage sector, with visual moodboards to bring them to life. Whether you’re in marketing, product development, or strategy, understanding these F&B trends will help you stay ahead of the curve and drive innovation ! Cherry Coded Cherries are expected to be popular in 2025, with everything from cherry toppings on desserts to cherry martinis, sodas, and sweet-savory combinations like cherry-glazed meats. Keep an eye out for more cherry-flavored cakes, tartlets, and sauces appearing on menus. Aura Beauty The “aura effect” trend may inspire food and drink presentations with glowing, pastel colors and shiny finishes. This could also influence packaging, with products featuring soft, pastel shades and a playful, multicolor look. Rococo Revival Elegant desserts will take inspiration from Rococo and Baroque styles, with pastel-colored cupcakes, macarons, and meringues. Expect detailed cakes and beautiful table setups with white and soft pink tones, as well as treats like choux pastries and wedding cakes. Sea Witchery Ocean-themed dishes will likely dominate menus, featuring seafood, seaweed, and fun creations like blue and purple cakes. Look for dreamy, ocean-inspired desserts like madeleines with sea-inspired twists, creating a magical underwater feel. Surreal soirees The “Surreal Soirees” trend may lead to bold, artistic dining experiences. Lobster, champagne, and fruits could be arranged in dramatic, art-like displays—think extravagant presentations and eye-catching food layouts that look like still-life paintings. Castle Core Rustic, hearty meals with ancient vegetables like artichokes, raw ingredients, and rich cheeses are expected to grow in popularity. Picture cozy, candlelit dinners with red wine and dishes that evoke a sense of old-world comfort and simplicity. Dolled Up Miniature, playful foods are becoming a trend, with tiny lollipops, fruit-shaped charms, and colorful tableware inspired by a “dinette” style. These small treats will bring a sense of fun and joy to any event. Fisherman Aesthetic The coastal vibe remains strong, with seafood-inspired menus featuring tinned fish, artisan butters, and Mediterranean-style picnic foods. Beer pairings and fresh, simple flavors will capture the relaxed, seaside spirit. Goddess Complex Luxe, shimmering foods—like edible gold, sparkling drinks, and cocktails decorated with jewelry—are set to become a highlight of high-end dining. This trend will celebrate luxury and indulgence, adding a touch of glamour to the table. Rebel Floats Creamy custom sodas are making a comeback, with ice cream floats, fruity soda mixes, and whipped cream taking the spotlight. These fun and indulgent drinks will give a modern twist to classic sodas. Terra Futura Sustainability continues to rise in importance, with fermented foods, pickles, and homemade preservation methods gaining popularity. Garden-to-table dining is likely to grow, focusing on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Primary Play Bold, colorful dishes made from fresh ingredients like tomatoes, lemons, and apples will take the spotlight. Hand-painted table settings and vibrant, eye-catching food presentations will turn simple ingredients into works of art. Pickle Fix Pickles will find their way into nearly everything—cocktails, sandwiches, and even sweet dishes and desserts. Moto Boho A fusion of biker chic and bohemian style will emerge, offering premium, on-the-go meals like iced coffee lattes and matcha lattes, served in minimalist, cool spaces that blend a sense of rebellion with relaxation. Travel Peak Mountain-inspired dining will become the next big trend, with hot chocolates, après-ski cocktails (like spritz), fondue, raclette, and portable meals such as sandwiches and tupperware-friendly dishes taking center stage. Chaos Cakes Bold, playful cakes are set to make waves, with designs featuring animal shapes, quirky faces, and kitschy creations. These unconventional desserts will add a fun, surprising element to any occasion. Player One The “Y2K” aesthetic returns, bringing kawaii-inspired designs and avatar-style dishes. Expect futuristic food packaging and fun, nostalgic touches that reference the early 2000s pop culture. Mix & Maximalist Packaging will embrace mixed patterns, vibrant colors, and vintage-inspired designs with bold typography. Seeing Double It’s about mixing and matching flavors and visuals : expect creative food pairings, bicolored products or packaging designed for two. Nesting Parties Food for welcoming new arrivals—like baby showers. Think pastel-colored dishes, cute cakes, and easy meal preps perfect for cozy, intimate gatherings. Subscribe to our FoodTech newsletter here for weekly insights on the latest trends and news from the F&B industry !

