Whole Foods: What are the Sustainable Food Trends for 2026?

Whole Foods Market has announced its 2026 trends, forecasting a renewed focus on eco-friendly and progressive farming.

Among the eight trends identified by its Trends Council, a notable highlight is the return of beef tallow for cooking.

Rather than relying solely on vegetable oils, Whole Foods is encouraging the use of tallow due to its high smoke point and traditional value, positioning it as part of a zero-waste philosophy that prioritises using as much of the animal as possible.

Shoppers will see new products like Epic Provisions Beef Tallow, FOND Grass-Fed and Regenerative Beef Tallow and South Chicago Packing Wagyu Beef Tallow Cooking Spray on shelves, while restaurants have already begun to opt for tallow in dishes from fried foods to desserts.

Backing women in farming

The new forecast also demonstrates clear support for women working on the land, coinciding with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s declaration naming 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

“With multigenerational farms dwindling and fewer young people choosing careers in farming, it's more important than ever to celebrate changemakers in the industry,” the report notes.

Whole Foods aims to spotlight businesses with schemes supporting women, like Lotus Foods’ premium wages and community projects for female farm workers and True Moringa’s wide-ranging support for female tree crop growers in Ghana, including land, training, access to water, childcare and health insurance.

Companies such as Kvarøy Arctic run international scholarships and internships for women in aquaculture, while the National Young Farmers Coalition directs half its grant funding to women, non-binary and trans farmers.

Why regenerative and organic farming are going mainstream

Several products from the report hold regenerative or organic certification.

March 2026 will see the arrival of Diestel Family Ranch Regeneratively Raised Ground Turkey, joining existing regenerative-labelled products like Whole Foods Market’s own Organic Certified Maple Butter and Cilantro Lime Rice.

Seasonal produce such as Rancho Durazno Certified Organic Yellow Peaches and Tomatero Farm Organic Early Girl Dry Farmed Tomatoes reflect a broader embrace of climate-friendly growing methods.

The rise of fibre and plant-based ingredients

Whole Foods’ forecast also highlights a significant rise in consumers actively seeking more fibre for digestive health and lasting fullness.

Ingredients like cassava, chicory and konjac are gaining ground. Adopting a plant-based diet supports this trend while helping reduce livestock-related carbon impacts, a topic Whole Foods links directly to increased interest in foods with “purpose”.

“Curiosity, creativity and conscious choices are shaping the way people eat and shop,” says Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, the retailer’s Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer.