Getting reformulation right: How food companies are rethinking ingredients to meet consumer demand

Food companies are racing to reformulate their products and respond to growing pressure to move away from artificial dyes and ingredients.

Ingredients suppliers have reported booming sales after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanded the food industry to phase out use of artificial dyes before 2027. Kennedy's push comes on top of a groundswell of support among consumers for healthier foods with clean-label ingredients lists.

“There is a lot of demand already from customers to reformulate,” Monish Patolawala, CFO of Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., said at the Farm to Market Conference in New York on Wednesday.

Demand for flavors, particularly among beverage producers, raised operating revenue at ADM's nutrition segment by 13% in the first quarter compared to last year. CEO Juan Luciano told investors on an earnings call that “we have seen a lot of activity and requests for our line of natural colors.”

ADM isn't alone in seeing increased demand for healthier and more natural ingredients. Ingredion's texture and healthful solutions unit posted a 34% increase in operating income in the first quarter, driven in part by demand for clean-label solutions.

Similarly, spice giant McCormick has seen "reformulation activity across our customer base" in line with demands from Kennedy and "the new administration," CEO Brendan Foley told investors in March.

Foley noted that while companies are looking to move away from artificial colors, they also want to improve the nutritional profile of their products.

"It isn't just colors," Foley said. "It's also about just working on trends that are certainly positive like hydration, functional foods, high protein."

A number of food giants have already announced their intentions to accelerate the transition to natural dyes. Tyson Foods is "proactively reformulating" the products that still contain petroleum-based dyes, according to CEO Donnie King.

PepsiCo, meanwhile, wants to move its portfolio to natural colors — or at least add more natural options — within the next “couple years," CEO Ramon Laguarta said in April. Brands like Lays will have artificial colors removed by the end of the year.

The snacking giant wants to position itself as a leader in the transition to natural ingredients, and reformulation of big brands is "well underway," according to the PepsiCo CEO.

"We understand that there's going to be consumer demand for more natural ingredients, and we're going to be accelerating that transition," Laguarta said. "Ideally, we can do this in a very pragmatic, orchestrated way as an industry and not create unnecessary panic or chaos.”

Switching from artificial dyes to natural dyes is no easy feat. To get it right, the move requires complex changes across company operations and supply chains.

The Food and Drug Administration is putting pressure on food companies to voluntarily remove artificial colors from products by the end of next year. Companies are beginning the process of phasing out artificial dyes, but the transition has become more urgent as states begin to implement outright bans on synthetic dyes.

It is not enough to simply replace an artificial dye with a natural one, experts said during The Future of Food & Packaging Innovation, a virtual event hosted by Food Dive and Packaging Dive. Natural dyes react differently in food and beverages, often requiring more of the product to achieve the same effect as a synthetic dye. 

Natural dyes also can force companies to rethink their product formulations and warehousing. While these operational functions can present challenges, they are also an opportunity for companies to modernize and innovate, said Hélène Moeller, director of global product marketing, colors and savory flavors at ADM. 

ADM offers a full spectrum of natural colors, with sources for the dyes often differing depending on the product. When cultivating a natural dye from a raw material, such as a carrot or radish, manufacturers need to know the supply chain and availability of each of these sources, which makes the process complex, Moeller said.

“You need to go deep on each of these different pigments, and then they don’t behave the same way. So some of those will be water soluble,” she said. “Some of them will not. It is a very individualized work, and this is where the collaboration really comes into play.”

For companies interested in starting the transition to natural dyes, Moeller suggested a portfolio review to identify which products to prioritize when making the switch. Businesses should work closely with suppliers to understand their options and the potential challenges involved.

“It’s good to have this conversation early to make sure to find the appropriate solution because every manufacturer will have different parameters,” she said. 

While there are challenges involved with making the switch, technology advancements and new regulatory approvals have simplified the process compared to a decade ago.

“We always tend to think, ‘Oh, this is super hard,’” Moeller said. “But there [are] also areas where it’s not that difficult to replace with a naturally derived solution.”

Can natural dyes play into food's health and wellness boom?

Switching to natural dyes can enhance a product’s health halo especially as more consumers seek clean-label products. But a natural dye doesn’t necessarily mean it is healthier than an artificial one, said Indika Edirisinghe, professor of food science and nutrition at Illinois Institute of Technology. 

When extracting color from a radish or beet, the resulting dye often lacks nutritional benefits. Additionally, because natural dyes need to be used in higher doses than artificial ones, companies need to be extremely careful in ensuring that they don’t surpass toxicity levels. 

