Hemp Predicted to be a Top-Selling Item in the New Year

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]E[/dropcap]arlier this month, the global buyers and experts at Whole Foods Market revealed the food trends for 2019 in the company’s fourth annual trends predictions announcement. The prediction listed 10 items that are likely to increase in sales. Hemp-infused products made the cut as a trend to look out for, as popularity of hemp-related items continues to surge.

Whole Foods Market has been compiling a list that comprises of what they believe to be the top-selling items in the new year. Their team of experts has been compiling this list for the last four years, and the company bases its predictions on consumer preferences, experience in product sourcing and and by attending several “food and wellness industry exhibitions worldwide.”

In their prediction announcement, the Whole Foods Market experts put emphasis on the fact that hemp-derived products are sprouting up all over. Hemp as a food ingredient has been around for quite some time. From hemp hearts to skin products with hemp seed oil, the plant is known for supporting a healthy lifestyle in a variety of ways. “They’re in everything from waffle mix to dried pastas,” the company wrote. Yet now, the team shares that brands will be hoping to ride the cannabis wave by looking into the benefits the other parts of the hemp plant can provide. The prediction list mentions Andalous Naturals, a brand that has, “introduced hemp plant stem cells in their CannaCell body care collection.” No doubt that consumers will soon be seeing more options when it comes to hemp at their local stores.

With the possibility of a new Farm Bill on the horizon, industrial hemp may soon be removed from the Controlled Substances List and made available for farmers to grow in a larger scale . Currently, the federal government classifies hemp in the Schedule I drug category.

Along with hemp products, the other top 10 items on the list included shelf-stable probiotics, faux meat snacks, eco-conscious packaging, healthy fats diets, unconventional frozen desserts and seaweed snacks. Notably, many of the items tend to lean towards health conscious and eco-friendly choices.