What flavor is the next Sriracha?
By Kelsey Squire and Sara Rush Wirth on May 30, 2019Sriracha. Nashville hot chicken. Salted caramel. Kale. While mainstream now, these flavors were once less common, only recently rising to widespread awareness and interest—and, arguably, oversaturation.
Adding new flavors and ingredients to the menu can be time-consuming and costly, so how can operators identify the flavors before they blow up? This data-driven list, compiled in partnership with Technomic, highlights the foods and ingredients bubbling up in the independent restaurant space and regional markets. As noncommercial operators search for the next hot trend worthy of a spot on the menu, the flavors that follow might just be the next ones poised to pop.
Ethnic
A third of consumers—and 44% of millennials—say they want restaurants to offer more ethnic food and drinks on the menu. But consumers’ palates have become more sophisticated, and diners are showing interest in hyper-regional specialties and signature flavors from more exotic regions. While Italian, Mexican and Chinese are still among the most widely recognized ethnic cuisines, modern diners are showing interest in more adventurous cuisines.
Ethnic: Japanese
As consumers seek more fresh, global offerings, Japanese dishes can fit the bill—62% of consumers who eat ethnic items say they have tried Japanese food and liked it, while 7% say they have not tried the cuisine but would like to, according to Technomic’s 2018 Ethnic Food & Beverage Consumer Trend Report.
- Miso sauce: +7.3% item incidence year over year (YOY)
- Miso Cod with Spinach at Sunrise Senior Living
- Seaweed: +1.2% item incidence YOY
- Sushi Donut with sushi rice, seaweed salad, smoked salmon, sashimi tuna, fresh avocado, tobiko, spicy crab and wasabi at NC State University
- Togarashi: +16.4% item incidence YOY
- Lemongrass and Ginger Poached Prawn Salad with togarashi at the cafe at the de Young Museum in San Francisco
Ethnic: Mediterranean
Demand for ingredients such as chickpeas and lentils is growing as Mediterranean and other international cuisines gain traction, according to Technomic’s 2018 Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report. In addition, just 13% of consumers who eat ethnic dishes say they don’t like or wouldn’t try Mediterranean food, speaking to the cuisine’s broad appeal, according to Technomic.
- Tahini sauce: +2.7% item incidence YOY
- The Falafel Waffle from Marist Dining Services is topped with tahini sauce
- Halloumi: +7.5% item incidence YOY
- Heirloom Tomato, Halloumi and Chicken at Nando’s
Ethnic: More from abroad
Operators continue mining the globe for fresh flavors to satisfy more adventurous palates. Consumers are showing more interest in Indian cuisine, while Israeli and Southeast Asian flavors are just starting to make waves, according toTechnomic’s 2018 Ethnic Food & Beverage Consumer Trend Report. Having grown accustomed to more mainstream global fare, including Chinese and Mexican, some diners may home in on foods from less-familiar countries and regions. Dishes from Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines pose opportunities for operators, Technomic notes.
- Tamarind: +1.8% item incidence YOY
- Samosas with vindaloo, tamarind sauce and cilantro chutney at University of Connecticut
- Achiote: +17.9% item incidence YOY
- Breakfast tacos with cochinita pibil, scrambled eggs, crema and achiote pork at the Culinary Institute of America
Beverage
Drinks are one way operators can attract new diners. Many are introducing unique, flavor-forward options, often with an artisanal twist, that are proving to be competition for classic (often lower-priced) beverages such as soda.
Beverage: Spice it up
Bold flavors are taking hold on beverage menus, as operators go after the popularity of hot and spicy ingredients previously seen on the food side. Warm and cold drinks alike are getting a shot of heat, according to Technomic’s 2018 Beverage Consumer Trend Report.
- Cayenne pepper: +12.5% beverage item incidence YOY
- Heart Beet Shot with cayenne at Pressed Juicery
- Ginger: +2.8% beverage item incidence YOY
- Power Juice with spinach, apple and ginger at Wagamama
Beverage: Herbal/floral
Drinks featuring seasonal fruits such as mango and peach are seeing updated twists with the addition of herbal and floral flavors, providing operators the opportunity to create a new take on familiar favorites, according to Technomic.
- Lavender: +26.3% beverage item incidence YOY
- Pop de Provence at True Food Kitchen
- Sage: +7.1% beverage item incidence YOY
- Blackberry Sage Soda at Kona Grill
- Cardamom: +3.7% beverage item incidence YOY
- Cardamom Cafe au Lait at Clover Food Lab
Beverage: Ethnic adds
Seventy percent of consumers agree that restaurants offering ethnic dishes should serve beverages from that same cuisine type, according to Technomic. As demand for global flavors rises, Asian-inspired drinks in particular are gaining steam.
- Matcha: +11.3% beverage item incidence YOY
- Matcha Tea Lemonade at Punch Bowl Social
- Horchata: +10.3% beverage item incidence YOY
- Horchata Latte at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Beverage: Tropical fruit-forward
Instead of relying solely on daquiris, mai tais and other sweet frozen (and alcoholic) drinks to convey the tropical vibe, operators are serving up flavors reminiscent of warm regions that impart a hint of sweetness.
