by Pierre Miclette
The ultimate goal of their pursuit is balance. When it comes to new flavour sensations, manufacturers have to be constantly overflowing with ideas in order to entice consumers.
Here’s a sneak peak at the four main flavour categories we can expect to see in the grocery aisle this next year.
Power through the day
Seaweed is in! The nutrition craze has given rise to more products with flavors taken from foods that are valued for their health benefits. This is why we saw many products with ‘functional flavors’, such as coffee, maple syrup, and wild berry over the past year. For this same reason, seaweed, blue corn, and coffee berries will soon be a part of this craze. Water, functional beverages, and even salty snacks will have flavours inspired by these up-and-coming superfoods.
Fuel flavours:
· Coffee fruit and Pomegranate
· Prickly Pear
· Raspberry and Pink Pepper
· Maple and Blueberry
Over the top
Even though healthy nutrition is preferred, having a real dessert every so often is allowed. The decadent dessert trend has never been stronger in the tasty treats section. The variations are endless: waffles, brownies, cakes, ice creams, and more. Ever-more adventurous combinations with multiple layers and all sorts of toppings are being offered. Chopped nuts, salted chocolate chunks, sour candies, toasted marshmallows, cookie crumble, whipped cream… the extreme flavour combinations are limitless!
Crazy Sweet flavours:
· Choco-Coco Tornado
· Super Crazy Breakfast
· Triple Pie Cake Fantasy
· Hazelnut-Choco Dream Waffle
· Candy Storm
When citrus and luxury collide
Increasingly exposed to travel, consumers are more open to and curious about foods from distant places. They want to experiment! This year, classic lemon is taking a back seat to its more exotic cousins: new citrus. From California to Asia, the range of citrus fruits is piquing consumers’ curiosity and allowing them to travel with their taste buds. Just one sip of lemonade made with pink lemons—with their flavor that is floral, sour, and fruity all at once—will transport them to a sunny patio in San Diego. New citrus flavours promise warmth, wonder, and most of all, something worldly.
New Citrus flavours:
· Yuzu
· Etrog Citrus
· Lime Finger
· Blood Orange
Simplicity at its finest
Every year, new flavors steal the spotlight with their striking originality. Bold consumers are enticed by the newest popular flavor. But sometimes, out of caution or a need for something familiar, they simply prefer looking to a classic, a sure thing that will never disappoint them. The following traditional flavors have made a strong comeback: mum’s comforting tomato sauce, the refreshing taste of sliced cucumbers as a snack, the creaminess of avocado on a sandwich… Some flavours just can’t be outdone!
Simple Flavours:
· Creamy avocado
· Rhubarb
· Banana
· Cucumber
