Kerry has released its annual Taste Charts for 2021, pinpointing what it says are the “flavours and ingredients that are set to inspire innovation and taste excellence across the food and beverage landscape”.
A trend towards familiar tastes, which resurged during the pandemic, is anticipated to continue over the coming year as people seek comfort from their food and beverages, the firm says. Classic desserts such as banana split, apple pie and custard are set to see popularity in the ‘sweet’ and ‘beverage’ categories.
In Europe, restrictions on movement in 2020 have led to consumers “travelling with their tastebuds,” Kerry says. This is reflected in the Taste charts, with a rise in Korean, Indian, Thai, Greek and Spanish cuisine, as well as notes like Calamansi and Acerola. Health and wellbeing continues to drive consumers, while sustainable sourcing is also growing in importance.
“2020 has been a year like no other. During the lockdown period, consumers stayed connected online and continued to share the food that excited them, augmenting the need for playful textures and exciting flavours,” said Christina Matrozou, Marketing Manager for Taste in Europe and Russia.
“Fermentation emerged across several product categories, with vinegar and pickled becoming a top trend and flavour note. The traditional citrus, vanilla, chocolate and BBQ flavours will remain relevant in 2021, but consumers expect these tastes through flavours that are more sustainable or have provenance claims. Meanwhile, botanicals such as lavender, turmeric and basil can meet consumer needs across food and beverage products that support the quest for holistic wellbeing.”
“The Taste Charts supports manufacturers by providing an expert overview of key, mainstream, up-and-coming and emerging flavours and ingredients across categories. This helps accelerate new product development times by making it easier to select flavours during the brainstorm and development phase. Kerry’s customers can harness these trends in a really exciting way, with plenty of room to innovate and create products that will resonate with consumers,” Matrozou added.