FuturistU > Innovation & Change > The 18 Megatrends of the New Normal > Module 1 / 4

Intro to the 18 Megatrends of the New Normal

Instructor: Armida Ascano
Hear from Trend Hunter's Chief Content Officer, Armida Ascano, in this course on the 18 Megatrends of the New Normal. You may be familiar with Trend Hunter's 18 Megatrends Matrix; this time, Armida will deep-dive this framework through the lens of the phases of Crisis, Chaos and Recharting. The goal is to help better map which Megatrends are most relevant in times of uncertainty.
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Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Serial Snacking
Quick-service menus are grouping items into lineups that invite repeat trial

Trend - Quick-service and fast-casual operators are building menus around compact, highly differentiated handhelds rather than a single hero item. The pattern suggests restaurants are treating menu additions as an expandable set of entries that can be rotated or refreshed. That can help operators introduce novelty in manageable pieces while keeping the core eating occasion intact.

Workshop Question - How could your brand turn a familiar core product into a rotating set of clearly differentiated choices people want to try over time?
6.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Burger-Inspired Wonton Tacos
Burger-Inspired Wonton Tacos
Applebee's Bacon Cheeseburger Wonton Tacos are a New Culinary Mashup
Bacon Cheeseburger Wonton Tacos are new on the menu at Applebee's, a creative culinary mashup that pulls in fans of classic American fare, Chinese cuisine and Mexican food all at once. This... MORE
Crunchy Dorado-Style Tacos
Crunchy Dorado-Style Tacos
Taco John’s is Introducing the New Crunchy Dorado Taco
Taco John’s has a new Chipotle Chicken Trio led by the new Crunchy Dorado Taco. For those unfamiliar, Tacos dorados (which translates to "golden tacos") is a traditional Mexican dish made by... MORE
Beachy Taco Shop Lineups
Beachy Taco Shop Lineups
Fuzzy's Taco Shop Has a New Beach Club Menu for Summer
Fuzzy's Taco Shop wants to help consumers embrace the fresh flavors of summer with its new Beach Club menu. Dubbed 'Fuzzy’s Beach Club,' the brand is promoting a summer-long event that includes... MORE
Spicy Seared Tuna Tostadas
Spicy Seared Tuna Tostadas
Hurricane Grill & Wings Has New Ahi Tuna Tostadas for Summer
Hurricane Grill & Wings wants to help consumers celebrate the rest of the summer season with three new menu items, including the tasty Ahi Tuna Tostadas. Available now through August 30th,... MORE
Dessert Mashups
Brands fuse known flavors, forms, and cultural cues to make sweets more shareable

Trend -

  • Sweet launches are increasingly built from unexpected pairings, such as dessert products borrowing cues from savory snacks, diner staples, or fairground foods. This turns familiar categories into crossover formats that stand out without leaving mainstream taste territory.
  • Brands are also using place- and occasion-based references to frame new offerings, drawing on seasonal bakery menus, summer treats, and nostalgic eating moments. These cues help position launches as timely experiences rather than just new flavors.
  • Texture and serving format are becoming part of the novelty play, with chewy, chilled, and sandwich-style builds used to differentiate products alongside flavor. This approach aims to make indulgence feel more multi-sensory and distinctive.
  • Many of these releases stay within recognizable comfort-food territory even when the combinations are unconventional. That balance appears intended to reduce trial risk while still giving consumers something worth talking about.
Workshop Question - How could your brand turn a familiar experience into a fresh offering by combining recognizable cues in an unexpected way?
8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Chilled Summer-Forward Cup Treats
Chilled Summer-Forward Cup Treats
Crumbl Introduces Chocolate Strawberry Cups for the Season
'Chocolate Strawberry Cups' are Crumbl's latest seasonal offering, introducing a new chilled dessert format to the brand's menu for a limited time from June 22 through July 11. The launch expands... MORE
Diner-Inspired Cookie Flavors
Diner-Inspired Cookie Flavors
Crumbl's Diner Week Lineup Includes a New Mississippi Mud Pie Cookie
Crumbl is leaning into familiar diner flavors with a new Diner Week lineup of cookies and treats that will be available from August 10th to August 15th. First in the Diner Week lineup is the... MORE
Novelty Flavor Cookies
Novelty Flavor Cookies
Oreo Twist, Lick, Vote Cookies Debut Three Limited-Edition Flavors
Oreo Twist, Lick, Vote cookies introduce three limited-edition sandwich cookies inspired by Southern desserts, carnival snacks and brunch classics. The lineup includes Banana Pudding, Deep Fried... MORE
Indulgent Autumnal Bakery Menus
Indulgent Autumnal Bakery Menus
Nothing Bundt Cakes Fall Menu Has New and Returning Favorites
Nothing Bundt Cakes fall menu has been announced ahead of the autumn as a series of fall-themed bakery items perfect for satisfying consumer cravings for seasonally appropriate desserts. The menu... MORE
Chewy Funnel Cake Cookies
Chewy Funnel Cake Cookies
Crumbl's New Funnel Cake Cookie is Summer Ready
Crumbl is ushering in the official start of summer with the debut of several tasty new treats, including the new Funnel Cake Cookie, Chocolate Strawberry Cup, and Dubai-Style Chocolate Strawberry... MORE
Burger Crisp
Chips are increasingly used as a crunchy topping for burger items
Trend - QSR brands are increasingly adopting a recent trend of layering potato chips (crisps) directly into the burger rather than serving them on the side. These menu items claim to merge two comfort foods into one, creating a highly textural, nostalgic eating experience for fans of both.
