What is Layered Wellness?
Layered Wellness is one of our seven macro trends, and this may be my absolute favorite. As we all know, the majority of consumers have a rising concern about health and wellness. “88% of consumers make an effort to maintain a healthy diet,” based on Mintel. That is huge! However, the way in which people approach health and wellness continues to evolve by becoming more personalized and multi-layered. Consumers continue to be more accepting of the idea that wellness is not just the absence of disease, but a state that promotes physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being.
How does this food & beverage trend showcase to world?
I unapologetically clear space on my calendar for self-care with healthy rituals that keep my body and mind energized.”
-Consumer
People yearn to understand the way different factors such as medicine, fitness, and food and beverage choices impact their wellness. Specifically, trying to learn how to optimize these factors to help them feel their best. They want to know: “What can I buy that will generate calm in my life?”, or “Is there something that will give me enough energy to make it through my next three meetings?” Continually, we focus on being our best selves and we have the opportunity to define what that looks like. And there’s definite food and beverage trend application here.
Colorful Colorado, Here We Come!
As we explored cities that embodied each trend, we had NO questions about which city would work for Layered Wellness. Layered Wellness is a commitment to holistic health. There’s no better place to find your center than the beautiful mountainous landscapes of Denver and Boulder.
It’s much more than vegan meals and aligning your chakras… Layered Wellness is a conscious choice to be better to yourself, your community, and the planet. Alex, a coworker, and I explored Boulder and Denver to witness this trend first hand. Let me tell you – the emphasis on holistic health could not be ignored.
Thrive
For our first stop we headed over to a juice/smoothie bar called Thrive. At first sight, you notice the citrine crystals decorating the rough polished wood counter and the polished wood floors. Greeted with a smile from behind the counter was Michael making us feel incredibly welcome. His eagerness to share was obvious, as he made smoothie recommendations based on what mood we wished to manifest. Michael wanted our choice to guide us to be “the you you’re looking for.” Alex and I picked two smoothies we thought would make us our most productive selves for a long day of trekking.
Alex ordered the Natural High and I ordered the Golden Spiral. When exploring the menu we noticed unique claims you would not normally see such as: cell renewal, heart activation, and sexual health. I chose the Golden Spiral which claimed to purify, detox and provide universal truth.
The smoothies were packed with interesting ingredients. Some that caught my eye were the sprouted cashew mylk, golden berries, turmeric, black pepper, amla, hemp protein and coconut crystals. We found these palatable, but clearly felt we were doing something positive for our bodies. I thought I knew a lot about functional ingredients, but found myself learning many new ingredients such as shilajit and amla.
The Corner Beet
For those of you who have not read, Why Can’t I Stop Talking about Kava, I highly recommend you read if you’re interested in kava. The Corner Beet is where Alex & I experienced kava for the first time and trust me this was a moment I will never forget!
For a quick recap, kava kava, or just kava, is a root described to provide a calming sensation similar to having a glass of wine. Immediately after having our first sips, Alex’s throat started to numb, and I started giggling uncontrollably. Clearly we had a lot of questions about what we were really getting ourselves into! After that, we started Googling kava and if it’s even legal! I think kava is a great legal alternative to CBD, as many consumers are using cannabis and cannabis derivatives to relax, this provides similar effects.
Vital Root
Vital Root is owned by Edible Beats, they own multiple restaurants all over Denver. Each concept is more different than the next. After reading the reviews on Vital Root, we were extremely excited about it. However, nowhere did it say it was vegetarian & vegan only. This is embarrassing to admit but for the sake of “Layered Wellness balance” after a long day of turmeric, ginger, kombucha, and healthy bowls, I was looking forward to a delicious burger. However, I was blown away by each vegetarian dish we devoured.
The BBQ wings were made from broccoli and cauliflower, the queso made from cashew, and the banh mi tacos were tofu and edamame. This classy, chic, upscale restaurant had the best yuca fries I’ve ever had! The fact that a restaurant like this doesn’t need to call out it’s vegetarian or vegan roots validates that healthy eating doesn’t fit one mold. Above all, all customers were interested in exploring something new that might be better for their body and their environment, not matter their diet.
Food & Beverage Trend Takeaways
In these two cities, this food and beverage trend of holistic health didn’t fit one mold, it was for everyone. If you are vegetarian or vegan, or just trying to improve your overall health, there is a place for you. These two cities are so ahead of the curve: from work-life balance to plant based proteins, they embrace balance in all aspects. If you have the chance to experience Denver and Boulder for all its wonders, I highly recommend you go explore, you will not regret it!
Brought to you by: Savannah Turner & Alex Brasey
Thanks for sharing! Great to see healthier options on the rise!