Mintel recently published a report on the Top Flavour Trends in Foodservice for 2018. We picked our favourites to share with you.
1. Modern Mediterranean
Middle Eastern cuisine is on the rise as consumers are becoming more familiar with their key flavours and ingredients such as dates, pistachio, and mint.
2. Not Too Sweet
Bakery and dessert items are increasingly being paired with savoury or tart flavours to find middle ground between health and indulgence. Popular savoury flavours include olive oil and vinegars, and tart flavours like lemon and passion fruit are also growing.
3. Functional Colourful
Healthy doesn’t mean boring! Flavourful ingredients such as Ube, black garlic, algae, and sumac are able to add beautiful colours, exciting flavours, and functional health benefits to dishes.
4. Spicy Blends
Spice blends can help introduce consumers to a variety of new international cuisines. Emerging spice blends include an Ethiopian blend called Berbere, Ras el Hanout from North Africa, and Togarashi from Japanese cuisine.
5. International Spreads
Pairing a new flavour with a familiar dish is easily accomplished with sauces and condiments. It provides a low-risk opportunity to try something new from a wide range of international flavours, including Indian, Middle Eastern, and African.
6. Meaty Flavours
While many consumers are looking to increase their plant-based protein consumption, they still want the savour flavours that come a long with meat products. By using the same cooking techniques like grilling, smoking, and curing, these plant-based products can meet their desires for savoury, meaty, flavours.