The first edition of the Paris Creator Week took place at Station F in Paris this week. It brought together content creators, brands, and industry experts to dive into the booming creator economy. This sector, valued at $180–250 billion globally in 2023 and growing at 15% annually, is expected to double in the next five years. The event aimed to position France as the leader in the European creator economy. Here are the key takeaways from the event. Lessons from France’s top podcaster, Matthieu Stefani Matthieu Stefani is the leading podcaster in France with GDIY (Generation Do It Yourself), and is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the creator economy. During his conference at Paris Creator Week, he shared his approach to building a successful podcast. His main advice: passion is essential. Content creation should always come from a genuine interest in the subject matter. He also emphasized the importance of working with sponsors you truly believe in. If a sponsorship feels forced or insincere, it risks alienating your audience. Matthieu pointed out that, in the creator economy, it’s not the number of subscribers that matters but their quality. For example, a podcast on entrepreneurship with 500 founders as listeners is more valuable than millions of followers with no connection to the topic. He also shared that his podcast saw a 40% increase in new listeners this year, proving there’s still room for new voices in podcasting. CYRILmp4: Balancing content creation and entrepreneurship Cyril MP4, a content creator with over 5 million YouTube subscribers, spoke about balancing content creation and entrepreneurship. He believes every content creator is also an entrepreneur. Cyril has built multiple companies around his content. However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. He mentioned taking a one-year break from YouTube to recalibrate and refocus. His key advice: organization is crucial. As creators scale, finding the right balance between producing content and managing business operations becomes essential. Making corporate communication engaging: the role of content creation Corporate communication can often feel dry, but there are ways to make it more engaging and relatable. One of the best ways to do this is by putting faces to the brand. Whether it’s the CEO, employees, or content creators who authentically represent the company. After all, a business is made up of people, and showing the human side of a brand helps build trust and connection with the audience. A great example of this is Orange’s Better Program, where influencers are invited to spend time at the company’s offices to learn about its innovations. These influencers then share their experiences with their followers, offering a more personal touch to the brand. It’s not just about promoting a product; it’s about showing the people and values behind it. Creating engaging content is another key to making corporate communication resonate. L’Oréal did this brilliantly by turning a traditional financial report into something visually appealing and digital-friendly, which garnered 3 million views. They proved that even dry corporate content can be transformed into something captivating when done creatively. In the same vein, Orange used content creators to create over 1,000 posts leading up to the Olympics, and nearly 400 posts during the event. This real-time, engaging content kept the brand at the forefront of the conversation and connected with audiences in a natural, authentic way. The key takeaway? To make corporate communication sexy, brands need to humanize their message—by putting real people in front of it, whether it’s through influencers, employees, or leaders—and make it engaging, whether through creative content or authentic storytelling. It’s all about finding the right balance between authenticity and creativity. How to work with content creators ? When working with influencers, it’s important to give them the freedom to bring their own creativity into the collaboration. They understand their audience best and know how to deliver the message. More and more, brands are turning to micro and nano-influencers. While they may have smaller followings, these influencers tend to have highly engaged and loyal audiences, making them an excellent choice for brands looking to target specific, niche markets. Ultimately, the key to a successful influencer partnership is authenticity. When influencers genuinely believe in the brand and share its values, their content feels more trustworthy and organic, which leads to a stronger connection with their audience. Although Paris Creator Week 2024 has ended, check out our upcoming events here – we’ve got some exciting opportunities lined up for you !

Stockholm is home to Techarena’s flagship event, whose next edition, taking place on February 20-21, 2025, will also be much larger than the previous one, with 12,000 expected attendees, compared to 7,500 last year.