New research reveals the trending flavours British consumers are looking to try this summer.
Product intelligence platform Vyp found that sweet and savoury combinations, such as hot honey and chilli, are the most popular (one in five UK shoppers), followed by nostalgic flavours such as rhubarb and custard cream (19%).
The third top flavour trend is tropical tastes, such as guava and dragon fruit, for 17% of consumers, according to research involving 2,000 consumers this month.
Asian influences also play a key role, with 26% planning to experiment with Japanese food and 25% opting for Korean. The third most popular cuisine people want to try this summer is Swiss food (13%), with its cheese and potato dishes seen as a key trend.
When asked about the nostalgia trend, most consumers (25%) want products that taste of strawberries and cream, followed by rhubarb (17%) and apple pie (15%).
Almost three-quarters of UK shoppers (71%) believe they are adventurous in trying new flavours. When asked where they are most likely to experiment, the majority (33%) said at home, while 25% are more adventurous when dining out.
Ben Davies, founder of Vypr, commented: “The appetite for consumers to try new products and flavours at home is great news for the grocery and convenience sectors in the UK as well as food manufacturers.
“The cost of living is showing its ongoing impact, with more opting for the lower cost option of trying something new at home. Twice as many people say they will only try something new at home compared to only trying when eating out (11% compared to 6%).
“This trend is a great opportunity to drive incremental sales with new product ranges and add new flavours to tried and tested home cooking classics. For example, new stir fry sauces inspired by Japanese or Korean flavours – or even simple jar sauces – offer consumers a low-cost way to experiment. Fresh bakery products would be an ideal way to explore sweeter flavours, with the nostalgic aroma of freshly baked goods adding to their appeal.”
Vypr also asked consumers about their preferences for soft drink flavours. Black cherry came out top (18%), followed by wild berry (17%) and mojito (15%). Savoury drinks flavours are also increasing in popularity, and consumers are most keen to try cucumber (32%), followed by beetroot (19%) and red tomato (19%).
Davies added: “Dubai Chocolate has been a huge social media trend, prompting many brands to launch their own versions. Despite the hype, it ranks third among sweet flavour preferences. Its rise has likely influenced the popularity of pistachio, which comes in second. However, the top choice for almost a third of consumers (27%) is apple cinnamon. Surprisingly, despite the huge buzz around Biscoff both online and in stores, speculoos spiced biscuits came last, with just 4% of consumers keen to try them. This is likely down to low brand awareness – once people try the flavour, it’s likely to rise in popularity, just like Biscoff did.”
For tropical flavours, consumers opted for familiarity over experimental, with mango, coconut and dragon fruit being the top three choices, with less-known yuzu being chosen by just 6%.