- Coconut: +4.0% beverage item incidence YOY
- Coconut Cold Brew Fog at Peets Coffee
- Dates: +8.2% beverage item incidence YOY
- Banana Date Smoothie at LYFE Kitchen
Plant-forward
Plant-based food continues to gain mainstream acceptance, especially as more nonvegetarian and nonvegan diners are consuming dishes suited for those dietary preferences. One big reason: A majority of consumers (67%) consider plant-based food and beverage to be healthy, according to Technomic. In response, more operators are experimenting with grains, fruits and vegetables packed with protein to play to the meat-sometimes crowd.
Plant-forward: Protein swaps
Demand for plant-forward fare continues to impact menus in a major way. Despite the growth of branded meat replacements, the most popular plant-centric sources of protein will be blends, says Technomic, citing the example of brown rice and quinoa combined with mushrooms and black beans.
- Falafel: +6.9% item incidence YOY
- Vegan falafel in a pita at the University of Maryland
- Jackfruit: +11.8% item incidence YOY
- Pulled pork tacos with jackfruit at Indiana University
Plant-forward: Ingredients on the rise
The beverage menu is not been immune to the plant-based movement, with “milks” made from nuts and oats now seen as mainstream. In addition, plant-based protein boosters, such as nut butters, are showing up in smoothies as well as globally inspired sauces and stews.
- Almond Milk: +11.3% item incidence YOY
- Pumpkin Harvest Protein Smoothie with almond milk at Jamba Juice
- Coconut Water: +7.6% item incidence YOY
- Zico Coconut Water at Cosi
- Almond Butter: +8.1% item incidence YOY
- Almond Butter Toast at B.Good
- Coconut Butter: +44.4% item incidence YOY
- Turmeric Sunrise smoothie featuring coconut butter at Nekter Juice Bar
Plant-forward: Veggies beyond kale
Kale has been in the spotlight as a better-for-you green for some time. But as more consumers move veggies to the center of the plate, shifting the balance away from meat-heavy meals, they are looking for variety and exploring less well-known options.
- Nopal: +3.6% item incidence YOY
- Grilled Chicken Tacos with nopales salad at Besito Mexican
- Yuca: +4.4% item incidence YOY
- Yuca fries at Austin Independent School District
- Okra: +0.6% item incidence YOY
- Pickled okra at WakeMed Health & Hospitals
- Broccoli raab: +2.7% item incidence YOY
- Bisceglie at Bice Ristorante
Better for you
Operators are still adjusting their menu mixes to accommodate consumers’ wide and ever-changing definition of “healthy” foods. Now, as diners are seemingly taking a more holistic approach to healthful eating, with a greater understanding of the nutritional benefits of foods, they've become more ingredient-conscious. They are in turn exploring more dishes made with fresh, natural and health-forward components.
Better for you: Grain goodness
Operators are looking beyond brown rice and quinoa when it comes to grains with a health halo. Sorghum and farro are making waves on menus. For sorghum, it’s not just because it pops like popcorn, but it can also be used as a sweetening addition to sauces.
- Chia: +21.1% item incidence YOY
- Pear and chia seed pudding at Dignity Health
- Sorghum: +28.6% item incidence YOY
- Sorghum salad with sweet sorghum juice vinegar and whole-grain sorghum at the FSD Chefs’ Summit at The Ohio State University
Better for you: Next-level functional
As states across the country loosen their cannabis laws, some operators are keeping an eye on its potential menu applications. Meanwhile, diners, especially younger ones, are seeking foods that can help reduce stress or improve digestion, among other body-optimizing attributes. Thirty-two percent of adult consumers say they are willing to pay more for foods high in antioxidants, while 24% say the same of those deemed anti-inflammatory, according to Technomic.
- Cannabis/hemp: +14.3% item incidence YOY
- Superfood Hemp Burger at Mendocino Farms
- Goji berry: +14.8% item incidence YOY
- Filipino Chickin’ Adobo Bowl with goji berries at Veggie Grill
- Maca: +37.5% item incidence YOY
- Thunderbird Hazelnut Coffee Maca bar at Snap Kitchen
Better for you: Driven by diets
Lower-carb lifestyles have made a comeback, as consumers striving for cleaner eating have turned to trendy diets such as keto, paleo and Whole30.
- Ghee: +30.8% item incidence YOY
- Mexicali Bar-rito with organic ghee at Protein Bar & Kitchen
- Whey protein: +7.4% item incidence YOY
- No Whey station in the main dining hall at Georgia Southern University
About the research
FoodService Director partnered with Technomic for this report. Technomic Ignite Menu is an online tool that tracks current and past menus on an ongoing basis. This report represents ingredient data tracked at more than 5,000 emerging chains and high-volume independents, collected from Q3 2017 to Q3 2018. Growth is calculated by the yearly percentage change in the number of operators menuing specific ingredients.