A lack of research has created challenges in understanding how these dyes react in the human body. “We need to do our groundwork and due diligence at the initial stage to make sure that we have handled every corner with available advanced technology,” Edirisinghe said.

Using natural dyes offers manufacturers the opportunity to customize not only in the color spectrum but also offer certain benefits that can help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases, Edirisinghe said. He gave anthocyanin as an example, a pigment that gives red, purple and blue colors and has health benefits, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. 

If these things can be structured correctly, natural colors could also allow companies to improve the health profile of their product. “It’s worth exploring those opportunities so you can get maximum benefits,” he said.

Still, the government “has to do a lot of work” to understand this science and set up regulations. This is where the challenges come, Edirisinghe said.

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By Bluegrass Ingredients

Are we currently undertaking the largest reformulation of CPG products in the history of the United States? It is certainly possible, given the growth of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and the rise of GLP-1 drug use.

It’s an astonishing development in the industry, given the expense that comes with reformulation and how focused large CPG companies are on cost optimization. The food industry has entered a rare convergence point where consumer behavior and regulatory pressures are aligned. Both are demanding clean labels, removal of synthetic ingredients, smaller portions and more functional nutrition.

Will MAHA and GLP-1 drugs surpass these reformulation pushes of the past? The jury is still out. Here’s what we do know:

• MAHA-style pressure is redefining what’s acceptable on an ingredient deck
• GLP-1 drugs are cutting calories from the American diet and reshaping demand

Bluegrass Ingredients helps food brands navigate reformulations spurred by these trends. Here’s a closer look at what product developers should think about as they approach new product development or reformulation.

GLP-1s: The Appetite Disruptor

The rise of GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound and others) has changed the dynamic of the American diet. These drugs work by slowing gastric emptying, improving insulin response and suppressing appetite. In practice, that means millions of people who once consumed 2,000+ calories a day could now be eating 1,800 or less. That’s poised to have a big impact CPG companies and their bottom lines.

One interesting aspect of these drugs is that they are not just cutting overall calories, but changing what consumers crave. GLP-1 users are gravitating toward protein, fiber and nutrient-dense foods that deliver satiety in smaller portions.

If you’re a product developer, here’s what to watch for:

• Some GLP-1 users report a shift from a sweet tooth to savory cravings. Focus new product development on umami and satiety.
• As has been noted elsewhere, protein in formulations is paramount. Protein makes people feel fuller, and it’s one of the most important macronutrients for GLP-1 users consuming less calories.
• Fiber is expected to be the second most important nutrient as more people adapt GLP-1 drugs.

Here’s how Bluegrass Ingredients can help:

Bluegrass Ingredients helps customers and prospects navigate reformulations every day to meet a wide range of product and business goals. We can help food manufacturers remove undesirable ingredients, cost-optimize and develop cutting-edge ingredient applications. From CPGs and foodservice to cutting-edge entrepreneurs, we serve as collaborative partners to organizations navigating the new realities of GLP-1s and shifting regulations.

Our complete line of cheese powders and concentrates can provide the backbone of a savory profile, plus help you attain protein goals. Our Agile Kitchen assists food brands in perfecting the application design to meet both sensory and nutritional requirements.

MAHA: The Policy Pressure Cooker

The Make America Health Again movement is reshaping labeling, ingredients and food marketing, creating real risks for some ultra-processed formulations and real opportunity for clean-label products. The increased scrutiny on ingredients already has caused global food brands to publicly commit to removing certain synthetic dyes and ingredients from their products before the January 15, 2027 deadline.

 Since April 2025, Bluegrass Ingredients has converted 20% of our artificially colored formulations in our dairy portfolio to natural alternatives. This gives us a head start in partnering with customers to provide turnkey natural color ingredient solutions as well as transitioning specific formulations and applications to eliminate artificial dyes.

If you’re a product developer, here’s what to watch for in MAHA-inspired reformulations:

• Agencies are working toward an official definition of ultra-processed foods, which will impact almost every category of the food industry.
• FDA is eyeing a final front-of-packaging labeling rule around 2026. Current proposed rules mandate that the saturated fat, sodium and added sugar levels be clearly noted on front-of-packaging graphics.
• There has been a push for voluntary reformulation of foods and beverages marketed to kids to provide healthier options at supermarkets and restaurants.

