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.

This week, we're delving into the resurgence of s'mores, exploring unique dishes like Panzanella and Loco Moco, and looking at convenient meals like taco casserole.

We'll shine a light on brands making an impact, such as Nature’s Bakery and their Mini Fig Bars, and Wildwonder with their gut health drinks. We'll also discuss ongoing legal battles in the F&B world and how they're shaping brand perceptions. Lastly, we'll explore the smash burger trend that's capturing attention across platforms. Get ready for a whirlwind tour of TikTok's food scene.

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

Top growing TikTok trends across F&B:

S’mores season is upon us, and it’s increasingly evident based on the number of brand campaigns dominating #s’mores on TikTok. @globalmunchkins drives views for the week with their submission to the Hershey’s Family S’mores Stacking Challenge. They reached 11” images, beating out @theklemfamily’s 10.5” stack. Wholesome competition is a solid brand strategy. Ghirardelli gets some views through partner content by @joyfullygreen for a s’mores-as-date-night idea. 

Panzanella, aka Tuscan tomato and bread salad, is prepared by @dishin_withdd. This heartier summer salad option usually combines cubes of bread, onions, shallots, mozzarella, basil, and an olive oil-based dressing for a sort of spoonable bruschetta. Loco moco is a feature of modern Hawaiian cuisine that @greenappoplayground makes as she voices over an interesting story (a consistent feature of her content). The dish features white rice, hamburger patty, brown gravy, and a fried egg. It seems like a fool-proof, hearty dish and perfect for an easy-ish weeknight recipe. Similarly, taco casserole offers convenience as a Crock-Pot recipe made by @whatsmomcookin. These dishes showcase how traditional flavors can be adapted into easy, modern meals. Birria spice bombs sound like a good addition to the latter.

Top growing TikTok brands across F&B

Nature’s Bakery leads the week’s brand list with their Mini Fig Bars. The brand owns their top-viewed video this week as they posted a “summer camp lunch inspo” that features a bento box filled with food and the Mini Fig Bars as a side. 

The next two brands on the list are gaining traction through lawsuits, either directly or indirectly. Wildwonder uses the tagline “A better drink for gut health” saying their offering “is the world’s first sparkling drink that combines two essential components — live probiotics and prebiotic dietary fiber, for a happy and healthy gut.” In the top TikTok video for the brand this week, @thepilatesuniform says Wildwonder is an option to choose while Poppi goes through their lawsuit challenging the brand’s gut health claims. This lawsuit is sure to be a precedent setter for this burgeoning category of beverages. 

@thepilatesuniform

with poppi’s lawsuit happening… you should try @wildwonder #fyp #northcarolina #wildwonder #probiotic #probioticdrinks #poppilawsuit

Kerrygold is also in the midst of  a lawsuit that’s explained in this video by @thelawyerangela. According to Angela, Kerrygold is claiming that their tagline, “Pure Irish Butter” means that their product is purely Irish, not purely butter. LOL, okay. Standing by to see how this shakes out. 

Gopuff and Canada Dry round out the list with convenience and (Canadian) flavor, respectively. @geminivlogss promotes both Gopuff and Clearly Canadian with talks of fast delivery and a sparkling mocktail enhanced with Clearly Canadian. Canada Dry is getting attention thanks to its Fruit Splash Cherry Ginger Ale, shown in @sarahkathrynpegg’s ad for the brand. Perhaps they should consider promoting this flavor on planes as ginger ale is an anecdotal air travel favorite. 

📈 Strong, Consistent Growth & High Convergence

Gather round the grill. Smash burgers are having a massive moment in the US. Considered a high consumer awareness trend on both Google Search and TikTok, the trend receives 260.5K average monthly searches and 9 million average weekly views on TikTok. This is also a high convergence trend — aka, a trend that performs similarly across both Search and TikTok — with +274.2% growth in views since last year and +52.7% growth in searches.

The top two related searches alongside smash burgers are “recipe” and “how to make,”  indicating consumers are looking to make them at home. There are many schools of thought on what makes the perfect smash burger. Here are some highlights: 

• Keep the meat cold until you’re ready to cook: Maintaining the meat's cold temperature helps retain its fat content, which is essential for a juicy and flavorful burger.

• Smash the burgers only once, as soon as they’re on the griddle: Pressing the patties down just once ensures maximum caramelization on the surface, creating a deliciously crispy crust.

• Use American cheese if making a cheese smash burger: American cheese melts perfectly, creating a creamy and smooth layer that complements the crispy burger.

• Opt for brioche or potato buns: These buns offer the ideal combination of softness and slight sweetness, enhancing the overall taste and texture of the burger.

On TikTok, this week’s top content is served by @devourpower who orders an insane-looking create-your-own option from Tony Beef. This New Jersey-based chain looks absolutely worth the drive if you’re in the area and want to try new spins — so many, check out the menu — on a smash burger. 

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.