In the savory segment, the company says Mexican food consumption is increasing faster than any other segment in the food service category and is also becoming more popular for home preparation. As a result consumers will be looking for regional Mexican and Latin American flavors, which may include flavors derived from Aji Amarillo, a Peruvian yellow chile powder, sofrito, which commonly features garlic, onion and tomatoes, and moles. There will also be more interest in regional cuisines in the US such as New Orleans seafood boil, bourbon and Andouille sausage.
In the beverage segment, Bell Flavors and Fragrances predicts sweet beverages will continue to grow as the beverage category is taking ideas from confectionery trends and seeing new flavors based on favorite desserts. There will be an emphasis on horchatas, which are Latin America beverages, whipped cream and butterscotch. To spice things up, flavors such as cardamom, jalapeno and chai will also be used to help differentiate familiar beverage products. Overall, consumers will look for functional beverages with less salt, fat and sugar, according to Bell.
In the sweet and dairy segment, trends will focus on nostalgia as dessert flavors are gaining interest to provide an escape from a hectic lifestyle. Economic difficulties are leading consumers to desire stability and things reminiscent of the “good old days.” This may lead to the increased use of flavors such as peanut butter, hot chocolate and rhubarb. Mediterranean flavors will also be popular in this segment as health and wellness continues to grow in importance to consumers, and flavors such as honey cinnamon and fennel seed will be featured.