Here’s how Bluegrass Ingredients can help:

Increasingly, reformulation is becoming one of the defining capabilities of successful food companies. The convergence of GLP-1 adoption and MAHA-inspired regulation is accelerating faster than most expected, blurring the line between “better-for-you” and “industry standard.”

At Bluegrass Ingredients, we see this shift as an opportunity to rethink the building blocks of food, from flavor to functionality and help our partners lead the next era of clean, functional-forward and purpose-driven innovation. 

Contact us to get started on your reformulation.

Food companies are repositioning their products to address expanding use of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, with executives beginning to acknowledge the "lasting influence" the medications will likely have on sales.

About one in eight adults say they are taking GLP-1s such as Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss or another chronic condition, a KFF poll found. More than half of U.S. adults — or 137 million people — are eligible to take these medications, and usage is expected to only grow as the drug becomes cheaper and more widely available.

For food companies, these medications are potentially an existential threat: Consumers on weight loss drugs not only eat less, but also tend to avoid processed foods and snacks. Grocery spending shrank by 6% in households containing at least one person taking weight loss drugs, a Cornell study found. 

“Anti-obesity drugs will have a lasting influence on the food market,” General Mills CEO Jeff Harmening told analysts at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York onference in Orlando.

General Mills and other food giants are reformulating or claunching new products with these consumers in mind, offering smaller portion sizes or adding ingredients such as protein or fiber. Since GLP-1s suppress appetite, it's even more important for consumers on these medications to maximize nutrients and vitamins in order to maintain muscle mass and support their health.

The weight-loss drugs are “nudging some consumers toward smaller portions and more nutrient-dense protein and fiber-forward foods,” Harmening said. The cereal and snacks maker is leaning in with smaller pack sizes and new products, including Honey Nut Cheerios Protein, Ghost performance nutrition bars and new lines of granola.

Indulgence reigns supreme

Households with users of GLP-1 medications for weight loss are set to account for more than a third of food and beverage sales during the next five years and are likely to reshape consumer preferences and purchasing patterns, according to a Circana report released in November.

Other food companies have also moved aggressively to position their businesses for a GLP-1 world.

Nestlé launched its first major U.S. brand in nearly three decades in 2024, called Vital Pursuit, for consumers taking GLP-1 medications and other individuals focusing on weight management. A year later, Danone rolled out an Oikos yogurt drink aimed at users of GLP-1 drugs that helps people build and retain muscle mass.

Still, there are questions among food companies about whether GLP-1 medications will fade like other diet trends, such as Atkins or South Beach, according to Erin Lash, a senior director of consumer equity research at Morningstar. At the same time, little is known about how long GLP-1 users will take the drugs. A study found 50% to 75% of people who start taking these medications stop using them within a year.

“Most [food companies] don't seem overly concerned to this point” about GLP-1 drugs, Lash said. “Consumers are still indulging.”

Nonetheless, Lash said it’s prudent to prepare for a world where GLP-1s are a permanent part of the landscape, though companies should take care not to alienate their core group of consumers who won’t take the medications.

Frozen and snack food company Conagra Brands, which has added a “GLP-1 friendly" label to some of its Healthy Choice frozen meals, sees the medications as an opportunity, even if consumers don't continue taking them.

Bob Nolan, Conagra’s senior vice president of demand science at Conagra, said if the company can attract consumers while they're on GLP-1 medications, then they're likely to stick around even if they stop taking the drugs. 

Conagra has portion-controlled frozen meals, vegetable offerings and protein-laden meat sticks, like Fatty and Slim Jim, that cater to the GLP-1 and weight management crowd. It has also introduced products such as Birds Eye veggie sides and a Banquet Mega XL Buffalo-Style Chicken Mac ‘N Cheese with extra protein.

“We want to have products that are there for them when they're getting on to GLP-1s,” said Nolan. “And then … once you've achieved your target weight, what's your new goal? Your new goal is to maintain.”

Even as experts forecast a major expansion of the drug, particularly once it's more widely available in pill form, some executives still aren't buying into the hype. 

Dirk Van de Put, CEO of Oreo maker Mondelēz International, said GLP-1s are likely to have a “minimal” effect on his company’s volumes. Even with oral medications coming on the market, there is no indication “that’s going to change in a substantial way.” 

Consumers have already been gravitating toward protein and fiber as they prioritize their health. The demand for protein, for example, is benefiting some of Mondelēz’s products, such as Clif and Builders protein bars.

“There will be a shift and effect on our business, but it's not because of GLP-1,” Van de Put said.

