Flavour Trends

Trends Converge! Key to the numerous predictions on trends appears to be convenience, health, wellness, and sustainability converging along with people wanting to know the story behind their food

Trends Converge!

Trend versus fad! For a trend to go main stream, it appears it will have to provide health benefits, be easily comprehensible and of course taste good. Trends are fads that become identifiable and explainable.

2017 Two key decadence trends… Fat Shifts Stigma. Butter usage is on the rise. There is a shift back to fuller, richer foods influenced by a more conscious consumer who is looking for less processed and cleaner, natural ingredients in their diet. Extreme Indulgences – consumers continue to look for indulgence wherever they can find it. One area is their plates, in which quick-fix comfort foods allow them to forget life’s stresses and former restrictive habits, and once again live life to the very fullest.

So what ethnicity will be driving recipes, menus and ingredient purchases? Filipino, Asian, and Island inspired cuisine appear to be dominating restaurant menus and consumer purchases in the ethnic aisles of supermarkets and specialty food stores and outdoor markets. In Canada, this is partly driven by the diverse cultures that we have, but it has also been driven by our taste for new experiences, we are a well-travelled and highly adventurous group and seek highly specific and authentic products from all over the globe

What innovative ingredients will go mainstream? Nduja - hailing from Italy, Nduja is a cured spicy spreadable salumi originally from Calabria. It was traditionally made with pork shoulder, back fat, belly and spicy Calabrian peppers. Nduja has broad applications on menus—it can be used grilled or seared on meat or fish, added to pasta sauces, dressings or even spread on scrambled eggs.   Za'atar- is a mixture of sumac, sesame seed and herbs used throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean Considered “brain food” in native cultures, Za’atar could easily be marketed as the next superfood on menus. Furikake is a dry Japanese seasoning meant to be sprinkled on top of cooked rice, vegetables, and fish. It typically consists of a mixture of dried and ground fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, salt, and monosodium glutamate. Furikake has expanded its uses outside of Japanese foods and restaurants. We’re seeing the condiment sprinkled on top of vegetables, potatoes and barbecued proteins for added flavor.

What innovative ingredients will go mainstream? Chermoula is a marinade for fish and the foundation of a number of Moroccan fish dishes, including Baked Fish Tagine, Fried Sardines Stuffed with Chermoula and Fish Tagine Mqualli. Chermoula can also be used to marinate chicken. Although you might come across variations for Chermoula, the end results are very similar in taste. Like Furikake, Chermoula can incorporate different ingredients, so chefs can take creative license to concoct their recipes with various herbs and seasonings.

What International flavours will go mainstream?

What innovative ingredients will go mainstream? While interest in international foods exists, consumers appear careful about adoption. Foods with the greatest appeal are those that have some grounding in familiarity, whether that be a format or flavor profile. Offering some degree of familiarity will help to ensure the greatest adoption. The strongest audience for new product trial is younger consumers. This group appears more adventurous and willing to try a greater range of products. Men too appear most gung ho about international food trial, especially when it comes to savory, spicy, and meaty offerings.

What innovative ingredients will go mainstream?

What innovative ingredients will go mainstream?

Summary… Savory flavours have strong appeal Flavours with familiarity do well Experimentation with an anchor in a nutritional/functional benefit do well