Spate x Express Checkout: Weekly Data Dive

Welcome back to our weekly series, where we dive into the latest trends taking TikTok by storm, starting with food & beverage, brought to you by Spate and Express Checkout.

Our goal here is to arm founders and marketers with opportunities to grow. By providing insights into market trends and consumer behavior, you can make more informed decisions that drive growth and competitive advantage.

This week, we cover top growing TikTok trends across food & beverage, highlighting unexpected seasonal interests like hearty veggie soups, themed dessert displays for TV watch parties, nostalgic mayo cakes, and unique food items like "flagels."

Additionally, we explore the rising popularity of Trader Joe's budget-friendly meal series, influencer partnerships boosting brands like and Sweetgreen, and the growing trend of functional beverages like Kin Euphorics.

(and don’t forget to follow me and Spate on TikTok!)

Top growing TikTok trends across F&B:

As the weather heats up, soup is showing some seasonally unexpected interest through @dietitiantayla’s recipe for a hearty, low cal veggie soup. Tayla touts this as an easy way to get veggies in during the week. The recipe combines both fresh and frozen vegetables, making this something that’s accessible even without access to fresh produce. 

@iamsprung creates a very cute British Isles dessert table display with brandy snaps. This creator proposes these snacks for a Bridgerton watch party. This begs the question: what other upcoming tv premieres are deserving of their own watch party with appropriately themed snacks? Also in the world of desserts, mayo cakes get a boost from @tastesbetterfromscratch’s nostalgic recipe that looks absolutely incredible. 

Rounding out the list, @bethennyfrankel covers the “flagel” — which is a bagel that’s flattened before being baked — from Goldberg’s. She tops it with caviar and says (without actually saying) that it’s fantastic. Seems believable. No notes. Finally, @natashaskitchen demonstrates how to make Chili’s now-discontinued Monterey Chicken. Idea for more TikTok content (if it doesn’t already exist): someone who cooks only discontinued menu items from America’s top food chains.

• I really need to do a deep dive on Bethenny Frankel cause she is having a moment right now!

Top growing TikTok brands across F&B

This week, @jenneatsgoood’s series on transforming $50 worth of groceries into 20 meals puts the spotlight on Trader Joe’s while reflecting a growing consumer focus on affordability and value. This trend suggests that price-sensitive shoppers are looking for budget-friendly yet versatile meal options, a valuable insight for retailers to highlight meals that are accessible both in terms of price and skill level required to make them.

• I’m a huge fan of this account, I’ve made multiple dishes from her videos! Super helpful and again, puts a huge emphasis on price sensitivity and value seekers.

:ratio is gaining traction through influencer partnerships with @lowcarblove who features the brand in "What I Eat in A Day" content while traveling. This ad is also a partnership-in-partnership as Ratio is partnering with ClassPass for a free month-long trial of the latter. Putting that protein to use for good gains, etc. 

@lowcarblove

#ad What I Eat in A Day (while traveling)! @Ratio Food makes it easy because they do the math for you & this month, #ratiofood is partneri... See more

Sweetgreen gains traction as @emilynicolenyc shares her recent weight loss via salad. Her approach of ordering extra dressings to DIY a similar salad for dinners highlights a potential market for Sweetgreen to explore bottled dressings (slash marinades).

@michelhirji highlights Kin Euphorics as a non-alc beverage option for his cruise. The brand's appeal lies in offering a refined alternative for those seeking a wellness-oriented beverage, reflecting a broader shift towards mindful drinking and the growing popularity of functional beverages. Michel claims any mind-altering (this term is used extremely lightly here) effects from Kin are short-lived, so those looking for a non-alc buzz may want to look elsewhere. 

📈 Strong, Consistent Growth & High Convergence

Spearmint tea is a caffeine-free herbal drink increasingly beloved for its holistic health applications. Anecdotally, it offers benefits such as digestive relief, hormonal balance, and support for cognitive function and respiratory health. 

Spearmint tea has 370.1K average weekly views on TikTok, making it a medium awareness consumer trend on the platform. Views of the trend have grown by +614.4% since last year. It has a high convergence score of 82.5% across TikTok and Google Search. While consumers are entertained by the content on TikTok that touts claims like the treatment of hormonal acne, they’re interested in testing it out in real life too as demonstrated by Google searches.

Spearmint tea is considered a high awareness trend on Google Search, with an average of 48.6K searches per month. Since last year, searches for the tea have grown +97.8% on TikTok. The top-searched concerns are pregnancy (as in “Is spearmint tea safe during pregnancy”) and hormonal acne (ie, “Spearmint tea for hormonal acne”). Tea companies rise up. This one’s a trend for you. 

About our data provider, Spate

Spate analyzes pre-sales data from Google Search and TikTok to capture consumer trend awareness and purchase intent, as well as shifts in consumer behavior at both macro and micro levels. They reveal emerging consumer preferences and unmet needs that are not yet reflected in sales data. Insights like these, and many more, across the food & beverage, beauty, personal care, and health & wellness spaces are all available in the Spate dashboard.

About me, Express Checkout

Express Checkout is a newsletter by Nate Rosen that dives into the world of commerce - covering CPG, retail, eCommerce, supply chain, and fundraising . It offers analyses, trend predictions, and discussions on product launches, marketing strategies, and consumer behavior. With interviews, case studies, and data insights, it’s a go-to resource for staying informed and ahead in the industry.