As consumers demand additional protein in everything from sweets to salty snacks, food manufacturers are rushing to bulk up their offerings. However, not all proteins are the same, putting companies in the difficult position of balancing quality, cost and other factors when using the ingredient.

Protein is one of the key drivers of food product reformulation, ingredients supplier ADM said at its reformulation hub in Erlanger, Kentucky. Two-thirds of consumers are looking to increase their protein intake, ADM said, and the trend has received additional momentum from expanding GLP-1 use. But choosing the right type of protein can be challenging and depends on a brand's messaging and overall goal for a product.

The company is working with food makers on the best types of protein to use in reformulation, which can include dairy, soy and pea protein, and at times combinations of each.

Right now, consumers are less concerned with the type of protein in their food and are instead concerned with quantity, ADM said. But different types of protein with varying amino acid contents are becoming more prominent as consumers grow more discerning and companies look to stand out in a crowded field.

“We still see a lot of requests on our side in customer meetings about hitting a protein number and getting a certain amount,” John Powers, marketing director at ADM, said. “Now they are looking at [amino acid content] more, but right now I would still say the main driver is the quantity.”

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, determining the structure and functionality of the ingredient.

Soy and pea protein are among the most popular options for food companies, especially as ADM’s research finds that nearly half (46%) of consumers are “flexitarians,” or are looking for more plant-based or less animal protein in their food and beverage.

Among plants, soy has the highest protein digestibility corrected amino acid score, or PDCAAS, which is the standard measure of protein quality, according to ADM. This puts it on par with most animal-based protein. Soy protein also has less flavoring challenges, has high gelling capacity and can improve textures.

Most importantly for food companies, soy proteins are significantly cheaper than dairy, another popular option that is considered a complete protein because it includes all nine essential amino acids. Whey, normally a low-value byproduct of cheese production, is now in high demand and pushing up prices and straining availability of whey-based products.

“With the increased price in dairy, protein isolates, concentrates, and powders are just going up and up and up,” said Mike Cocco, senior food scientist for ADM. “Soy is fairly steady. When you sub a soy protein isolate for a milk protein isolate, you’re getting that same PDCAAS, you’re getting that same protein quantity and quality, and your cost is three, four or five times lower.”

Some products use both dairy and soy protein because the compounds digest differently in the body, and ADM said some consumers want both options. A blend also makes it easier to balance protein level and quality with cost efficiency for both the producer and the consumer.

This hybrid protein model isn’t new, Brigitte Welsby, business development director for proteins at ADM, wrote in a report. Companies have often used combined protein sources in the past to ward against ingredient cost and supply chain volatility. Combining the two could also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the report.

However, some clean label concerns remain around soy protein compared to dairy, as consumers tend to favor naturally protein-rich foods as their primary protein sources. ADM said it is working to address these perceptions by focusing on soy’s relative allergenicity and its support for heart health, according to Powers.

Concerns around soy could lead to the rise of pea proteins, another plant-based alternative to dairy. No allergen labeling is required when using pea protein, and the ingredient is becoming more interesting to consumers, providing companies another option to differentiate themselves.

Pea protein is also a lighter and more neutral color, which makes it easier to add into formulations without having to do many color changes, Powers said. While pea protein’s PDCASS level isn’t as high as soy’s — it’s about 80% — it is still high, according to ADM.

Protein is showing up everywhere in consumer products, from soda to chips. But “not all proteins are created equal,” according to Bryan Santee, chief commercial officer of PepsiCo.

“You walk the floor, everyone has a function,” Santee said of the vendors on the show floor. “What’s going to differentiate in the future is backed by science and credibility with that consumer.”

PepsiCo wants to differentiate itself in a crowded field of functional ingredients by ensuring they’re backed by science while still prioritizing taste and affordability.

“How you take some of these functional benefits and apply them to food is really important,” Santee said.

PepsiCo taps into trends that are relevant with the modern consumer while supporting its growth strategy, Santee said. Today, that looks like functionality, simple ingredients and nutrient density.

With clean ingredients now table stakes for consumers, Santee said PepsiCo is relying on its research and development arm to learn how to obtain that label without compromising the authenticity of the brand or its taste.

PepsiCo’s approach to better-for-you ingredients comes as the snack giant refreshes its portfolio to attract consumers who have become skeptical of processed foods. The company has launched Cheetos without artificial dyes and high-protein Doritos, plus a Gatorade with 75% less sugar.

When reformulating, PepsiCo’s utmost priority is taste and ensuring that added protein or fiber don’t compromise the flavor or texture consumers have come to expect.

