From Farm to Feed

From kale to cauliflower, trending vegetables have taken over the lifestyle and food industry within the last decade, especially among Millennials and Generation X. Yet, Pinterest predicts that 2026 will be the year of the cabbage.

From cauliflower rice to cauliflower pizza crust to cauliflower buffalo wings, cauliflower offers a healthy alternative to other foods, not just vegetables, due to its richness in nutrients. However, Pinterest highlights recent increases in search inquiries of cabbage food items, such as a 35% increase in “sauteed bok choy”, a 95% increase in “golumpki soup”, and a 110% increase in “cabbage dumplings”, signifying a potential for one of the biggest clean eating alternatives in 2026.

Differing from the cauliflower craze, Pinterest mentions kimchi cocktails, indicating that this new star vegetable may extend into the beverage industry as well. Other recipe recommendations suggest the cabbage aesthetic being defined by creative and eclectic eating, combined with clean ingredients.

I asked our PR and growth experts: What branding strategies can make cabbage appear as an elevated, premium, or high-demand product in the food industry? What does the cabbage trend in 2026 reflect about consumer values surrounding sustainability, affordability, and health-conscious efforts in diets? How can small brands utilize cabbage to stand out in competitive industries (ex, storytelling, product development, aesthetics)?

Here are the experts' insights:

• Talk about the different varieties grown in unique regions
• Create a ritual around cabbage
• Own the comfort factor and nostalgia around cabbage
• Cabbage as a functional ingredient
• Lean hard into authentic cultural roots
• Consumers are looking for real, versatile and sustainable food.
• Adventurours eater are experimenting with clear ingredients

Talk about the different varieties grown in unique regions

Emily Reynolds-Bergh, Owner at R Public Relations

"A great way to turn basic food items into luxury ingredients is to focus on their heritage. Talk about the different varieties grown in unique regions and the way their tastes differ. You can also talk about different preparation methods. Cabbage certainly reflects consumers’ needs for more affordable goods; cabbage costs little but lasts a long time and can stretch many meals, which is likely a reflection of a larger shift towards saving money and shopping locally. For small brands, cabbage can be used as a creative tool in surprising ways. Not only is cabbage cheap, hardy, and delicious…but it is also beautiful! Use colorful cabbage leaves in creative assets instead of florals, or layer them into food photography for structure and a pop of color."

Create a ritual around cabbage

Jonas Muthoni, Editor in Chief at ilovewine.com

"I've spent a decade traveling through wine regions and food cultures globally—from Tokyo izakayas to Basque pintxo bars—and one pattern stands out: ingredients become "premium" when they carry cultural authenticity and a preservation story. At ilovewine.com, our most-engaged content isn't about rare wines but about the process—the Sicilian winemaker who still foot-treads grapes, the biodynamic vineyard using horses instead of tractors. Cabbage needs that same narrative weight.

Small brands should position cabbage through fermentation heritage, not health washing. When I covered Arya Hamedani's rise on our platform, his success came from showing untold cultural stories behind each dish—not claiming something was "superfood." A kimchi brand could spotlight their halmoni's 60-year-old starter culture or partner with natural wine bars (like the orange wine spots I profiled) where funky, fermented flavors already have cachet. Make it about craft lineage, not cauliflower 2.0.

For product development, look at what happened with natural wine's explosion—it succeeded because it rejected polish. The cloudy sediment, hand-drawn labels, and imperfect bottles became the aesthetic. Cabbage brands should accept the gnarly outer leaves, the purple-stained hands, the crocks bubbling on counters. When we featured Mott 32 Seoul's tableside Peking duck carving, the theatre sold the dish as much as the taste. Create that ritual around cabbage—show the salting, the massaging, the two-week wait for perfect sauerkraut.

The beverage crossover is huge but underused beyond kimchi cocktails. I've done sake-and-ramen pairings in Tokyo and txakoli-and-pintxo sessions in San Sebastián—fermented vegetables already live in those drinking cultures. A small-batch cabbage brine tonic or a cabbage-leaf-infused vermouth could own the same "sommelier's secret ingredient" space that's currently dominated by obscure amaros. Partner with the natural wine community specifically; they're hunting for weird, terroir-driven mixers that aren't another elderflower situation."

Own the comfort factor and nostalgia around cabbage

Janice Kuz, Owner at The Nines Emporium

"I've been running The Nines for almost 10 years on the Sunshine Coast, and one thing I've learned is that value perception isn't about what's exotic—it's about what's executed well. We've got a Roast Pumpkin Salad on our menu that even salad sceptics rate because we treat humble ingredients like they deserve attention. Cabbage can work exactly the same way if you nail the flavour, presentation, and portion size that makes people feel like they got something special.

From a practical cafe operator perspective, cabbage is a dream ingredient because it stores forever, costs bugger all, and you can prep it ten different ways without waste. We're always tweaking our menu to balance food costs without sacrificing the "wow" moment customers expect, and cabbage fits that brief perfectly. The real opportunity is in fermentation and pickles—we've played with house-made condiments before, and customers love seeing that craft element on the plate, especially when it's something their grandma might've made but liftd.

For small brands, my advice is to own the comfort factor and nostalgia around cabbage rather than trying to make it fancy. Our Bacon Benny is famous because it's a non-negotiable comfort dish done properly, not because we reinvented it. If you're making cabbage dumplings or kimchi, lean into the "cosy but bold" angle—make it generous, make it flavourful, and make people feel like they're getting more than they paid for. That's what keeps regulars coming back and turning into your loudest advocates."

