Global Narratives: Dialling Up Spice

As covered in The New Global Palate, consumers are keen to experiment with heat and tang as international cuisines are celebrated across social media. This will continue in the year ahead, with cooks exploring the multidimensional properties of spices and seasonings to infuse excitement and variety into their meals at a relatively low cost.

Indulgent Edible Expressions

As examined in Key Flavour Drivers – part of Future Flavour Worlds – post-pandemic consumers are looking to food and drink for fun, entertainment, reassurance and indulgence. Now, with the compounded stresses of climate change and the cost-of-living crisis, affordable and delicious treats are in even greater demand, while nostalgic tasting notes offer moments of comfort, escapism and reward.

Fine-Tuning the Taste of Health

Functional flavourways will continue to be dominated by floral, botanical, earthy and fresh notes in 2023 as consumers associate ‘natural’ and wild tastes with wellness. Meanwhile, as covered in Key Flavour Drivers, citrus continues to influence beverage product development, offering familiarity, punchiness and enlivening zest.

Planet-Protective Flavour Cues

As the environmental crisis worsens, manufacturers must include climate-hardy crops in new product development, as well as alternative elements that could efficiently substitute threatened resources. See Planet-First Ingredients and Reframing Rare for more.