With protein infiltrating nearly every new market, PepsiCo is confident that it can win by relying on strong brand equity around taste and affordability. The company has slashed prices on its snacks by up to 15% and reduced its offerings to cut costs and reignite sales.

“It’s probably counterintuitive to say protein and Doritos go together, but I think what we find is consumers are looking to get more protein in their diets, and how do they do that in an appropriate way?” Santee said. “There’s other products on the market that serve that need, but can they do it with the taste and affordability we bring to that?”

One of the biggest challenges in reformulating is that shoppers often don’t actually know what they want, according to Jenny Gusba, PepsiCo vice president of research and development, global beverage strategy and technical project management. Many companies see a “say-do gap” between what customers say they want and how they actually spend their money when presented with a reformulated product.

Gusba gave Gatorade as an example, because consumers pick the sports drink based on color. This presents a problem for R&D, which needs to figure out how to offer the color consumers want without artificial dyes.

“We’ve got to make sure that it still feels — even if it’s a little different — it’s still the red they pick,” Gusba said.

Because of PepsiCo’s scale, Santee said it can also drive the better-for-you category not only through reformulation, but also through acquisitions, and it has a responsibility to lead the way in the industry.

PepsiCo has used M&A to broaden its reach. Recently it acquired prebiotic soda brand Poppi and tortilla chip maker Siete. Both deals drove the company’s relevance in functional ingredients and cultural relevance, Santee said.

The snack and beverage giant leverages M&A when a brand already has an authentic story and a unique capability. The acquisition also has to make sense in PepsiCo’s portfolio, Santee said.

The deal for Poppi, for example, offered PepsiCo an opportunity to scale an already proven better-for-you brand that had a cult following among consumers.

“We felt we could scale that brand in a meaningful way, leveraging our distribution system and getting after outlets that they could not do in their current state,” Santee said of Poppi. “It’s a special kind of formula that makes sense.”

Correction: This story has been updated with the correct spelling of Jenny Gusba’s name.

One of the country’s top ingredient suppliers is rethinking how it does business following unprecedented demand from food and beverage companies that want to reformulate their products to meet the latest consumer trends.

Ingredion, a company that sells its products in over 120 countries to more than 17,000 customers worldwide, is facing record interest by food companies looking to add protein, cut sugar, adopt clean label formulations or make their products more affordable. 

“It’s going to require companies like us to be more intimate than ever with customers,” said Jim Zallie, Ingredion’s CEO. “We love our customers, and we want to serve all customer categories if we could, but we can’t.” 

Zallie wouldn’t go so far as to say Ingredion, which posted $7.2 billion in net sales last year, is turning away customers, but the 120-year-old company is being more selective about which food manufacturers it agrees to work with and how it deploys its resources.

In determining how to partner with a food maker, Ingredion assesses whether its insight is aligned with current trends, Zallie said. The Illinois-based company also looks at what category the client plays in (private label or clean label are particularly attractive), how fast the business is growing and the impact the partnership would have on Ingredion’s sales and margins.

“We have to be very smart of which customers have the right strategies and portfolios that are aligned to the trends where we can help them best,” Zallie said.

Increasingly, Ingredion said its customers “want to be part of the process” when it comes to finding a solution for a product, according to Patrick Kalotis, Ingredion’s executive vice president of texture and healthful solutions. 

He said that with food manufacturers looking for quicker reformulation options, more of them are turning to Ingredion because of its expertise and expansive database covering thousands of ingredients. Ingredion's solutions business recently crossed the $1 billion sales mark and is one of its fastest-growing segments, according to Kalotis.

Ingredion is not only supplying ingredients but also helping to provide solutions to a wide range of problems. Recently, for example, Ingredion helped a restaurant chain ensure its French fries remained crisp when they were delivered to a person’s home. It also assisted a food maker in creating a snack bar with extra protein that didn’t have a chalky texture.

To speed up the reformulation process, Ingredion has prioritized what it calls co-briefs, where the company talks with a customer to determine what they are looking to accomplish before providing a “viable prototype” within 15 days — down from three months just a few years ago. In 2025 alone, Ingredion received just under 2,000 such requests from customers and ended up generating about 500 briefs.

The ingredients giant also has a network of 32 global “idea labs,” where food makers and other customers partner with Ingredion to improve products to reach their full potential or solve other market barriers. It also employs food scientists and culinary chefs who understand ingredient innovation. “We’re able to effectively guarantee a higher product success rate because of the intimacy with the customer upfront and the expertise we have,” Kalotis said. When we have “a much higher win rate with our customers, they're more likely to come back to us again.”

