Extending the Treat-worthy Occasion

While tasty treats have always offered comfort, reward, or a simple mood boost, they’re now being further elevated to anytime indulgences – from decadent breakfasts to late-night pick-me-ups. Meanwhile, shareable snacks enable delicious moments of bonding and mutual appreciation.

Playful Indulgence

FMCG brands are giving their packaging and brand identity a playful twist to appeal to younger cohorts, provide light-hearted fun and create viral moments. Meanwhile, sumptuous and colourful beverages are providing a luxurious – and highly Instagrammable – hit of refreshment. 

Taste & Texture Alchemy

Brands are pushing culinary boundaries by combining inviting textures, like velvety creaminess, with bold crunch – creating a moreish mouthfeel. They’re also trialling experimental flavours that reflect global food trends as well as growing appetite for flavour complexity (particularly resonant with Gen Z). For more commercial applications here, see Pioneering Texture Play in Food & Drink Trends 25/26: Foodex Japan.

New Temples of Temptation

A wave of dessert, pastry, and chocolate boutiques are serving up craveable cakes, exquisite chocolates, and pastries oozing with unctuous fillings – crafted as much for sensory delight as they are for social media. Presenting edible treats as works of theatre or art, these retail and hospitality offerings will appeal to the experimental food consumer we profile in Meet the Food Flexers.