Every fall, the food world fills up with lists predicting ‘the next big thing,’ lists that quietly shape real R&D budgets, product launches, and retail strategies. This year, 6 Seeds Consulting, a marketing and research agency for food and agriculture, asked a sharper question: are those trends actually worth betting on?
Using its proprietary synthetic research platform, powered by AI-driven synthetic personas that mirror real consumer behavior, 6 Seeds put 16 of the most-talked-about 2026 predictions to the test. Each was given a verdict any brand can use: Go Big, Watch Closely, or Hot Air.
“Everyone in food is drowning in predictions, but few can tell you which ones are real,” said Andreas Duess, CEO of Toronto-based 6 Seeds Consulting. “Our synthetic research platform lets brands find truth fast by testing trends with AI-driven synthetic personas that think like real people: skeptical, price-sensitive, and driven by taste. Unlike focus groups, they don’t lie to be liked, get tired, or follow the loudest voice in the room. They just tell the truth about what actually feels worth eating.”
The Verdicts: What Our Digital Twins Say
About 6 Seeds Consulting
6 Seeds is a marketing, communications, and research agency helping food and agriculture brands navigate the AI era. Food Trend-Check 2026 marks the first time synthetic research has been used to verify food trend predictions, setting a new benchmark for how insight teams can separate signal from noise. Rooted in Food. Built for Forward Motion. Learn more, 6seedsconsulting.com
