Kerry has released its 2024 global taste charts, "A World of Future Tastes." The culmination of Kerry’s year-long research is a series of interactive charts created for 13 individual regional markets.
These charts track flavor adoption and evolution around the world and provide an analysis of the ingredients and trends in the food and beverage sector. The charts are an online resource that can be used by product and menu developers worldwide.
To illustrate today’s pace of innovation, Kerry researchers also conducted a dive into the lifecycles of two flavors—orange and chocolate—and examined how these ingredients are inventive product offerings. The two case studies illustrate how traditional tastes are now fusing into new applications as product creators around the globe source, combine and recombine flavors and spices from distant origins into new taste experiences, the company says.
Soumya Nair, Global Consumer Research and Insights director at Kerry, commented on the 2024 taste charts, “The global exchange and dissemination of tastes and flavors through social media and travel is still in its infancy, and globalization in food, beverage and cuisine development make this a truly exciting time to be in the industry. Although rapidly changing times can present great challenges, they also provide an unparalleled opportunity for brands to catch an emerging trend on the rise. We are seeing many unique flavor intersections in foods and beverages, and Kerry is using technologies such as Natural Language Processing, AI, social media and traditional consumer observation tools to stay ahead of the adoption curve, and to help customers navigate the emerging taste environment for products being developed in 2024.”
Examples of some of the insights noted in this year’s charts include:
- Crossovers of international cuisines are being seen in the U.S, such as blends of Filipino and American dishes.
- Spice is being added to a range of foods.
- Young consumers are craving bold and unusual flavor combinations, driven by social media's influence and a desire for novelty.
- Some familiar flavors, such as orange, are getting a new look, with varietal and floral twists.
- Fruits such as Yuzu are gaining popularity across markets and applications, with recent launches including Yuzu Gose Beers in South Africa, Yuzu and Pepper Mayonnaise in China, and Yuzu Low ABV wines and alcoholic beverages in the U.S. and Australia.
To access the 2024 Kerry Taste Charts for the region of your choice, please click here.
