Innovation remains vital as three-quarters of consumers "love to discover new flavors"
Flavor is, on average, the single most important factor in consumers’ food and drink choices. Interest in novelty and variety is also high, says a new report from Innova Market Insights revealing that three-quarters of global consumers ‘love to discover new flavors’. It is therefore little wonder that innovators continue to experiment and innovate with taste profiles and to use flavor as a valuable marketing tool.
Such is flavor’s importance in food and drink development that many of Innova’s Top 10 Trends for 2020 are having a clear bearing on its evolution. For example, more detailed flavor descriptors and an emphasis on provenance reflect the No.1 trend ‘Storytelling: Winning With Words’ theme, while growing diversity in the produce and botanicals used in flavorings is part of the No.2 trend ‘The Plant-Based Revolution’. ‘Hello Hybrids’ is another major theme, with more and more flavors familiar in one category crossing over into others. Also edition and seasonal flavors can help to invigorate brands and are a good way to test new tastes on the public (‘Brand Unlimited’).