Consumers’ usage of hot sauce is on the rise as spicy flavors continue to proliferate, according to Technomic’s recently released 2017 Canadian Flavor Consumer Trend Report. Demand for heat has inspired changes across menu categories as operators increasingly embrace spicy flavors to differentiate and drive traffic; indeed, 49% of consumers crave spicy flavors.
“The spicy trend is providing a growth avenue for a variety of new spices, seasonings and sauces, particularly those with an ethnic positioning,” explains Anne Mills, manager of consumer insights at Technomic. “Expect to see operators incorporate more ethnic ingredients like sambal or peri peri to signal not only heat but flavor complexity and authenticity as well.”
Key takeaways from the report include:
- 21% of millennials, compared to 16% of consumers overall, actively seek out new flavors to try on a regular basis
- 29% of consumers strongly agree that their flavor preferences change with the seasons
- 58% of consumers are willing to spend more on a meal that features new flavors, down from 64% in 2015
Compiling findings from more than 1,000 consumers as well as Technomic’s MenuMonitor and Digital Resource Library, the comprehensive 2017 Canadian Flavor Consumer Trend Report serves as a guide to help foodservice operators and suppliers better understand consumer behavior and attitudes toward new and unique flavors.
Learn more about the report.