Workshop Question - How can your brand fuse two concepts to evoke a stronger response from consumers?
4.4
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Crunchy Burger Collaborations
Crunchy Burger Collaborations
A&W Partners with Ruffles to Present Two Ruffles Crunch Burgers
A&W has announced a new collaboration with Ruffles, introducing two limited-time ‘Ruffles Crunch Burgers’ to the Canadian market. This partnership combines the distinct flavors of A&... MORE
Onion Dip-Inspired Burgers
Onion Dip-Inspired Burgers
Hardee's French Onion Dip Angus Burger is Topped with Ruffles
Hardee's French Onion Dip Angus Burger has been created in collaboration with Ruffles as a new indulgent menu item that will provide diners with a way to satisfy big cravings for comfort food this... MORE
Crunchy Truffle Burgers
Crunchy Truffle Burgers
Bar Louie is Adding a New Truffle Crunch Burger as Part of a Menu Update
Bar Louie recently revamped its menu and the new, refreshed version features some tasty new dishes and drinks, including the Truffle Crunch Burger and the Wake Up Call Martini. Now available... MORE
Corn Chip-Topped Burgers
Corn Chip-Topped Burgers
Bad Daddy’s New Cowboy Crunch Burger Puts a Twist on Frito Pie
Full-service burger bar Bad Daddy’s is serving up comfort food this winter with the launch of several new seasonal menu items, including Daddy’s Chili and the crave-worthy new Cowboy Crunch... MORE
Content Transformation
AI companies are launching tools to help avoid AI content detection
Trend - AI companies are unveiling sophisticated tools that “humanize” machine-generated content, enabling users to bypass detection systems used by publishers, institutions, and content platforms. These tools leverage advanced natural language processing to adjust tone, syntax, and structure..
Workshop Question - How might your brand balance utilizing the benefits of AI generated content with the efficacy of human content producers?
5.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Detection Evasion
AI Detection Evasion
HumanizeAI.now Helps You Pass AI Detectors With Humanized Content
HumanizeAI.now is a tool designed to help users transform AI-generated text into content that appears human-written. Aimed at content creators, marketers, and students, the platform focuses on... MORE
AI Content Humanizers
AI Content Humanizers
Rephrasy Ensures Undetectable AI Content with Advanced Humanization
Rephrasy is a tool designed to help users bypass AI content detection systems like Copyleaks and Turnitin. Utilizing an advanced AI humanizer, the platform transforms AI-generated text into content... MORE
Humanized AI-Generated Text
Humanized AI-Generated Text
Humanizey is an AI Tool That Prioritizes a Human Touch
Humanizey is an innovative tool designed to make AI-generated text indistinguishable from human writing. By rewriting AI text in a way that mimics natural human language patterns, Humanizey ensures... MORE
Humanized AI-Generated Content
Humanized AI-Generated Content
Writetone HumanGPT Turns AI Text into Human-Like Content
Writetone HumanGPT is a sophisticated tool designed to enhance AI-generated text, making it more human-like and helping users bypass AI detection systems. This innovative software utilizes advanced... MORE
AI Text Converters
AI Text Converters
Humanizar IA Turns AI-Generated Text Into Natural Human Language
Humanizar IA is a tool designed to convert AI-generated text into content that reads more naturally and resembles human writing. It addresses a growing demand for content that bypasses AI detection... MORE
Escapist Game
Game developers launch low-stakes farming-centric games for comfortable escapism
Trend - Game developers are increasingly releasing cozy farming games that offer serene, low-pressure virtual environments. These titles focus on gentle gameplay and emotional escapism—cultivating crops, caring for animals, and building intimate communities in picturesque, pastoral settings.
Workshop Question - How could your brand create engaging and relaxing experiences that current desires of its consumers?
