Monin Gourmet Flavorings has announced five emerging trends that it predicts will influence food and beverage menus in 2015 and beyond:
- The Globalization of Flavor: An increasing sense of adventure and interest in global flavors are driving the flavor fusion of ingredients and flavors from around the world. There is a particular influence of Asian, Indian, and Mexican flavors, as well as spices, including an increasing use of chili peppers, ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon, and exotic herbs.
- Minimalism / Purity: Propelled by the macro trend of health and wellness, consumers will continue to seek purity in food products and preparations. Look for increasingly clean labels and food and beverage preparations with a minimal number of high quality ingredients, which indicate product purity in the consumer's mind.
- Upscale Comfort: Food and beverage flavors correspond with the ongoing nostalgia trend, but will take on a new level with refined, upscale twists. This will be a way to provide trendy and sophisticated flavor experiences while still offering the assurance of familiar and traditional foods and beverages.
- Citrus & Citrus Blends: This perennial favorite among U.S. consumers, as seen in everything from orange soda to key lime pie, will be enhanced with varietals such as Meyer lemons and kaffir limes. These top flavors will continue to evolve into trending combinations that add depth of character, and will ignite as people look for light, clean, crisp, and refreshing flavors.
- True to Nature Flavors: Flavors will more closely reflect real fruit flavors, influencing seasonal offerings. The gravitation toward natural flavors can be attributed to perceived health benefits and consumer desire for authenticity.
The 2015 Flavor Trends were developed by an internal, full-time team of Monin consumer insight specialists, beverage innovation Directors, and flavor technologists, led by VP of innovation and flavor solutions, John Koch.
This team is dedicated to identifying and tracking new flavor trends through analysis of structured and proprietary research. In addition, it uses an "eye to the street" approach which includes frequent, global market excursions and the exchange of trend information with Monin beverage developers located around the world.
"We strive to support our partners with trend insights to help them identify opportunities that will resonate with their customers," says Koch. "We use these trends as the starting point for innovative flavor and recipe creation."
