KANSAS CITY — The days are getting shorter, the prices of products like beef and coffee continue to rise, and the chaos in the world seems to be intensifying. The solution for many is comfort foods and flavors.
“Nostalgia is a powerful force, and the food industry is leveraging it to create innovative new products,” said Christian Rasmusson, senior laboratory technician, NuSpice, Oakland, NJ. “It’s a creative process that goes beyond simply recreating a dish. Instead, the essence of a familiar food is extracted and applied to a completely different product category or format.”
Stephen Giunta, director of culinary-North America, Griffith Foods, Alsip, Ill., said, “It’s about taking the familiar and making it extraordinary. That’s the power of food as flavor.”
Items as flavor, with items being familiar foods, often served through foodservice, are making their way into retail packaged foods, said Claire Conaghan, trendologist with Datassential, Chicago. She provided the example of pineapple upside down cake. It’s a familiar dessert to older generations, but unknown to younger generations.
“There’s opportunities for reintroduction by delivering the flavor in new formats,” Conaghan said. “It’s a twist to reach out to younger generations.”
Larabar, a General Mills, Inc. brand, has been doing this with flavors like coconut cream pie, banana muffin and, most recently, pineapple upside down cake. The bar flavors capture the taste of the real food item, the essences of the fruit, the crust and even the browned baked edges.
Cookie dough started the trend decades ago, followed by birthday cake, with its notes of batter, frosting and waxy sprinkles. During the past year Dubai chocolate and s’mores flavors have filled supermarket aisles, in everything from ready-to-drink coffees to ice cream.
“Food is increasingly becoming the flavor,” said Kamila Gierut, marketing director, Lucta US, Mahwah, NJ. “We’re moving beyond single-note profiles into layered experiences that capture the essence of an entire dish. That complexity is what excites today’s consumer, transforming a familiar item into a more portable format.”
Jen Lyons, senior marketing manager, Sensient Flavors & Extracts, Hoffman Estates, Ill., said, “Turning chocolate chip cookies from a sweet treat into a flavor inspires memories of learning to bake with your grandma and the warm comfort and sweet smell of cookies out of the oven. It’s a very different overall feel than simple cookie dough.”
Ranch flavor also is having a moment. First delivered in a dressing and dip form, with notes of buttermilk, sour cream, dill, chives and garlic, it’s moved out of the condiment category.
“It’s not just something poured onto a salad,” said Rachael Jarzembowski, marketing manager, Wixon, St. Francis, Wis. “It’s become a flavor found in snacks, shake-on seasonings and more. Current market examples include jalapeño ranch potato chips, ranch-flavored macaroni and cheese and even creamy ranch sea salt.
“Converting the essence of a food into something versatile and approachable, like a dip or a topping, tends to be the first step when a dish or item is made into a flavor,” Jarzembowski said. “On menus, this trend can be seen in add-on or smaller dishes, like appetizers and desserts, items where consumers feel more comfortable being adventurous. They tend to stick to something more familiar for their entree.”
Entrees and main dishes are where comforting culinary flavors come into play. It’s about turning an experience into a flavor profile and the culinary cues work in all types of foods.
“Hyper-specific storytelling will become very important,” Lyons said. “Backyard barbecue evokes different connotations than basic barbecue, including the smells, sunshine, neighborhood sounds and camaraderie of a gathering, in addition to the barbecue flavor. Campfire s’more breakfast bars or scones are more impactful than chocolate marshmallow versions.”
Tasting where, when and how
Consumers’ palates have become more sophisticated, as younger generations have been exposed to more diverse ranges of flavors and experiences.
“They don’t just want a general flavor expectation,” Lyons said. “Part of the fun is anticipating the delectable delight of those special gourmet notes. We look forward to slow-roasted tomato sauce or roasted root vegetables for more robust flavor. The descriptions of food create a sense of anticipation that heightens the enjoyment of the flavor itself.
“Culinary choices can unlock the entire spectrum of any individual ingredient. Raw onion, for example, has a much different taste and texture than caramelized onions. Grilled onions not only bring out a new flavor, but also evoke a backyard barbecue feeling.”
Every culinary preparation creates new flavors, textures, aromas and emotions associated with that ingredient. Product developers are trying to deliver the tastes through flavors and seasonings.
“Culinary flavors help create an authentic and well-rounded experience,” said Marcela Megda, flavor marketing specialist at Lucta US. “Think about something as simple as a chicken-roasted, deep-fried, buttery with herbs or caramelized with onions. Each cooking method tells a different flavor story. For consumers, those cues evoke the comfort of home cooking, which is why flavor remains the most important attribute when choosing a product. Cooking method-inspired profiles allow us to capture those familiar experiences and elevate everyday dishes into something memorable.”
