The food industry is currently challenged with a growing demand for foods and beverages that are “familiar with a twist.” In some cases, product developers find themselves exhausting one “new” flavor or ingredient trend, even as they are searching for the next. For the most part, this is because, where consumers once had a reluctance to try new things, today’s global influences have them on a perpetual quest for what’s new and what’s next. This is especially true of Millennials, notorious for jumping from one ethnic culinary trend to another.
In the race to create new flavor experiences through new ingredients, new preparation techniques, and regional ethnic influences, savory flavors have figured strongly. In fact, a recent survey of new product introductions of savory snacks, conducted by global product research group Mintel Inc., revealed an increase of 18% in the year between 2014-2015. The number of such products released in North America experienced a 19% jump between 2013-2014, and that rose several more percentage points in the following year.