2025 FOOD & BEVERAGE PREDICTIONS PT. 2 (CONT.) STORIED FLAVORS
(energy), and omega 3 (heart health).
Flavor stories getting buzz in the social landscape and likely to build momentum in 2025 range from familiar to novel, with fast-growing profiles including the following:
Sour cherry has ties to Michigan, and the flavor gets kudos for its versatile use in bakery, beverages, and frozen desserts. For some people, sour cherry reminds them of the last days of summer.
Vietnamese coffee flavor carries the complex and smooth flavors of robusta beans. The North American origin story traces back to the 70s, but migration across the continent began in 2018.
Cherry blossom (Sakura) flavor is light, sweet, and slightly floral with a soft aroma reminiscent of spring. We expect the flavor to appear more often in beverages, alcoholic drinks, confections, and bakery products.
Legendary flavors making a comeback through cross- over innovation in 2025 include:
Carrot cake flavor, inspired by the dessert staple of the 60s and 70s, has an earthy taste sweetened with warm spices like cinnamon and ginger. Although carrot cake flavor is regaining momentum in bakery, we anticipate extensions into ice cream, cocktails, and confections.
Banana pudding flavor links to the popular dessert that originated after the Civil War (when bananas became more widely available). The rich, creamy, fruity profile carries light bakery notes. The flavor is expanding into bakery, dairy drinks, frozen desserts, and is likely to grow in snacks, cocktails, and confections.
Affogato flavor’s Italian heritage helps elevate the creamy coffee taste. Based on a dessert from the 50s, we predict the profile will become more popular in cocktails, baked goods, frozen yogurt, and hot beverages.
Meet Me in the Moment
Snacking continues to meet nutritional needs, accounting for half of 2024 eating occasions and attracting almost half of North Americans to the snack cabinet three or more times daily. The line between meals and snacks is increasingly blurry, with 35% more shoppers adding snacks to their main meals. Taste expectations, nutritional concerns, and desired experiences are always evolving, creating challenges for brands as they strive to deliver at the right time and place in 2025.
Because snacks are often meal replacements, leading (and fast-growing) nutritional needs expressed in the social landscape include familiar ingredients like protein and fiber. Shoppers are savvier about nutrition and health, leading to more conversations about elements like electrolytes (hydration), amino acids
WHAT’S IN STORE | 2025
Taste expectations echo familiar food and beverage trends with growing interest in rich, intense, sweet and savory, and tropical profiles.
Foods and beverages in any form, from main meal component to snack, are rarely daypart agnostic. FlavorSum’s research can help you identify how best to meet your buyers in the moment next year.
EVOLVING NUTRITIONAL GOALS, SUNRISE TO SUNSET
In the morning, people choose foods and beverages that provide energy and support their health. About half of the shoppers in our survey want satiety, with 40% saying they’re looking for a treat. Morning selections align with goals, led by foods like nuts, yogurt, and energy bars and beverages like coffee, tea, functional water, or energy drinks.
By afternoon, the desire to indulge takes priority, although people still want energy sources to carry them through the day. Texture plays a more active role in meeting goals leading to food choices with crunchier formats. Hydration and energy drinks are go- to’s, along with more indulgent RTD coffees or teas.
As the sun sets, cravings for indulgence peak, according to more than 70% of our respondents. Midnight noshers also name indulgent food and drink as their first choice, but more mention portion control and energy as goals. Evening options lean into richer, often less healthy foods like cookies or ice cream, and late-night beverages tip into cocktails or wines.
TASTE CHOICES SHIFT WITH TIME
Links between flavor and function often drive food and beverage trends, with emerging flavors aligning with evolving functionalities. But flavor choices also align with dayparts and the associated nutritional goals.
Morning flavor selections tie to profiles with health halos like berries or tree fruits. Bakery-inspired and cheese flavors also fit with morning. People prefer
© 2025 International Dairy Deli Bakery Association
2025 Food & Beverage Predictions PT. 2
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