Curation

Trend - Snack brands are releasing on-the-go, ready-to-eat vegan snacks such as cookies, bars, and other treats. These products offer better-for-you alternatives that fit with dietary restrictions to provide delicious, nutritious, and portable snacks that offer a healthier alternative to traditional snacks.

Insight - Consumers are increasingly adopting plant-based diets and seeking convenient, healthy snacks. The rise in health consciousness and the desire for sustainable food options are driving this trend. Additionally, the fast-paced nature of modern life has heightened the demand for grab-and-go solutions that do not compromise on quality or nutrition. Snack brands are responding to these pressures by offering vegan snacks that cater to diverse dietary needs and strengthen brand loyalty.

Trend - Charcuterie, once relegated to specialty stores and European delicatessens, is experiencing a luxury makeover as brands reimagine cured meats through premium branding and elevated aesthetics. Legacy and newcomers alike are entering the market with sophisticated, Instagram-ready packaging and positioning.

Insight - The elevation of charcuterie reflects a deeper consumer desire for accessible luxury and shareworthy food experiences. Millennials and Gen Z, though budget-conscious, are willing to invest in premium pantry staples that offer affordable indulgence and signal cultural capital among their peers. As inflation impacts dining-out budgets and more social occasions center around home entertaining, these upgraded staples satisfy the consumer tension between aspirational consumption and financial reality.

Trend - A new wave of book clubs is emerging that caters to younger, style-conscious readers seeking literary experiences distinct from mainstream celebrity book clubs. These niche communities—such as Buffy's, Library Science, and Reading Rhythms—emphasize curated literary selections, exclusive events, and subtle branding to create a sense of insider culture.

Insight - For many younger consumers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, participating in cultural activities is less about following mainstream influencers and more about finding authentic communities that align with their identity and values. This shift reflects a broader consumer tension between mass culture and personal curation—where individuals increasingly seek to define themselves through more nuanced, specialized interests rather than broadly popular experiences.

Trend - Hair brands are designing products formulated to avoid ingredients that may trigger or worsen acne, especially on the scalp, forehead, or areas where hair touches the skin. These products typically avoid comedogenic ingredients like oils, silicones, or fragrances that can contribute to breakouts.

Insight - Acne-prone individuals often search for products that do not negate their skincare routines, allowing them to maintain clear skin while also addressing their personal care needs. In response, haircare brands are recognizing the impact their products can have on skin health and are increasingly developing formulas to avoid irritating acne-prone skin. By understanding a product's benefits and potential drawbacks, brands can make informed development decisions that prevent losing certain customers.

Trend - Brands are enhancing product launches and customer experiences by curating playlists that capture the essence of an item’s vibe, purpose, or aesthetic. Designed to be played while using the product, these soundtracks engage multiple senses, creating more immersive and memorable consumer experiences.

Insight - Modern consumers are drawn to products that engage all their senses, allowing them to experience the product's unique character with a fully immersive experience. These individuals gravitate toward multi-sensory products to enhance their environment, helping them relax through visual, auditory, and tactile stimulation. Brands that embrace this trend by pairing products with complementary sensory elements can appeal to those looking to elevate everyday items into something more experiential.

Trend - Brands are infusing copper into pillows, as copper is known for its antimicrobial properties, which helps in reducing odors, keeping the pillows fresh, reducing inflammation, and enhancing comfort. These pillows are designed for consumers with sensitive skin or trouble sleeping.

Insight - Consumers are increasingly prioritizing health and wellness in their daily lives, and this trend extends to their sleep environment. Health-conscious consumers are particularly drawn to products that offer added benefits beyond basic functionality. The rise in consumer awareness about the importance of sleep quality has led to a growing market for innovative sleep products. Brands are addressing these needs, as well as providing a heightened wellness experience, with copper-infused pillows.

Trend - As consumers face increasing digital overwhelm, companies are developing solutions that simplify choice architecture and content discovery. These innovations range from AI-powered personalization to minimalist interfaces that highlight essential information.

Insight - Contemporary consumers are experiencing heightened cognitive load due to the proliferation of digital touchpoints and endless choice in their daily lives. This information overload has created a growing appetite for experiences that reduce decision fatigue while still preserving optionality. Rather than seeking fewer choices, consumers want better frameworks for navigating abundance - whether through smarter filtering, clearer organization, or more intuitive discovery mechanisms.

Trend - Baby product brands are now integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their baby crib designs. These AI-enhanced cribs come with unique features such as mood detection, sleep monitoring, urination detection, and the ability to automatically rock the crib when needed.

Insight - New and expecting parents often spend copious amounts of time researching and preparing the best methods of caring for and raising a child, including diets, parenting strategies, and new assistive technologies. As life becomes busier for said parents, solutions that save time without compromising on the health or wellbeing of the newborn become high priorities. In order to appeal to the busy new parent, brands are creating cribs with AI-powered features.

Trend - Cheese brands are releasing bite-sized seasoned CPGs for convenient snacking. These are designed to provide both the flavor palate of rich cheeses with benefit of quick ready-to-eat seasoned snacks. These bite-sized snacks can be eaten as a side dish, or as a regular snacking product.

Insight - Consumers who partake in snacking are becoming increasingly drawn to more balanced, nutritious, or higher-quality snacks. This is due to the functional benefits of spending a small amount more on snacks that are more than simple carbs and salts. As a result, more unique snack formats with more complex ingredients are gaining popularity. Brands are responding to this shift in consumer desires with seasoned ready-to-eat snacks made with rich ingredients.

Trend - Artificial Intelligence brands are releasing smart tools for various aspects of the manufacturing industry. These tools integrate all provided data with advanced algorithms to improve efficiency by detecting anomalies, providing engineering commands, and optimizing designs.

Insight - Businesses in various manufacturing industries are united over a pursuit for efficiency. The primary manufacturing-related challenges, namely quality control, maintenance, supply chain control, and overall operational organization, are each key areas whereby manufacturing can be made more efficient. As such, these businesses seek out external smart tools, typically powered by AI algorithms, that improve the performance of one or more of these areas.