Looking beyond whatever trends may dominate in a given year, Mike Kostyo, vice president of Menu Matters, said companies throughout the food industry need to take stock of their brand and determine what their consumers want and what’s going to be sustainable for the long term.

“I know for a lot of brands, things have been very scary for years now, and so they’re throwing a lot of ideas at the wall and hoping something sticks.”

Foodservice brands in a “race to the bottom” are adding every value and combo meal they can think of, he said. CPG brands are throwing every flavor that’s deemed trendy into their products. What will these brands look like in three or five years?

“Consumers will have devalued their offerings, or will have been inundated by flash-in-the-pan flavors that come and go. Take time to understand your consumer and how they have changed, determine where your brand fits and may need to evolve, and plan for the long term. Be thoughtful about your marketing efforts and the trends you decide to leverage.”