Spate x Express Checkout: Exploring the Latest TikTok Trends in Food & Beverage

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.

This week, we're diving into savory delights, featuring comforting dishes like stuffed cabbage soup and unique garden-to-table creations like purple cauliflower. We'll explore regional favorites such as hobbit meals and chicken riggies.

We'll also shine a light on brands making a significant impact, like Blue Bunny's Twist Pints campaign and Moon Juice's SuperYou supplement, now available at Erewhon. Stouffer’s is getting a boost from mukbang creators, and JOYRIDE is gaining traction with its launch in Target, thanks to the influence of YouTuber Ryan Trahan.

Finally, we'll discuss the rapid rise of tanghulu, a traditional Chinese snack that's captivating US audiences with its visually and audibly satisfying appeal. Get ready for a deep dive into TikTok's dynamic food scene and discover the trends and brands shaping the future of food and beverage.

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

Top growing TikTok trends across F&B:

Savory trends dominate this week’s food & beverage favorites on TikTok. Stuffed cabbage soup made by @cookthestory as they reminisce on the stuffed cabbage made by their Ukrainian Baba. The creator offers stuffed cabbage soup as a way for those seeking similar flavors, but perhaps feeling lazy. Purple cauliflower is driven by @gardeningwithtara’s gorgeous garden shot and #gardentotable dinner of roasted cauliflower, fish, and rice. Tara’s “shopping trip” to her garden is a sort of micro-homesteading that resonates with TikTok viewers in today’s from-scratch bait algorithm. 

Hobbit meals and chicken riggies are both regional dishes, from The Shire and Central New York, respectively. @la_china_chong creates a chicken meatball parmesan sub for Samwise to the tune of some hobbit lore. Finally, chicken riggies is an Italian-American pasta dish that includes some variation of rigatoni noodles, chicken, and creamy tomato sauce. The top-viewed video for the week is by @thembites whose series of U.S. regional dishes is a delightful peek into cuisines across the country.

Top growing TikTok brands across F&B

Blue Bunny makes an appearance in the top brands on TikTok again over the last few weeks, led by the same Twist Pints campaign. @lindsaybrookethomas grabs two pints at Walmart — one Cookies & Cream and one Strawberries & Cream — to celebrate her son’s preschool graduation. Moon Juice’s views this week are driven by @misterpreda’s video touting their SuperYou supplement, which is now available at Erewhon. If there is one thing viewers on TikTok love, it's the talk of cortisol and Erewhon. This supplement includes ingredients like ashwagandha, amla, and rhodiola. According to the Moon Juice website, it’s clinically shown to reduce cortisol by 24%.

Classic dinner time favorite Stouffer’s gets a boost this week thanks to @barcelona.ana’s mukbang. Ana combines Stouffer’s lasagna with pepperoncinis and a side of Texas toast. In the caption, she thanks @bellas.bites for the inspiration. Texas toast is a key accessory for this dish in both creators’ videos.

Finally, emerging candy brand, JOYRIDE, is gaining views for their launch in Target. YouTuber Ryan Trahan joined the team earlier in 2024 as the Co-Owner and Chief Creative Officer. The selling point of the brand is candy made with real ingredients and fiber, boasting no artificial additives and “less sugar than leading brands.” This is not Ryan’s first business venture, and surely his 16.1M YouTube subscribers will bring in some sales.

@playrobottv

We are excited but confused that they are in target before joyride day (june 15)#playrobottv #joyride #candy #lowsugar #lowsugarcandy #rya... See more

If you think you’ve heard of JOYRIDE before, that’s because this is not their first time relaunching. In fact it’s their 3rd. This is basically a hard relaunch with Ryan as the founder. You will still find old products of theirs under the Joyride name on store shelves.

📈 Strong, Consistent Growth & High Convergence

Tanghulu, a traditional Chinese snack, is rapidly gaining traction in the US market, evidenced by its impressive online presence and viral appeal. With an average of 36.0K monthly searches on Google, tanghulu has seen a +369.7% increase in interest over the past year. With this many monthly searches, tanghulu has become a high-awareness trend among US consumers keen to explore.

The trend's momentum is further fueled by its massive popularity on TikTok, where tanghulu videos attract 11.3M average weekly views. This represents a staggering +947.8% growth in viewership since last year. The convergence of high search volume and social media engagement highlights tanghulu's dual appeal: it's visually and audibly entertaining and sparks a strong desire among consumers to experience it beyond the screen. The sight and sound of tanghulu's hard candy shell being cracked open to reveal fresh fruit make it a perfect fit for TikTok.

For food and beverage experts, tanghulu presents an exciting opportunity to tap into a trend that blends entertainment and experiential consumption. As interest soars, integrating tanghulu into menus or product lines could capture the curiosity and taste buds of a growing audience eager for novel culinary experiences.

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.