During the past year Dubai chocolate and s’mores flavors have filled supermarket aisles, in everything from ready-to-drink coffees to ice cream.
The trend has become common in salty snacks. Lay’s, a PepsiCo, Inc. brand, likely started the trend with its limited-edition potato chip flavors. This past year, the brand offered the “do us a flavor” contest that generated more than 70,000 submissions. The winner was bacon grilled cheese, a savory flavor created by Paula George from Oklahoma, who drew inspiration from her late father’s bacon grilled cheese recipe.
The two runner-ups pitched Valentina and lime and wavy Korean-style fried chicken flavors. Both exemplify the evolution taking place in the swicy trend, with the latter also having that culinary connection.
“Culinary depth is about harnessing the small transformations that create big impact, the char, the smoke, the toast that chefs instinctively use to add dimension,” Gierut said. “Translating those undertones into developed flavor profiles is far more complex, and too often they fade in the process. But when preserved, they elevate the familiar into something special.”
Rasmusson said, “Consumers are now more interested in flavors that feel crafted, with flavor development moving away from simple descriptors and into culinary-inspired territory, which helps brands tell a richer story about what consumers are tasting. Describing a flavor profile as ‘charred street corn’ instead of ‘corn’ or ‘slow-smoked poblano’ instead of ‘peppers’ adds richness and complexity, making the product feel more chef-inspired.”
The trend has really taken off with pickled and fermented flavor profiles. The technique takes simple ingredients and transforms them into complex, craveable flavors.
“Pickled jalapeños and red onions lose some of their raw bite but gain tang and brightness,” Rasmusson said. “Fermenting cabbage creates kimchi, which layers sourness, spiciness and umami in a way that transforms a humble vegetable into something with global appeal.”
‘Swicy’ evolved from hot honey
“While hot honey has staying power, the trend is evolving into bolder global influences like mango habanero or gochujang, which add new depth and dimension,” Megda said. “What began in snacks and sauces is now expanding into beverages and desserts, fueled by Gen Z’s appetite for adventure.”
At the most basic level of the swicy evolution, developers are moving from honey toward maple or agave and experimenting with other bases as the foundational flavor. Different sources of citrus also are entering the picture.
“We’re only at the beginning,” Megda said. “Swicy is giving way to even more intricate pairings that balance sweet, savory and umami.”
Much of the spice influence comes from around the world, showing how globalized flavor has become. Harissa, gochujang, chili crisp and Thai chili are all gaining traction, capturing the attention of younger consumers who are eager to experiment, create new pairings and push them into both foodservice and retail.
“We are in a time of innovation where consumers don’t just want spicy for the sake of heat but are looking for nuanced pairings that bring out the best in each ingredient,” Lyons said. “One of the reasons swicy gained popularity in the first place is that the sweet and spicy characteristics heightened our awareness and appreciation for the other. Taking swicy to the next level involves finding those combinations that don’t just complement each other but actively accentuate and improve upon each other. Specialty chiles like Peruvian aji panca or aji Amarillo peppers, for example, pair beautifully with tropical fruit, passionfruit, mango, guava and gooseberry.”
She suggested calling out the exact type of chili pepper and the type of heat and flavor it brings. Include where it comes from, how it is harvested and the authentic flavor profile it creates.
“Consumers now look for layers of depth with regional honeys, fruit-driven spice like mango habanero, and a range of chili varieties that bring complexity rather than blunt intensity,” said Ryan Kukuruzovic, executive chef-culinary manager at Wixon.
Jarzembowski thinks that rather than simply sweet and heat, the trend is moving toward fruity heat. Guava and lychee can both add a touch of sweetness while providing a global twist. She also thinks that sour and spicy flavor pairings have the potential to be the next “big thing.”
“The fusion of sour and spicy is a trend with high growth potential, particularly in items like snacks and sweets,” Jarzembowski said. “There is an endless variety of sour flavors to explore, like yuzu, rhubarb, vinegar, gooseberry, tamarind and kimchi.”
Today’s consumers want flavor adventure. Find ways to help them picture the flavors in their heads, visualizing multi-sensory experiences and tap into their emotions as much as physical senses.
“The key will be to innovate in alignment with your brand,” Lyons said. “Social media has cranked up the speed of innovation to the point that sometimes developers just want to put out a new product to maintain facetime with consumers.”
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Jun
2026
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