In the ever-evolving landscape of food and beverage, staying ahead of the curve isn't just a matter of taste—it's essential for innovation. Our Symrise 2023 North American Top Trends report is a testament to our commitment to leading the flavor frontier. As we reflect on this year, let’s explore the ways in which our predictions have flavored the market with new product launches.
The methodology for our 2023 report is a blend of industry expertise and data-driven insights. We engaged with leading food journalists across the US, delving into the narratives shaping our eating experiences. We also commissioned a food service survey to capture the pulse of professional kitchens. Further enriched by discussions with chefs, pastry chefs, and mixologists from our exclusive StarChefs collaboration, our report distills the essence of industry innovation. Secondary research from insight suppliers allowed us to season our findings with a broader perspective, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of the current climate.
The Symrise North American Trend Report is categorized into four transformative themes: Healthy Lifestyle, Natural Goodness, Premium Indulgence, and Emotional Discoveries.
Under the banner of a Healthy Lifestyle, we see a refreshing emphasis on low or no alcohol options, the incorporation of savory, vegetal, and herbaceous ingredients, as well as the exciting globalization of vegan cuisine.
Natural Goodness highlights a return to ethically sourced food, waste reduction through preservation, and an enhanced appreciation for natural flavors.
Premium Indulgence invites us to explore the opulent side of convenience with luxury fast food and the intricate blend of sweet and savory.
Lastly, Emotional Discoveries take us on a personal journey through autobiographical (diaspora) cooking, championing hyper-regional flavors and fusing them into a multicultural comfort food experience. These categories not only reflect the evolving palates of consumers but also signal a deeper connection between culture, sustainability, and indulgence in the culinary arts.
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Now, let’s see how some of our biggest trends for 2023 permeated the market this year with new product launches.
First up, Healthy Lifestyle. Under Healthy Lifestyle, one of our trends for the year is “Savory, Vegetal and Herbaceous In”. This trend is about the continued shift towards more savory, vegetal, herbal and botanical tastes. Top Ingredients include thyme, basil, rosemary, lavender, rosewater, hibiscus, raw coconut and ginger.
An excellent example of this in the marketplace this year was the launch of Zero dB Berry Focus Sparking Water with Botanical Nootropics.
Zero dB Berry Focus features hops, licorice root, echinacea and cacao extract. The manufacturer partnered with neuroscientists to unlock the power of plants for their botanical nootropic blend.
Next up is Natural Goodness. One of the biggest trends under Natural Goodness in our 2023 report is “Preserving for No Waste and Great Taste” which is all about zero-waste through different methods like fermentation, powdering, pickling and more. Some examples of this include Kiin in Toronto who reuses tough vegetables as food coloring and Fermenter in Portland making delicious dishes with whipped kombucha honey-smoked salt butter, fermented jalapenos, tempeh, koji and kombucha cheese all in-house.
For “Preserving for No Waste and Great Taste” we have selected Rind Orchard Skin-On Dried Fruit as an excellent example on the market this year.
Rind keeps the skin on the slices for the most delicious upcycled dried fruit to maximize taste and minimize waste. It comes in persimmon, tangy peach and red apple flavors. 47% of consumers in a Mintel Panel responded that they likely or definitely would buy this product, significantly outperforming its subcategory.
Now let’s take a turn to Premium Indulgence. Premium Indulgence has taken on a lot of significance coming out of the pandemic as consumers look to indulge after lockdown. However, with recent inflation and economic downtown, we’ve seen things like Hedonistic Luxuries and Luxury Fast Food come into the spotlight as ways to balance luxury and affordability.
A great example of Hedonistic Luxuries/Luxury Fast Food that was launched this year is Williams Sonoma’s Truffle Porcini and Champignon Mushroom Pasta Sauce.
The Truffle Porcini and Champignon Mushroom sauce is a luxurious blend of ripe tomatoes, cream, truffles, mushrooms and garlic that make it easy to produce a premium meal in minutes.
To round out our four mega-trends, let’s take a look at Emotional Discoveries. This mega-trend typically covers nostalgic and comfort foods as well as global flavors. Multi-Cultural Mash-up Comfort is a budding trend that we saw come to life all over foodservice and retail this year. We are seeing things like global fried chicken, Indian pizza, global barbecue and more.
An obvious example of this is Baozza! Pizza Stuffed Bao Buns.
Baozza! Pepperoni Stuffed Bao Buns bring together Italian, Chinese and American flavors. The packaging describes it as a magical fusion of cheesy, gooey, delicious pizza fillings inside a soft, fluffy bun that's steamed not baked.
As you can see, trends from across our Symrise 2023 North American Trend Report have blossomed throughout retail in 2023. These are just a few of the examples that we’ve tracked. If you would like to see more examples or learn more about our 2023 North American Top Trends, please CONTACT US HERE.
As we prepare to close the chapter on a year rich in flavor and innovation, we at Symrise are already looking forward to unveiling the horizons of taste with our 2024 North American Top Trend Report.
Stay tuned for the release of our comprehensive guide to the tastes of tomorrow and join us for an exclusive webinar where we'll dive deep into the insights and inspirations that will shape the future of food and beverage in early 2024. CONTACT US HERE to stay up to date on the 2024 Report!
To learn more about our products and insights, get in touch with our team at Symrise today, Contact us here!
