Dive Brief:
- One of the most visible trends in food colors and flavors is the recent trend toward switching out artificial ingredients for natural ones. Major food companies like General Mills and Nestle have moved toward more natural ingredients in some of their products, and they are just some of the more recent examples of several companies to go in this same direction.
- Another trend in food flavors is the influence of international foods and cultures. Millennial Marketing reported that 40% of millennials like to try new kinds of ethnic cuisine.
- Consumers are also looking toward more adventurous tastes, according to Paul Manning, president and CEO of Sensient Technologies Corp., a food colors and flavors company.
Dive Insight:
Food companies that can address demand for international and experiential foods with product R&D could get a boost of not just flavor, but popularity.
“The millennial movement toward more international influences and experimenting with the foods they choose is going to continue. This means more experiential tastes, with us seeing interest in combinations like chocolate and jalapeño,” Manning said in an interview with Food Business News.
Exotic flavors aren't relegated to foods, however, as beverage flavors have been just as diverse and experimental, including anything from floral flavors like lavender and hibiscus to ginger and citrus variations and a wide range of influences from Asian and Latin American cultures.