Sweet, yet spicy. New, but nostalgic. When it comes to food and beverage flavors in 2026, consumers want a little bit of everything — even when those preferences contradict.
Unique flavor and texture combinations are set to rule the grocery aisle this year as social media trends and a home cooking renaissance drive consumers to be more adventurous. Consumers, particularly Generation Z, are seeking the unexpected, either from globally-inspired flavors or unusual combinations they never would have thought of themselves.
"People don't want compromises," said Mike Van Houten, vice president of commercial excellence at Nestlé. "People want to experiment. They want things that surprise and delight."
And the more surprising, the better. Internal research from Nestlé found almost half of consumers said an intriguing new flavor would bring them to try a product and also pick a brand for the very first time, according to Van Houten.
But despite this growing interest in weird or unexpected food and drinks, consumers still want the nostalgic tastes they grew up with. In beverages, snacks and indulgent desserts, unexpected or better-for-you ingredients are added alongside nostalgic flavors, giving products a "newstalgic" twist.
Layers on layers of flavor and textures
The demand for unexpected, but nuanced flavor combinations is expected to escalate significantly in 2026.
As consumers look for added depth and nuance within their foods, "swicy" (sweet and spicy) is expected to evolve into trends like "swangy" (spicy, sweet and tangy) and “swavory” (spicy, sweet and savory).
The evolution of trends like "swicy," for example, also emphasizes the increasing importance of texture and mouthfeel. Consumers are looking for a dynamic sensory experience out of their food that encompasses more than just flavor.
Velvety textures and flavors like creamy pistachio are defining the coffee creamer space, according to Van Houten, where customization and layered flavors are most evident. More consumers are adding creamers to their soft drinks to create "dirty sodas" that are layered with levels of colors, mouthfeels and flavors.
"There's a visual aesthetic, complex taste" that comes with layering flavors, Van Houten said. It also allows consumers to be playful and experience visual delights that add more to the sensory experience.
"If you've ever had a cold brew coffee and you pour in the cream, there's just something super magical watching that thing kind of float through the coffee," he said.
Similar trends are playing out in the candy aisle, where breakout star Nerds Gummy Clusters found sweet success with its combination of crunchy and gummy textures. Freeze-dried candies, expected to become a $2.4 billion market by 2030, have become another way for confectionery brands to offer bold flavors with a surprising crunch.
Innovation and a range of flavors has led to surging demand for non-chocolate candies like lollipops, gummies and licorice. Around 40% of consumers who have increased their consumption of non-chocolate candy attributed it to a better variety of flavors, according to a Mintel study cited by Sensient Flavors & Extracts.
"As each generation finds ways to put their own stamp on the sub-category, confectionery manufacturers balance tradition with forward thinking," John Downs, president and CEO of the National Confectioners Association, said in a statement. "Whether through new flavors, fresh formats, or original experiences, these companies are delighting consumers of every age."
Tropical fruits, foraged flavors take over
Consumers are gravitating toward more complex and global flavors that also have a health halo, leading to higher demand for berries, botanicals and tropical fruits.
Black currant, native to central and northern Europe and northern Asia, was named McCormick's 2026 flavor of the year. Dark sweet cherry was top of the list for T. Hasegawa's flavor trends. And dragon fruit, traditionally rooted in Asian markets, was named a standout flavor by the Kerry Group.
These fruits are vibrant, complex and offer an exciting, yet approachable way for consumers to try new flavors. As fruit and gut health become more intertwined, there's an opportunity for brands to use tropical profiles such as guava and passionfruit and create better-for-you innovations, according to Dole.
Woodsy berries, botanicals and other nature-inspired flavors are also becoming more popular. More than half of consumers also associate “foraged” flavors with innovation and adventure, according to Datassential data cited by Torani, and herbal profiles can add a subtle layer of flavor without becoming overpowering. Torani's 2026 flavor of the year is forest pine, which blends flavors of pine, ginger and sage.
Tropical fruits from Asia or woodsy berries from Norway also speak to demand for globally inspired flavors. As more consumers see food as a way to learn more about cultures and traditions, fruits offer something new while retaining some familiarity.
"Cultural currency is reshaping how we eat and drink, shifting flavor from simple preference to an emotional benefit and sensory escape," Mike Secor, vice president of marketing at Dole Packaged Foods U.S., said in a statement. "Consumers want accessible ways to elevate their daily routines and fruit has emerged as the versatile ingredient for this evolution."
Nostalgia, but make it new
Combining something new with something old can act as a gateway for consumers to try different flavors or ingredients in a way that feels accessible, according to Nestlé's Van Houten.
Consumers may not know what harissa or Chinese five spice is, but they're drawn to these flavors because of "the unique combinations of something that feels kind of familiar and old with something new," said Nestlé's Van Houten.
But amid the dizzying amount of new flavor mashups and innovations, there are many consumers who just want to stick with the comforting and nostalgic formulations they know and love.
Many customers in 2026 romanticize the past as a refuge from a “volatile and artificially intelligent world,” said Mintel in a trend report. As a result, consumers are flocking toward heritage brands that are seen as reliable.
People don’t want compromises. They want things that surprise and delight.
Mike Van Houten
Vice president of commercial excellence at Nestlé
In the beverage category, which has become saturated with new players and better-for-you options, heritage brands like RC Cola and Mr. Pibb have tried to stand out by leaning on simplicity.
Classic soda flavors such as lemon-lime and cherry are popular, according to a report from Flavorman. Colas and Shirley temples are also coming back, and many companies are using these taste profiles while adding functional ingredients to create a "better-for-you" twist on the nostalgic favorites.
Poppi released a Shirley Temple, giving the iconic flavor a "glow up" with prebiotics and lower sugar. Stiller's Soda, founded by actor Ben Stiller, is also promoting nostalgic flavors with lower sugar formulations to provide consumers with better-for-you indulgences.
These "newstalgic" products create a permissible indulgence for consumers that could bring them back to the soda category, according to Scott Dicker, director of market insights of Spins.
"There's still this idea of indulgences, but it's just being more intentional of when and how you indulge," he said.