3.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
play_circle_filledCreature-Collecting Action Games
Creature-Collecting Action Games
'Farmagia' Enables Players to Raise an Army of Monsters
‘Farmagia,’ developed by Marvelous Inc., is an upcoming action RPG that combines elements of monster farming and combat. Set in the world of Felicidad, players take on the role of Ten, a... MORE
Cozy Village Sim Games
Cozy Village Sim Games
The Tales of the Shire Game Helps Villagers Complete Tasks
The Tales of the Shire game is a new experience that forms a gentle and low-stakes way of playing in the realm of Bagginses. It takes place somewhere between the end of The Hobbit, and before it... MORE
Serene Rural Farming Games
Serene Rural Farming Games
Stardew Valley is Receiving a New Major Update for 2024
‘ConcernedApe,’ the developer behind the massively popular title ‘Stardew Valley,’ announced via a Steam Community post that the game will be receiving the long-awaited... MORE
Dairy Farm-Focused Games
Dairy Farm-Focused Games
GameSquare Taps Dairy MAX to Debut a Fortnite Farm Tycoon Campaign
GameSquare is teaming up with Dairy MAX, a dairy advocacy group, to launch a new map and campaign for Fortnite’s Farm Tycoon. Farm Tycoon, developed by Moonlight Studios, sees players assume... MORE
Flavored Bacon
Bacon products increasingly opt for adventurous or unconventional flavorings
Trend - Brands are introducing bacon products that have been infused, seasoned, or cured with unconventional or enhanced flavor profiles beyond traditional smoked or salted varieties. These products, spanning maple bourbon to cinnamon-crusted, allow consumers to elevate everyday meals with unique flavors.
Workshop Question - How can your brand transform a mundane product or service into a novel item/experience?
4.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Cereal-Flavored Bacon Products
Cereal-Flavored Bacon Products
Hormel Has Created New Black Label Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bacon
Two of the biggest names in the breakfast game, Hormel and General Mill’s, have teamed up to create a very unexpected new product: Black Label Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bacon. As you might have... MORE
Spicy Jalapeño Bacon Flavors
Spicy Jalapeño Bacon Flavors
Meridian Farm Market Launches the New Honey Jalapeño Bacon
A bold new flavour is hitting grocery shelves with the launch of Honey Jalapeño Bacon—a premium, small-batch product crafted from locally sourced, thick-cut pork and naturally smoked over maple... MORE
Cider-Flavored Bacon Strips
Cider-Flavored Bacon Strips
Hormel Black Label Apple Cider Bacon Shares the Flavors of Fall
Hormel Black Label Apple Cider Bacon is a salty-sweet limited-time offering that taps into the flavors of the fall season to deliver a new experience for breakfasts and beyond. “The apple... MORE
Ranch Dressing-Flavored Bacons
Ranch Dressing-Flavored Bacons
Hormel Black Label Ranch Bacon Combines Two Iconic Ingredients
Hormel is taking two of America’s favorite ingredients and bringing them together to create its new limited edition Black Label Ranch Bacon. Available for just a short time, Hormel’s... MORE
AI Maternity
Transforming maternal care with smart, personalized digital guidance
Trend - Brands are developing AI-powered applications specifically designed to support pregnancy and maternity by offering personalized coaching, health tracking, and real-time advice. These tools integrate advanced algorithms with data-driven insights to provide tailored content on prenatal care.
Workshop Question - How might we leverage AI technology to provide personalized and accessible support in addressing modern consumer needs?
4.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Maternal Health Agents
AI Maternal Health Agents
Maia by Millie Provides 24/7 Answers to Patient Questions and More
Maia by Millie is a new AI agent integrated in the tech-enabled women's health clinic's patient-facing mobile app, providing all-hours 24/7 answers to patient questions, appointment management,... MORE
AI-Powered Maternity Support Apps
AI-Powered Maternity Support Apps
The 'Soula' App Supports Moms-to-Be with Proactive Information
The ‘Soula’ app is a free artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool for pregnant women to use as a way to make it through their pregnancy more comfortably and beyond. The app offers... MORE
Nursery Brand Parenting Apps
Nursery Brand Parenting Apps
The Mamas & Papas App Offers Support and Inspiration for Parents
The Mamas & Papas app has been developed by the UK-based nursery brand as a tool for new and expecting parents to help them navigate the world of pregnancy and early parenthood. The app offers... MORE
Social-Based Pregnancy Tools
Social-Based Pregnancy Tools
Peanut Introduces New Pregnancy Tracking Features for its Social Site
Peanut, a new and upcoming social networking app for women, is introducing Peanut Track, a new feature designed to support pregnancy tracking. Leveraging seven years of user data and AI, the tool... MORE
Automated Clip
Tools are being created to help creators repurpose content for other platforms
Trend - Content creators are increasingly using AI-powered tools to repurpose long-form video into short-form content. These tools analyze the source material to identify key moments, generating clips or vertical video formats optimized for platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
Workshop Question - How can your brand leverage the growing creator economy for its own benefit?
