Hospitality 2025: Top Trends and How to Implement Them Today

What food trends can we expect in the coming year? And what changes will the food industry, retailers and restaurants have to adapt to over the next few years?

In her latest Food Report 2025, European trend researcher Hanni Rützler highlights the most exciting developments and shows how they will affect the industry. One thing is clear: there will be no major changes compared to 2024 or 2023. Instead, Rützler analyses how the top trends of recent years will influence each other and create new dynamics.

Read on to find out more about the hospitality trends for 2025 and how you can effectively implement them in your business:

• Plant-Based Food and Cultured Meat: New Menu Options
• Re-Use, Zero Waste, and Circular Food: Creative Waste Reduction
• Regenerative Food: Climate-Friendly Choices
• Pure Priorities and Dynamic Change: Tradition Meets Flexibility

Plant-Based Food and Cultured Meat: New Menu Options

The trend towards plant-based products continues undiminished. Technologies are constantly evolving, and the taste of these alternatives is getting closer to that of real meat and fish. However, the issue of quality and price remains: many high-quality branded products are expensive, so consumers often choose private labels. According to Rützler, this reduces innovation and product variety in the market.

Our tip: Instead of imitating meat, expand your menu with innovative plant-based dishes that offer original combinations and flavors. For example, use high-quality ingredients such as jackfruit, lentils, or local mushrooms to create unique dishes. This will not only appeal to guests who want to avoid meat, but will also provide an enjoyable experience for everyone. Offer seasonal 'plant-based specials' to keep your menu fresh.

The cultured meat trend is now competing with plant-based food. Cultured meat is grown directly from animal cells in a laboratory in vitro. These products have already been approved in the US and Singapore, and other countries may follow suit in the future.

However, it is not yet clear whether this is a more environmentally friendly production method. On the one hand, large areas of land can be saved, but on the other hand, production currently uses more energy and has higher costs than traditional meat production. 

Our tip: As many of your guests may not be familiar with this new type of meat, you could offer a sample on the menu or a "Cultured Meat Tasting" (if cultured meat is allowed in your country). This will allow your guests to try the product and form their own opinion.

But meat alternatives have also inspired a counter-movement: the Carneficionados and the Vegourmets. Both groups avoid standardized, industrially produced meat and plant-based foods.

Our tip: For the guests of these two groups, a menu with high-quality, locally sourced products is just the thing. For example, work with local farms that produce sustainably and traditionally, and offer dishes on your menu that showcase this quality. 

Re-Use, Zero Waste, and Circular Food: Creative Waste Reduction

The fight against food waste is becoming increasingly important. Global events such as the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine have only added to the problem. Now the EU wants to halve food waste by 2030 – an ambitious target that requires tougher action. Both politicians and the food industry have a responsibility. After all, wasted food consumes valuable resources, accelerates climate change and causes economic and social problems.

The foodservice industry is already changing its thinking: towards clear, transparent enjoyment with a clear conscience. This is where re-use, zero waste and circular food come in.

The re-use food trend is all about using leftover food through creative recipes or processing methods. Initially, the trend was particularly popular with consumers who created delicious dishes from leftovers. However, the idea has also gained popularity in high-end restaurants. Nose-to-tail and leaf-to-root concepts, where the entire animal or vegetable product is used, are particularly trending.

Our tip: Offer “dishes of the day” made from leftovers, such as bread crumbs for croutons or vegetable scraps for soup stock. You can sell these dishes at a lower price and inform your guests that they are part of your recycling strategy.

The zero waste trend focuses on minimizing or eliminating waste throughout the production chain. This trend no longer applies only to unpackaged food in supermarkets – innovative zero waste concepts are becoming increasingly popular in the restaurant industry.

Our tip: Optimize your company's purchasing and storage processes to avoid overstocking. For example, use digital ordering platforms to efficiently plan your use of goods and reduce food waste before it ends up on your plate.

The circular food trend goes one step further, combining the approaches of re-use and zero waste. This creates a whole new way of looking at food. There is no longer a distinction between primary products and by-products. Instead, skins, seeds and pomace are seen as valuable resources that can be returned to the biological cycle or turned into new products.

Our tip: Work with local producers to source surplus or visually 'unattractive' food and use it creatively in your restaurant. Not only will this strengthen the local economy, but it will also show your guests your commitment to sustainability.

Regenerative Food: Climate-Friendly Choices

The next food trend, regenerative food, looks at the way our food is produced.

Regenerative food aims to make food production more climate-friendly, promote biodiversity and actively combat climate change. The aim is to allow farmland to regenerate sufficiently (e.g., through organic fertilizer or crop rotation) and increase its carbon storage capacity. For example, growing legumes can fix nitrogen in the soil, reducing the need for fertilizer. Environmentally friendly grazing can also help reduce CO2 emissions and improve the health of agricultural soils.

Large companies such as Nestlé and Unilever are increasingly investing in regenerative food. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), soil erosion could lead to a 10% decline in crop production. However, the global area under regenerative agriculture is still growing too slowly, partly due to a lack of government support.

Our tip: As regenerative food becomes more popular, it pays for restaurants to focus on food with a positive energy and sustainability footprint. Platforms such as Soilify or Klim are a good place to start. They provide information on regenerative agriculture and facilitate networking between stakeholders.

Pure Priorities and Dynamic Change: Tradition Meets Flexibility

More and more guests value authenticity and sustainability – they want to know where ingredients come from and how they are produced. These values are reflected in the pure priorities trend.

Pure priorities represents a new, conscious restaurant culture that values regional traditions and fair production methods. The aim is to make the origin and quality of ingredients transparent to guests and to offer them simple, authentic cuisine.

Our tip: Focus on regional suppliers and on authentic dishes with few but high-quality ingredients. Be open about the origin of your ingredients and let your guests know that they can enjoy their meal in your restaurant with a clear conscience.

At the same time, the dynamic change trend is leading to a shift in supply and demand. Traditional ingredients such as meat and wine are being re-evaluated by guests, and alternatives such as vegan dishes or non-alcoholic drinks are becoming more popular. This change is being driven by individualization, which is leading to different lifestyles and changing preferences.

Our tip: Make sure your menu includes options for guests with special dietary needs. Give them the opportunity to customize their meals. This shows your flexibility and makes the visit more personal for many guests.

Hospitality in 2025: How to Stay Ahead of the Curve

One thing is clear: the food industry is in a state of constant change. In times like these, hospitality trends provide a clear direction of where the journey is going – as Hanni Rützler clearly shows in her latest Food Report 2025.

For restaurants, it is now important not just to accept change, but to actively shape it. By being open to new trends and concepts, restaurateurs can future-proof their offerings and prepare for the changes that lie ahead.