Introducing fiery, sour, and tingly flavours

Key trends: Intense flavours

Extra fiery, sour and tingly flavours in snacking, confectionery and beverages.

The Youth is Spicier Than Ever Before:

Circana’s latest data reveals that 11% of 25 to 34-year-olds enjoy bold and unexpected flavours, up by 7 percentage points since 2019. Similarly, 11% of 18 to 34-year-olds report enjoying bold and unexpected flavours, reflecting a 4.7 percentage point increase since 2019. Globally, consumers continue to embrace hot and spicy flavours, with social media amplifying this trend through challenges such as eating extremely spicy noodles and snacks. Spicy foods offer a thrill that is both physical and emotional, combining excitement with the unexpected. The rising popularity of global cuisines such as Korean, Mexican, Thai, and Indian—with their unique spice profiles—continues to fuel this microtrend, as these cuisines become increasingly accessible to consumers through retail.

SWICY:

In addition to fiery flavours, the SWICY has arrived: A trend that combines sweet flavours with spicy or tingly flavours. Bar brands are joining in on the trend at which Spicy Dragonfruit, Spicy Pineapple and Spicy Strawberry flavours emerge. Another example of the SWICY trend is hot honey at which potent chillies are mixed with honey creating a spread or dressing for savoury dishes. Hot Honey flavours are now also seen in limited-edition coffee drinks such as Hot Honey Affogato and Hot Honey Espresso Martini.

That Tingly Feeling:

As a natural ripple effect from spicy foods tingly flavours appear as a way to appeal to the desire for unique sensory experiences through food and beverages. As part of the influence of Asian flavours Chinese Szechuan pepper and Ginger provide a zinging kick appealing to consumers looking for something novel and memorable.

The Sweet Joy of Sour Flavours:

FMCG trends often emerge in Off-trade sales channels first. Restaurants and trendy bars are pushing the envelope of what is hot and trendy and are pioneering the trend landscape paving the way for retail to leverage trends towards increasingly adventurous consumers. Sour has taken centre stage, transforming kitchens and menus with layers of flavour, enhancing richer dishes and adding brightness to crisp ceviche. Trends in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods sector often emerge first in the beverage category due to their shorter product development cycles and consumer preferences where consumers are more likely to experiment with new beverage products than other applications. The sour trend has been spotted in the Carbonated Soft Drinks category alongside confectionery, where extremely sour products appeal to younger, curious consumers.

Consumer appeal

The snacking world is evolving, as consumers in 2024 are seeking bold and adventurous flavours. Spiciness is becoming a key player, with snacks that offer intense heat, complex spice blends, and surprising flavor combinations. This desire for exploration goes beyond just spiciness; it includes unique textures, tingling sensations, and multi-layered taste profiles that keep snackers coming back for more.

Consumer attitudes

of US snack consumers consider whether a snack is fun to eat when choosing a snack

of US consumers who snack agree that they enjoy trying new snacks

of US snack consumers consider whether a snack has an appealing flavor when choosing a snack

of US women and 34% of men who snack say texture is a factor that would make a snack seem indulgent

Mintel I Three global trends to inspire US snack and sweets
Mintel I Sense of the intense
CNN I ‘Swicy’ is the hottest trend in food right now
McKormick I Sour Power

Texture: A cross-generational appeal

Different trending intense flavour experiences

From the SWICY abbreviation covering the combination of sweet and spicy flavours to tingly flavours, which provide a light zing to the tongue. Consumers increasingly crave experiences. Social media has amplified these trends, with interactive and competitive challenges like the "One Chip Challenge," where participants dare each other to eat a single Carolina Reaper-infused chip. This emerging trend strikes a delicate balance between familiarity and adventure, enticing consumers to push their boundaries while exploring new flavour experiences.

Tingly flavours

Flavours like Sechuan pepper and Ginger provide a pleasant, yet zingy kick to the palate. In the off-trade Electric Daisy is emerging with a similar effect believed to reduce the booziness of spirits and provide a slight zing.

Spicy flavours

In snacking a wide range of spicy flavours is being introduced to cater to a demand from adventourous consumers looking for the next experience. During challenging times, consumers often turn to food and drinks as a form of escapism, providing comfort and a break from the harsh realities of everyday life.

Sour flavours

In confectionery and carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), bold and innovative products are designed to target younger consumers. Eye-catching names like "Toxic Waste" and "Sour Kick" are crafted to broaden consumer appeal and meet growing demand. Extra-sour flavours are often achieved through the use of citric, malic, and phosphoric acids, delivering an intense burst of tanginess.

Cooling effect

While cooling effects have been a long standing trend in flavoured spirits like the classic "After-Shock" shot it is starting to emerge in a wider range of applications like Soft Drinks where cooling ingredients are used to differentiate NPDs in competitive markets.

Surprising textures

In snacking there is a new buzzword often found on packagings: "Extra crunchy". The sensation trend embodies a focus on texture to appeal to consumers who want multi-sensory and share-worthy food experiences. In Asia bubbles are added to chocolate to create a new experience and mouthfeel.