4.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Stream Clip Automation
Stream Clip Automation
'Saved' Turns Twitch VODs Into Edited, Captioned Short-Form Clips
Saved is a content automation tool built specifically for Twitch streamers aiming to grow their audiences across platforms. It leverages an emotion-based algorithm to identify the most engaging... MORE
AI Video Summarizer
AI Video Summarizer
Highlighter by Augie Turns Full Videos Into Shareable Highlight Reels
Highlighter by Augie Studio is a video editing tool that uses AI to generate short-form social media content from longer videos. Designed for speed and simplicity, users upload a video, input a... MORE
Content Sharing Automation
Content Sharing Automation
With SyncPost, Users Publish Once, Share Everywhere with AI Automation
SyncPost is a content automation tool designed to help bloggers and content creators streamline their publishing process. By syncing with major social media platforms, SyncPost allows users to... MORE
AI Video Clippers
AI Video Clippers
Choppity Uses AI To Search, Find & Clip Social Moments From Long Videos
Choppity is a video clipping tool powered by a multimodal AI model designed to help users efficiently locate and extract moments from long videos using natural language prompts. Instead of manually... MORE
Boldened Snack
Packaged snack brands are refreshing packaging portfolios to improve recognition
Trend - CPG snack brands are refreshing their packaging designs to draw more attention to their products while emphasizing standout features. These features include better-for-you ingredients and reduced environmental impact, with intent to capture younger audiences with such practices.
Workshop Question - How might we innovate our brand's approach to packaging and product design to effectively resonate with environmentally conscious and health-focused younger consumers?
5.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Vibrant Better-For-You Snack Packaging
Vibrant Better-For-You Snack Packaging
Catalina Crunch Targets Health-Conscious Consumers
Catalina Crunch has unveiled a comprehensive brand refresh and better-for-you snack packaging to target health-conscious consumers. This update includes a vibrant aesthetic that features a new... MORE
Healthy Snack Rebrands
Healthy Snack Rebrands
Eat Real Snacks Rolls Out New Fresh-Focused Visual Identity
Eat Real, a Canadian food company specializing in healthy treats and snacks, has revealed all-new branding in an effort to further appeal to health-conscious consumers. The refreshed designs include... MORE
Better-for-You Snack Rebrands
Better-for-You Snack Rebrands
Eat Real's New Rebranding Highlights Nutritious Ingredients
Snack brand Eat Real recently announced a bold rebrand aimed at celebrating authentic food experiences. Launching a fresh brand identity with vibrant packaging, Eat Real is making a statement with... MORE
Nostalgic Classic Snacks
Nostalgic Classic Snacks
Back to Nature Received a Vibrantly Bold Rebrand
Back to Nature, a classic snacks brand has undergone a complete rebrand, unveiling a vibrant and bold new visual identity. This transformation aims to modernize the brand while maintaining its... MORE
Nostalgic Health-Conscious Snacks
Nostalgic Health-Conscious Snacks
Lexington Bakes Has Refreshed Its Product Offerings
Lexington Bakes focuses on new, nostalgia-inspired branding language, smaller portion sizes, and reducing sugar content by 25% per serving. The California-based dessert brand, known for its eco-... MORE
Automated Podcast
AI tools that generate podcasts out of predetermined data sets are adaptable
Trend - AI companies are creating podcast-generating tools that interpret provided data and offer it in audio podcast form. This is used to make written news more digestible, to better convey one's personal thoughts, and more. These tools are designed to be quick and convenient for novice AI users.
Workshop Question - How could your brand make its products or services more accessible to consumers with busy lifestyles and minimal free time?
6.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Podcast Studios
AI Podcast Studios
Memocast’s AI Tools Transforms Your Uploads Into Personalized Podcasts
Memocast is an AI-driven platform designed to transform uploads into personalized podcast episodes. With features like automated editing and customizable themes, the tool streamlines podcast... MORE
AI Podcast Creators
AI Podcast Creators
Rome AI Generates Podcasts Instantly on Any Topic Using AI
Rome AI is an innovative tool that generates podcasts on any given topic with the help of AI technology. Users simply provide a subject, and the AI-powered knowledge agent crawls the web to gather... MORE
play_circle_filledAI-Generated Smart Podcasts
AI-Generated Smart Podcasts
ElevenLabs' GenFM Turns PDFs, Articles & More into Podcasts
ElevenLabs is adding even more value to the ElevenReader app with the launch of GenFM, which creates smart personal podcasts from users’ PDFs, articles, ebooks, documents and imported text.... MORE
AI-Powered Audio News Podcasts
AI-Powered Audio News Podcasts
Google Discover Daily Listen Turns the Latest Updates into Episodes
Google Discover Daily Listen has been announced by Google Labs as a new feature for users to help them stay up to date in the easiest way possible. The feature works by transforming a user’s... MORE