Consumers are getting more adventurous and flavors are getting wilder
With something like 7 billion flavor preferences in the world, accurately forecasting what upcoming flavor trends will be in 2018—or any year—can be considered something of an exercise in audacity. A flavor trend can explode out of nowhere, fast, and be completely spontaneous.
Flavor trends are no longer as focused as the days when the Cajun explosion could dominate every menu. But distinct patterns are there. “Heat alone is no longer enough,” says Anne-marie Ramo, a research chef and food writer with more than 25 years of experience in flavor development. “Consumers are looking for heat that adds complexity. Middle Eastern and Asian flavors continue to trend high, but not the predictable curries and General Tso’s Chicken. Flavors like tikka masala, South African peri-peri, and Korean gochujan are breaking out into the mainstream.”