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McKinney unveils 2026 Food & Beverage Trends Report
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Thursday, 16 July, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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North Carolina, USA
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Full-service creative agency McKinney unveiled its 2026 Food & Beverage Trends Report examining the mood of consumers and how cultural trends shape preferences of both what's on the plates and in the cups. This year's report identifies a cultural macro trend called ‘Pilot Mode’, a growing desire among consumers to regain a sense of agency over their habits, health, routines and everyday choices, particularly through food and beverage.
For years, consumers have navigated ongoing instability fuelled by inflation, political uncertainty, AI disruption and rapid cultural change. But rather than resigning themselves to chaos, many are beginning to shift toward more intentional behaviours, routines and choices. McKinney's report identifies this transition as a move from ‘Goblin Mode’ — a period defined by comfort-seeking, indulgence and emotional exhaustion — into ‘Pilot Mode’, where consumers are actively seeking structure, optimisation and self-direction.
Jasmine Dadlani, chief strategy officer, McKinney, said, "Last year, chaos reigned supreme. People and companies took hit after unexpected hit. This year, we've started to anticipate the chaos, which means shifting from scrambling to react to active management — at least for ourselves, since we can't control the world around us. Food is one of the most powerful ways where we can have agency and still shape how we feel, how we perform and who we want to be."
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