Young Americans' interest in alcohol-inspired flavors is falling and they are becoming more interested in beverages such as cold coffee, latte and horchata.
T. Hasegawa has released its Flavor Flash report, which highlights what's trending in flavors and ingredients for desserts and confections.
Here we highlight five trends from the report:
- Dessert indulgence is about more than flavor alone: Brands looking to enhance indulgence can layer flavors and textures to help products stand out in a saturated market.
- Women are an ideal target market for desserts and confections: Women are the biggest consumers of most desserts and confections. They’re also the most open to innovation in new flavors.
- Social media trends are having a growing influence on dessert flavors: Young Americans' interest in alcohol-inspired flavors is falling and they are becoming more interested in beverages such as cold coffee, latte and horchata. These consumers show a higher interest in innovative flavor profiles than other demographics.
- Global pastry flavors like baklava, cobbler and churro are rising stars: While these are novel flavors, they are on track to become mainstream in the future.
- Exotic fruit flavors like lychee, melon and passionfruit are gaining momentum in desserts and confections: These flavors are often paired with mango or peach to balance a sense of familiarity and accessibility with adventure.