Zallie, who has been at the helm of Ingredion since 2018, said demand for Ingredion’s solution services is unlikely to wane anytime soon.

There is a lot of “pressure on CPG branded goods manufacturers to drive more innovation,” especially with consumers cutting back on spending and younger shoppers showing a penchant for private label offerings, he said. 

The Make America Healthy Again initiative also could become a bigger factor driving ingredient changes, though it’s in “its very early days” and hasn’t been a major catalyst spurring innovation so far.

“We see clean label, and we see all the other reformulations as opportunities for us,” Zallie said. “That's why we're optimistic, but there are headwinds facing the entire industry, and that's where you're going to be very smart and navigate it.”

Flavoring giant McCormick & Co. is racing to keep up with requests from food companies that are aggressively reformulating and innovating products amid rapidly changing consumer trends.

The company’s top executive said businesses want help removing artificial ingredients, reducing salt or adding trendy ingredients. On top of that, food makers are also asking for work to be done faster.

“We have seen acceleration in 2025 in terms of the number of projects that we get,” Brendan Foley, McCormick’s CEO, said on the sidelines of the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference last week. “I think that will continue for some time." 

Food companies, impacted by shrinking volumes and margins, are eager to get products to market faster as inflation-weary consumers spend less. Manufacturers are also facing demands from consumers and regulators to remove artificial dyes and boost the nutritional content of their products with ingredients, such as protein and fiber.

PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said last year that the snacks maker will be “accelerating” its transition to natural ingredients due to increasing consumer demand and pressure from the White House to remove artificial colors.

The snack foods manufacturer plans to transition “all the portfolio into natural colors or at least provide the consumer with natural color options” in the next “couple years,” he said. In December, PepsiCo launched dye-free versions of Cheetos and Doritos under a new line called Simply NKD. 

As other companies deploy a similar strategy, McCormick is working to solve problems earlier in the food development process. This includes finding reformulation solutions based on consumer demand rather than waiting for specific company requests. 

So far, it's focused on reducing sodium, fat and sugar, as well as moving away from artificial ingredients, colors and preservatives.  

Foley stressed that many food makers have been reformulating products for years and consistently look for ways to add on-trend ingredients. Companies have recently become louder about their innovation changes, however, as consumers become more ingredient-conscious and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement targets the processed foods sector.

“What's getting lost here is the food industry has been focused on this stuff for a long time,” he said.

Flavor evolution

Companies are not just moving quickly on nutritional content, but also on flavor. With more consumers eating at home, many shoppers are gravitating toward unusual or premium spices and flavors to experiment with new tastes or to replicate the restaurant experience at home.

McCormick, which sources about 17,000 ingredients from more than 80 countries, remains dependent on black pepper, cinnamon, oregano and other “core” offerings, Foley said. But it will perpetually be looking for the next big flavor to satisfy ever-changing consumer tastes and preferences.

The flavor company is in a “constant trend identification and evolution on top of what is a very core set of products that we all need,” Foley said.

“You're always going to see the core dominate,” he said. “But people also want excitement. They want new ideas. They want to explore it.”

The 137-year-old firm routinely scans social media, restaurant menus, Google and Amazon searches and other digital data to see if there is a spike in a trend that has matured enough where McCormick needs to launch its own flavor on the marketplace. 

McCormick, for example, monitored dill pickle flavor for four years before launching its own French’s dill pickle mustard in early 2024.

Foley added that not every flavor or trend has to catch on a “massive scale" to be successful. "It just has to matter to a lot of people and you're meeting their needs,” he said.

McCormick's 2026 flavor of the year, black currant, underscores the delicate process of balancing core offerings with nascent ones as consumers seek out variety when they cook. One night, a person might want to create a family comfort meal in their kitchen, while the next night they might decide to experiment with a global trend like heat, Foley noted.  

Flavors, such as black currant, can offer an exciting, yet approachable way for consumers to try new ingredients, especially as more globally inspired ingredients come to the forefront.

Experimentation is particularly notable among younger shoppers, who increasingly will make up a larger share of spending. More than 90% of Gen Z and Millennials say they actively seek out new food and beverage flavors, according to a study by Chicory, with most saying “the wilder the better.” 

“We've spent a lot of time watching Gen Z and millennials and where they're going, because that really defines the future,” Foley said.