Premium & Specialty Food: Industry Trends We're Watching
Tim Obert, COO The Epicurean Trader · October 2026
A summary of third-party industry research. Industry data is not indicative of our results, and there is no assurance we will benefit from these trends.
There's been a lot of talk about consumers pulling back. Below is some of the third-party industry research that informs how we think about premium food and The Epicurean Trader.
Industry trends may not be indicative of our future results, and there is no assurance we will benefit from these trends. Sources may use different definitions, time periods and methods.
Where shoppers are still spending
Fortune reported in April 2026 that, according to the Specialty Food Association, US specialty food sales exceed $219 billion, up nearly 150% over the past decade. The same article cited Circana data indicating that premium and specialty products held up and grew their dollar share through 2025, even as shoppers moved to store brands in many categories. These figures describe the overall specialty food category and do not reflect our performance. Category growth can coincide with increased competition, promotional activity and margin pressure for individual retailers.
Quench's 2026 Food & Beverage Trend Report, as covered by the Food Institute, describes a pattern it calls "affordable indulgence," in which shoppers trade down on some essentials while trading up on small treats.
Premium segments in some markets
SIAL Paris, citing McKinsey's 2026 food and beverage research, reported that in many of the markets and categories McKinsey analyzed, some subsegments tied to health, functionality and premium positioning grew at least two percentage points faster than their category averages over the periods studied. Results varied by category and region. In one Europe-focused measure summarized by SIAL Paris, net intent to buy premium or high-quality food moved from -5% in 2023 to +3% in 2026.
In our view, based on the sources above, some shoppers appear to be placing more emphasis on provenance and quality signals, such as where a product comes from and who made it. We aim to highlight small producers and the stories behind their products.
Store-and-café models in premium grocery
Erewhon opened its Glendale location in spring 2026, reported as its 14th in Southern California, and has said additional stores are planned for 2027. CEO Tony Antoci described this period to the LA Times as "the beginning of Erewhon 2.0." Toast's 2026 article on gourmet grocery suggests hybrid store-and-café concepts are increasingly common in premium food retail.
We currently expect, but cannot assure, that our stores and cafés will continue to be important places for customers to discover us. Results depend on factors such as foot traffic, consumer demand, competition and our execution. We designed Insider membership and Provisions Club with the goal of encouraging repeat engagement, in store and online.
One survey on GLP-1 shoppers
eMarketer summarized a survey by The New Consumer and Coefficient Capital, conducted by Toluna among more than 3,000 US consumers in November 2025 and published in the July 2026 report "Consumer Trends 2026." Among US GLP-1 users who said they were trading up to premium food and beverages, 56% said the reason was that they eat less overall, so they can afford higher-quality food. This is a single survey; results may not apply to all consumers, and methodology and definitions vary.
Thanks for shopping with us and for following along.
Tim
Industry figures above come from third-party sources and are not projections for The Epicurean Trader. Industry trends may not be indicative of our future results.