Cabbage as a functional ingredient

Ananya Varma, Editor at Trovia Magazine

"It’s funny, cabbage used to be the vegetable people bought only when they wanted something cheap and dependable. Now, consumers treat it like a “humble superfood,” which is exactly why premium positioning works. Brands can elevate cabbage through fermentation-forward products, globally inspired recipes, minimalist packaging, and language centered on gut health, longevity, and clean eating. When you frame cabbage as a functional ingredient rather than a budget staple, it immediately sits in a higher tier.

The cabbage surge also reflects a deeper consumer shift: people want sustainability without the markup. Cabbage grows efficiently, stores well, travels well, and fits the rising interest in heritage recipes, so it feels both affordable and culturally rich.

For small brands, the opportunity is storytelling. Highlighting family recipes, local sourcing, or “ugly produce revival” angles can turn cabbage into a signature identity, especially when paired with bold textures, vibrant pickles, and creative product formats."

Lean hard into authentic cultural roots

Deepak Shukla, Founder & CEO at Pearl Lemon PR

"Small brands don’t need huge production budgets to make cabbage exciting, they need storytelling. Cabbage is in practically every cuisine: Korean, Polish, Indian, Italian, Brazilian. That’s a goldmine. A brand can build an entire identity around cross-cultural cabbage riffs: dumplings, stews, ferments, wraps, cocktails. When we’ve developed new concepts at Pearl Lemon, the most successful ones always leaned hard into authentic cultural roots.

Aesthetic-wise, cabbage is naturally photogenic: the veins, the gradients, the folds. Lean into that. Use macro shots, bold colours, and textures that feel tactile and earthy. No gimmicks needed. Just make the vegetable look like the protagonist instead of the sidekick."

Consumers are looking for real, versatile and sustainable food.

Jesse Singh, Founder at Maadho

"When people search 'Cabbage' online, I see not only a food trend but also an opportunity to create brand recognition. Cabbage's competition is only cauliflower which had its moment due to its association with the narrative 'swap this and save that'. Cabbage is a strong, layered vegetable with global implications, making it a great opportunity for brands that understand how to tell the right story.

Instead of sanitizing the cabbage, embrace its rawness. Create stories around the traditions of cabbage, fermentation, and flavor. Promote cabbage's use in different world cuisines such as Eastern Europe to East Asia, and incorporate cabbage's gut health and detox benefits into your narrative without making it sound like a label truck.

Also, when incorporating cabbage, move away from the rustic look and lean towards a more refined approach in terms of packaging (neat packaging and typography) and colour palettes that pop on the shelf. Promote kimchi/miso cocktails in the same vein as an upscale speakeasy, not just in the wellness aisle.

The buzz surrounding Cabbage shows that consumers are tired of fads and looking for real, versatile and sustainable food. Cabbage is inexpensive yet packed with nutrients, aligning perfectly with the economic and healthy lifestyles of millennials and Gen X. That creates the perfect opportunity for small brand owners to take something familiar and create an incredible brand through good design, pride in the culture behind the creation, and an unexpected twist.

If cabbage is going to take off, brands should be prepared to treat cabbage like the royalty it deserves. Brands should turn cabbage into a movement, instead of creating it as just another trend."

Adventurours eater are experimenting with clear ingredients

Amir Husen, Content Writer, SEO Specialist & Associate at ICS Legal

"Because the thing is, much like kale before it, cabbage is no longer cheap and boring as soon as we stop treating it like a “humble” vegetable and start positioning it along trendy Iberian representation of roasted cauliflower or Eleven Madison Park’s thinly shaved celery root roll-ups. Best to sell it as legacy‑rich, world-occasioning, and chef-easiest. Rather than relying on affordability, brands could emphasize craft small‑batch fermentation, heirloom varieties, regional techniques, and bold flavor profiles. Visual storytelling counts, too: snappy textures, layered leaves, jewel‑tone purples, and cold-fermentation bubbles all photograph beautifully, elevating cabbage into an aesthetic experience rather than just a budget staple.

The cabbage trend for 2026 reflects a broader consumer shift. People want sustainability without sacrifice, and cabbage is the X that checks every box: low‑waste (none), long shelf life, potential for regenerative farming, and minimal processing. It also reflects the growing demand for low-cost wellness. At a time when “healthy eating” can feel both expensive and complicated, cabbage offers nutritional density, gut-friendly benefits (thanks to fiber that supports healthy digestion), and culinary versatility at a price point that is practical for all budgets. The proliferation of kimchi cocktails and cabbage dumplings suggests that adventurous eaters are seeking creativity, exploring cuisines, and experimenting with clear ingredients.

For small brands, cabbage is a treasure trove of storytelling. A brand might distinguish itself by grounding its identity in origin stories, family recipes, immigrant traditions, fermentation rituals, and regional farming partnerships. Product development can venture into unlikely formats: cabbage‑based snacks, ready‑to‑drink fermented tonics, artisanal slaws, or globally inspired dumplings. Aesthetically, using bold colors, tactile textures, and ‘kitchen‑craft’ visuals will make cabbage feel modern and elevated.

The brands that win in 2026 will be the ones that don’t turn to cabbage as simply a replacement for other foodstuffs, but embrace it as more than just an ingredient: Rather, celebrate and elevate this vegetable with precise locality, personality, and infinite opportunity ripe for culinary discovery."

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