FlavorSum recently published its 2025 Food & Beverage Trend Report (https://bit.ly/3Nz9Eba) sharing trend-driven insights to inspire innovation pathways in a two-part blog series. Part one and part two of the series highlight four trends. Below are some of the report highlights. The entire report can be found by visiting the link above.
Part One: Cultural Trends Shaping Behavior and Innovation
In part one of the series, FlavorSum examined the cultural shifts affecting how people interact with foods and beverages. FlavorSum’s cultural predictions explain key themes shaping the landscape, including: The Return of the Home Hub, The Creator Economy Expands to Food and Beverage, Food Activism Sparks Change and Nostalgia Grows Up.
Part Two: Aligning Flavors With Evolving Shopper Needs
In part two of the 2025 prediction series, FlavorSum investigated how flavors can help food and beverage formulators create desirable experiences. Four flavor themes that FlavorSum has identified that are gaining momentum as people choose foods and beverages to meet their needs include:
- Seeking Serenity: A learned emotion that can help people feel more resilient when dealing with challenges. This trend is based on FlavorSums research identifying that 70% of Americans would choose comfort over gourmet meals with a 5% increase last year in conversations about healthier comfort foods.
- Premium, Please: New ways to deliver an elevated eating experience. FlavorSum reported a 81% discussion increase about simple, cozy flavors that deliver premium versions of the classics. One example of a simple flavor connected with a premium experience was meringue.
- Tell Me a Story: Open doors to attract new buyers, facilitate understanding of value propositions and influence loyalty. FlavorSum cites a 35% discussion increase about local flavors as a food and beverage trend as brands being famous tastes into new categories. For instance in terms of flavor stories with fast-growing profiles, FlavorSum shares, "Vietnamese coffee flavor carries the complex and smooth flavors of robust beans."
- Meet Me in the Moment: Deliver taste, nutrition and desired experiences at the right time and place. FlavorSum reports "Snacking continues to meet nutritional needs, making the line between meals and snacks increasingly blurry." The company also highlighted emerging flavors for day and night, examples include Blondie and mascarpone cheese as a morning flavor, wile feta cheese and boysenberry are afternoon flavors and miso and pimento cheese are evening flavors.
For the entire 2025 Food & Beverage Trend Report, visit https://bit.ly/3Nz9Eba.
