Food trends emerge during annual National Restaurant Association show

At last month’s National Restaurant Association Show  in Chicago, 2,168 exhibiting companies — a 4.3 percent increase over last year — showcased their products to more than 61,000 attendees. Some trends from last year’s show returned bigger than ever, including gluten-free items and health-focused beverages, according to a recap at www.smartblogs.com. Here is a look at three trends that dominated this year’s show.

Locavore movement grows with in-house produce operations

The rooftop garden at McCormick Place. Photo: Tricia Smith

Locally grown produce was the second most popular trend named by chefs in NRA’s 2014 What’s Hot Culinary Focus, and the local produce movement was well represented at this year’s show. Attendees could sign up for a tour of  McCormick Place’s rooftop garden, which will provide roughly 6,000 pounds of produce to the convention center’s two Green-Seal-certified restaurants this year.

Spicy flavors trend continues to heat up

Bold, spicy flavors were a big presence on the show floor this year. Exhibitors showed off spice in foods ranging from nuts and salsas to more unusual applications, such as the chocolate ice cream infused with chipotle sauce on display at the Tabasco booth. Tabasco produced the ice cream especially for the show, but said it’s as simple as adding a few bottles of the brand’s chipotle sauce to a batch of soft serve ice cream.

Companies call out kosher certification

Foods targeted at those with special diets have been a growing trend for years. Gluten-free items could be found in almost every aisle on the show floor, but kosher-certified foods were also well represented this year. Brands including 1-2-3 Gluten Free and Sweet Street Desserts said they have been kosher-certified from the beginning, since obtaining a kosher-certification for baked goods is relatively simple.

For more of the story, go to http://smartblogs.com/food-and-beverage/2014/06/02/local-produce-spicy-flavors-and-kosher-products-steal-the-show-at-nra-show-2014/?utm_source=brief.