In a year marked by inflation and slower consumer spending, it was tough for food and beverage brands to log growth in 2026.
A Morning Consult survey of 2,800 brands spanning industries across food, tech and hospitality brands found just 14% saw an uptick in purchase consideration among consumers in 2026, a five-year low. It's also a steep reversal from 2025, when 94% of brands reported growth.
For those that broke through the slump in food, big and established brands had the advantage — Snickers, Hershey's and other brands with high consumer awareness secured the biggest jumps this year.
The data suggests that consumers are "sticking to grocery store staples and treats," with categories including carbonated soft drinks, juice, chips and frozen foods seeing growth in at least half of their brands.
In terms of the biggest growth, however, beverages stole the show. Eight of the 25 brands recording five years of consecutive growth across industries were drinks, with no packaged food brands making that list. These top performers were also established brands, with Morning Consult saying they were able to convert the "familiarity consumers already had into affinity and demand."
The fastest-growing brand was Mr. Pibb, reflecting the demand for beverages and twists on familiarity. Coca-Cola's relaunch of the drink led to a steep rise in awareness and purchase consideration.
Here's a look at the top food and beverage brands that saw the biggest growth in purchasing intent, including a closer look at how brands performed across generations.
Fastest growing food and bev brands overall
Food and bev brands with 5 straight years of growth
Fastest growing food and bev brands with Gen Z
Fastest growing food and bev brands with Millennials
