Culinary inspired, veg-centric and nostalgic are just a few flavor trends we are seeing across (food and) beverage categories. Spoiler: consumers like caramel flavored products year-round.

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2018 Flavor Trends
Mid-Year Update

2. The following slides highlight some
of the most pervasive flavor trends
prevalent in the food & beverage
industry.

3. CULINARY INSPIRED
Flavors in this category typically feature exotic ingredients, sophisticated
combinations, or the preparation method. Culinary inspired flavors help position
products as more premium and often offer a more complex flavor profile.
Products with culinary inspired flavors include:
• Evolve Toasted Almond Plant-Based Protein Shake
• Java Republic Organic Smoked Black Tea
• Kettle Brand Wood Smoked Sea Salt Chips
• Starbucks Molten Chocolate Latte
• Starbucks Smoked Butterscotch Frappuccino
• Oogie’s Hickory Smoked Gouda Popcorn
• Kind Roasted Jalapeno Bar

4. VEG-CENTRIC
The focus on health and wellness and consumers’ increased interest in items that
are less sweet are two main contributors to the growing number of veg-centric
flavor profiles.
Vegetable forward flavor profiles are especially popular on drinkable soups (a
category that is experiencing modest growth), though also are more frequently
appearing on juices, waters, and kombuchas.
Products with Veg-centric flavor profiles include:
• Pok Pok Som Mint Line & Cucumber Drinking Vinegar
• Tio Gazpacho’s Kale Spinach Avocado & Mint Gazpacho Verde
• Verday Cucumber Chlorophyll Water
• Farmhouse Culture Smoked Jalapeno Gut Shot
• Fawen Sweet Potato & Red Lentil RTD Soup
• Health-Ade Jalapeno Kiwi-Cucumber Kombucha

5. A 2015 study conducted at The University of The South revealed that the familiar flavors
of comfort food remind consumers of loving relationships and positive memories.
Nostalgic flavors that we witness across food and beverage categories are often inspired
by classic desserts, candy, historically popular soda flavors and cereal.
Sports nutrition products regularly pay homage to candy flavors, whether it be a particular
type of candy, like chocolate candy bar or cotton candy, or a familiar flavor profile like
Skittles, Sour Patch Kids or Swedish Fish.
Products that feature nostalgic flavor profiles:
• Sonic Cookie Jar Shakes (Nutter Butter Banana, Oreo Caramel, Chips Ahoy)
• Icebreakers Snow Cone Ice Cubes Glitter Gum
• Ben & Jerry’s Gimme S’more Ice Cream
• Rebel Yell’s Root Beer Bourbon
• Myoplex Pucker Punch Pre-Workout Gummies
• ‘Merica Energy’s ‘Freedom’ (Bomb Pop) Energy Drink
NOSTALGIC

6. TRUE TO FRUIT FLAVORS
Top berry flavors1 used in 2017 were:
• Strawberry (67%)
• Blackberry and Raspberry (64%)
• Berry (54%)
• Blueberry (44%)
Top fruit flavors1 used were:
• Lime (51%)
• Peach (49%)
• Apple, Coconut and Orange (47%)
• Grapefruit and Lemon (45%)
Predictions for anticipated top selling fruit flavors for 20181:
• Grapefruit (25%)
• Apple (20%)
• Coconut, Ginger, Orange (18%)
• Lemon and Mango (13%)
1. BNP Media survey of beverage-makers

7. TRUE TO FRUIT FLAVORS
The following soda flavors have grown on menus over the last year1:
• Clementine: + 65%
• Yuzu + 60%
• Blackberry + 41%
• Kiwi + 22%
• Tamarind + 21%
• Pineapple + 20%
• Blood orange + 20%
1 DataSsential

8. TRUE TO FRUIT FLAVORS
Lemonades infused with these flavors have grown on menus over the last year1:
• Pineapple + 76%
• Cranberry + 37%
• Peach + 32%
• Lime + 18%
• Mango + 13%
• Blood orange + 12%
• Passionfruit + 10%
1 DataSsential

9. Recent flavor research indicated that the following indulgent flavors
were the most popular year round:
• Cookie dough
• Caramel
• Cookies and cream
• Dark chocolate
• Marshmallow
• Milk Chocolate
• Peanut Butter
INDULGENT FLAVORS

10. MATCHA
• According to the 2017 Google Beverage Trends Report, interest in
matcha began in the U.S. in 2015, with 202% YOY growth.
• Matcha drinks are still growing at a rate of 64% YOY across the four
markets featured in the report – U.S., U.K, Spain and Mexico.
• Matcha lattes grew 70% YOY across the U.S., U.K., Mexico, and Spain.
• Matcha was the second highest searched earthy flavor by volume in
both the U.S. and the U.K. in 2017.

11. GINGER
• According to the 2017 Google Beverage Trends Report, ginger was one
of the top searched earthy flavor.
• Interest in ginger flavored beverages is growing in four markets (U.S.,
U.K, Spain and Mexico) at about 30% year over year.
• In the U.S. ginger was searched the most with ale, tea, juice, root and
soda, by volume of searches.
• Top flavor associations with ginger in the U.S. by volume of searches
were blackberry, lemon, honey and turmeric.

12. FLAVOR RECOMMENDATIONS
2018 -2019 FLAVOR
SUGGESTIONS
• Apple Chai
• Apple Pie
• Aronia Berry
• Blackberry Ginger
• Blackberry Lime Mint
• Blackberry Sage
• Blueberry Acai
• Chai
• Cherry Apple
• Cherry Chili
• Chocolate Chipotle
• Chocolate Hazelnut
• Cinnamon Glazed Donut
• Cinnamon Tiramisu
• Coconut Lime
• Cranberry Apple
• Cucumber Lemon
• Cucumber Melon
• Cucumber Mint
• Ginger Lime
• Ginger Peach
• Ginger Pear
• Hibiscus
• Honey Lemon
• Horchata
• Jalapeno Watermelon
• Kiwi Lemon
• Lemon Lavender
• Mango Basil
• Mango
• Mango Peach
• Mango Pineapple
• Peppermint Vanilla
• Pineapple
• Pomegranate Acai
• Red Velvet
• Strawberry Rosemary
• Strawberry Rhubarb
• Strawberry Sangria
• Watermelon Coconut
• Watermelon Lemonade
• Watermelon Mint

13. Inspired? Intrigued?
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