Flavor and fragrance company dsm-firmenich announced “Frosted Star Anise” as its flavor of the year for 2026. This flavor, inspired by the Pantone color of the year Cloud Dancer, reflects the growing global desire for warmth and comfort by combining the warmth of star anise with a cool, frosted twist.
“Innovation and cultural insight are at the heart of what we do at dsm-firmenich,” said Maurizio Clementi, executive vice president for Taste. “Building on star anise’s quiet rise and the growing fascination with cooling and other trigeminal sensations, Frosted Star Anise fulfills today’s craving for balance and a breath of fresh air.”
According to the company’s analysis of product launch data, nearly 10,000 products have featured star anise as an ingredient over the past decade, but only 10% of these products highlighted the ingredient front-of-pack. Further, dsm-firmenich’s Emotion360 global survey reported that while two-thirds of respondents recognized star anise, only 34% have reported tasting it.
“Star anise is a secret weapon – ubiquitous yet underappreciated,” said Jeffrey Schmoyer, vice president of human insights for the company’s Taste, Texture & Health division. “It’s time this versatile ingredient gets the attention it deserves.”
Star anise contains a sweet-spicy profile with notes of licorice, clove and cinnamon. It is a featured ingredient in many global cuisines and comforting classics, such as Vietnamese pho and mulled wine. The “frosted” element introduces cooling sensations through ingredients like mint.
“Cooling isn’t a taste – it’s a complex sensation triggered by temperature-sensitive receptors,” Schmoyer explained. “These trigeminal sensations – which also include spiciness, warming and numbing – enhance flavor in exciting, multi-dimensional ways.”
In addition to its Frosted Star Anise flavor, dsm-firmenich also created a fragrance inspired by the flavor of the year. The composition includes notes of cotton candy combined with anise.
“Flavor of the Year is more than a taste – it embodies cultural sentiment and emerging trends,” Clementi concluded. “It’s an astute sense of ‘what’s next,’ distilled into an experience that resonates emotionally with consumers.”
