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As consumers become increasingly concerned about food safety, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, organic products have seen a steady rise in demand. Organic September helps bridge the gap between consumers and the farming community by offering insights into the farming practices behind organic certification and providing access to organic products.

This summer’s Sweets & Snack Expo in Indianapolis drew more than 16,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors, from 25 countries. The trends I noticed involve lots of activity around texture—including freeze-dried candies and crunchy and chewy protein snacks. There also are intriguing new flavors in snacks and chips. 

Each year, the fall season ushers in hundreds of new and limited-time offer introductions to retail and foodservice channels. It would be a fool's errand to list all of the products featuring fall flavors in 2024, but Prepared Foods has compiled a list of some of the most compelling examples.

We’ve pinpointed four flavors for 2025, each representing opportunity for differentiation while aligning with larger, sustaining trends. As we see them take shape on restaurant menus, each also promises opportunity in the retail space, offering a parallel path for consumer exploration and adoption. 

“Given the success of our Matcha Almond Latte, we’ve expanded our line of tea beverages with Chai Almond Latte based on the growing popularity of chai tea lattes and consumer demand for easy solutions for café favorites at home,” said Suzanne Ginestro, Califia’s chief marketing officer.

As the season shifts, consumer preferences evolve, creating a valuable opportunity for food and beverage product developers to tap into fall-themed flavors. Whether your target market prefers to savor the last hints of summer or eagerly anticipates fall, now is the time to introduce innovative, seasonal products that align with both consumer health trends and seasonal nostalgia.

Prepared Foods discusses clean label shelf life preservation strategies and ingredient options with Zal Taleyarkhan, Director of Innovation and Corporate Research Chef at Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations, Chicago.

There is some indication that “pickle flavor” is experiencing its highest search interest in years. Perhaps that has led to such an explosion of pickle-flavor products on the market in summer 2024.

Prepared Foods has selected six new food and beverage products introduced in August 2024. Vote to let us know which new product is your favorite!

Botanical ingredients have been key components in culinary traditions worldwide for centuries, not only for their unique flavors but also for their ability to enhance and balance the taste profiles of various dishes. Spices and herbs, in particular, are powerful tools for both flavor enhancement and masking off-flavors.