In order to stay relevant to consumers, food manufacturers are increasingly trying to replicate the latest food experiences, or else reinvent their product by being more innovative. Against this background, food manufacturers need to follow the latest trends in flavour. Flavours that might once have been surprising have now become almost commonplace. Flavours such as salted-caramel, sea-salt and seaweed have all been big hits of late, with other flavours such as fig showing wide-appeal too.
Generally flavours see popularity in a particular area but some such as salted caramel can appear across several categories including yoghurts, ice-cream, chocolate and even drinks. Sea-salt has gone far beyond a seasoning for crisps. This is now appearing in chocolate, confectionery, and ice-cream.
Flavours currently gathering traction include a variety of 'fusion' or 'east meets west' flavours, street food-inspired flavours, with 'cocktail' flavours American flavours such as Mojito are also proving popular even for savoury snacks such as crisps and olives.
Emerging trends in 2013 include the 'handcrafted' slow-cooked foods that incorporate smoky, spiced flavours. These flavours are being introduced into everything from chocolate to cocktails. While the most popular herbs and spices for 2013 include all-spice, sage, clove, cinnamon and anise.
In terms of innovation, an unusual food flavour has hit the market, the marmite-flavoured chocolate bar. Even iconic brands like Tayto are now playing with our preconceptions around flavours of late. In recent months, Largo Foods introduced the cheese & onion crisp flavour 'Tayto' with chocolate.
Source: Stephanie Moe, Food and Beverage Division, Bord Bia-Irish Food Board, 24/05/2013
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