Don't Be So 5 Minutes Ago: Capitalizing on the Cutting Edge

Lisa Everitt

This trend curve was generated from FoodWatch's proprietary database of food and flavor mentions in food publications since 1989 and from more than 450 restaurant menus.

In Stage 1, emerging trends appear in experimentation by cutting-edge chefs, through products in specialty or ethnic food stores, and in features in epicurean publications like Gourmet and Saveur.

Stage 2 shows concepts getting more attention—in innovative midprice restaurants, specialty sections of supermarkets, newspaper food sections and general-interest magazines. This, says FoodWatch partner Eleanor Hanson, is the most critical time for marketers to recognize and research a trend.

By Stage 3, a concept or food item is no longer a trend but rather an accepted part of Americana, seen in chain and family restaurants, on fast-food menus and on supermarket shelves. After Stage 3, a trend may reinvent itself, triggering a new "S" curve.

Emerging, Stage 1	Becoming Popular, Stage 2	Mainstream, Stage 3
Cassata: Italian pound cake with chocolate and fruit	Tres Leches Cake: A Nicaraguan dessert consisting of layer cake soaked in "three milks"	Wasabi: Bright green Japanese horseradish
Garam Masala: Indian spice blend	Panko: Coarse Japanese bread crumbs for coating fried food	Asian Pear Apple: Sweet, crunchy fruit, green or gold
Granita: Italian frozen drink	Crostata: Italian fruit tart	Chipotle: Dried, smoked jalapeño pepper
Artisan Sake: Small-batch Japanese rice wine	Churrasqueiras: Portuguese or Brazilian grill houses	Reggiano: Italian hard cheese from the Reggio region
Prosecco: Grape varietal from Veneto, often made into sparkling wine	Miso: Fermented soybean paste	Lemongrass: Thai flavoring; scallion-shaped herb
Yuzu: Sour Japanese citrus fruit	Empanada: Turnovers with savory filling	Panini: Italian cold sandwiches
Arepas: Grilled Colombian corn cakes	Dim Sum/Potstickers: A style of Chinese eating featuring many little dishes; potstickers are dumplings	Green Tea: Tea leaves, steamed and dried but not fermented
Ponzu: Japanese dipping sauce	Gnocchi: Italian potato dumplings	Dulce de Leche: Caramelized sugar in milk
Panuchos: Mexican appetizers made of stuffed corn tortillas	Ceviche: Raw fish "cooked" by marinating in citrus	Risotto: Rice dish in which grains are sauteed, then stirred with liquid
Gyoza: Japanese version of Chinese potstickers	Carnitas: Shredded roast pork	Crostini/Bruschetta: Italian appetizer on toasted bread
Arancine: Italian for "little oranges;" fried balls of saffron risotto	Edamame: Steamed soybeans in the pod
Huaraches: Sandwiches made with nopales (cactus paddles)	Pannacotta: Eggless Italian custard
Mirin: A low-alcohol, sweet rice wine	Barbacoa: Chile-marinated braised beef
Semifreddo: Various chilled or partially frozen desserts	Arrabbiata: Spicy Italian tomato sauce
Chimichurri: Argentinian herb sauce for grilled meat	Soba: Japanese buckwheat and wheat noodle
Lychee: Delicate Asian fruit with sweet white flesh	Orzo: Small rice-shaped pasta
Gianduja: Swiss hazelnut-flavored chocolate	Mojito: Cuban cocktail made with light rum, lime juice, mint
Source: Prepared for Natural Grocery Buyer by Food Watch, River Forest, Ill. Find out more at www.foodwatchtrends.com.

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