Spicy, bold and exotic international flavors continue as powerhouse trends for manufacturers and food and beverage retail sales. According to the latest Mintel International Foods Summary1, retail sales of international foods reached $10 billion in 2016, up 3.4% over 2015. Perhaps not surprisingly, Mintel found that Mexican/Latin foods accounted for 60% of those sales.
US consumers are seeking hot and spicy flavor combinations, followed closely by savory. Menus and flavors are much more sophisticated than they have been in the past and the combinations of fresh, pickled, roasted and charred really lend themselves to these profiles. Use of chiles and peppers specifically has increased on all menus and across several cuisines. With Americans welcoming heat to their palates, manufacturers can adapt more Hispanic and Latin flavors in their formulations.