Kerry believes the COVID-19 pandemic will significantly affect the format and essence of flavor profiles in 2021 and beyond. In line with this, consumers are expected to foster a practice of exploring exotic flavors and cuisines as they try to escape “pandemic fatigue,” says Coralie Garcia Perrin, global strategic marketing director for Sweet Taste at Kerry.

“As these consumers stay close to home to avoid contracting COVID-19, exploring new regions and cultures via ‘food tourism’ will lead to an elevated interest in exotic cuisines and flavors,” she tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

Unique and reformulated taste sensations will be significant in 2021, reveals Garcia Perrin. “In some regions, people will likely want to experiment with traditional spicy dishes from Asia or Latin America, wheras in other regions, people will turn toward the Mediterranean diet to get a taste of southern Europe.”

Two main factors have affected consumer food behavior during this time of stress and social concern. “Firstly, is the desire to strengthen their immune systems and overall health.”

“Secondly, the need to increase emotional well-being and balance through flavors that consumers believe heal, refresh, relax and comfort are expected to surge. These trends became apparent almost immediately during the coronavirus outbreak,” states Garcia Perrin. 

Comforting flavors rise
According to Kerry, the coming year will see a rise in “comfort tastes” with brown notes, such as chocolate and coffee, gaining popularity in various forms. 

“Examples may include chocolate caramel, dulce de leche, cookies, small treats and protein bars,” adds Garcia Perrin. 

Another trend she expects to see during these stressful times is a growing demand for indulgence items such as dessert beverages, chocolate variations and caramels.

“Consumption of self-care products is expected to get a boost as consumers seek to add small moments of delight to their lives safely – that is, via their taste buds,” she continues. 

“While for some, this may be a solitary pleasure, others will enjoy indulgence gatherings with those in their COVID-19 ‘bubble.’” 

According to an Innova Consumer Survey 2020, six out of ten global consumers are increasingly looking for food and beverage products that support their immune health. One in three raised concerns about immune health in 2020 compared to 2019. 

“Adding in a bit of flavor pizzazz to immune-supporting foods and beverages is one way to capture the attention of this consumer group. Product examples include spices, green tea, citrus fruits, nuts and kombucha,” notes Garcia Perrin. 

Consumers become more informed 

According to Kerry, the pandemic has forced consumers to become more informed about the products they consume. The pandemic has shifted consumers’ priorities, and this will almost certainly influence the tastes to which they will gravitate over the next year, says Kerry. 

“This is due largely to a perceived connection between ‘natural’ products and good health. Growing demand for refreshment and relaxation options will continue to push consumers to embrace a more holistic methodology when it comes to their health and well-being,” Garcia Perrin stresses.

“As a result, they will tend to support products they view as contributing positively to their goals,” she adds.  

Smell, taste and flavor
Losing one’s sense of smell, interestingly, was among the first symptoms revealed by COVID-19 sufferers, and the loss opened many eyes to the fact that a strong sense of smell is fundamental to food enjoyment. 

“Therefore, identifying loss of smell as a COVID-19 symptom not only represented a milestone in terms of our understanding of the virus’s behavior, it also fostered a new appreciation of the value of flavor in food,” she maintains. 

Many consumers, isolated at home and forced to do more cooking, quickly missed the taste authenticity they were used to from their favorite restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and food trucks. 

“This deprivation led many to refresh their understanding of the vital role flavor plays in the pleasurable food experiences we so often take for granted. In short order, the pandemic has reminded us how central food, drink and socializing is pleasurable in human existence,” she details. 

Functional and convenient products pegged for success 
More people are taking more time to seek alternatives in the form of functional beverages and snacks that are a good source of protein or contribute positively to digestive function. 

Consumers want low-sugar/low-carb alcoholic drinks. To avoid indoor venues, on-the-go food and beverages in various pocket-sized formats, such as bite-size snacks and portable beverages, are in high demand, notes Garcia Perrin. 

“Other key claims are for energy/alertness in drinks and snacks, and plant-based products that pack a flavorful, functional punch,” she comments. “Such items as ready-to-eat meals and convenience items also have great potential for growth, particularly in Latin America.”

Sensorial appeal to drive innovation in 2021
According to Kerry, an exciting area for development in 2021 is innovation with taste and texture. 

“Texture experience when sensations caused by foods trigger the trigeminal nerve to give sensations such as tingling is different than anything else,” explains Garcia Perrin. 

Some ingredients that are well known to cause this include capsaicin, citric acid, the fizzy feeling of carbonated beverages and menthol, which delivers a cooling sensation. 

“These sensations are all quite different, and often we find that people want ice cream after dinner because it triggers a different sensation through the trigeminal nerve than what they experienced during their meal,” she highlights. 

“Sometimes, the trigeminal flavor trigger can be blended with other flavor tonalities such as fruits, brown notes or spices to create a unique taste and texture feeling.”

Tastes such as moringa, Pino bubble crunch and chocomint ice cream bites feature new textures and flavors that appear to deliver the response described above. 

“More work needs to be done around this fascinating physical response to flavor, but it’s an exciting area for consumers and product developers in the coming year,” concludes Garcia Perrin.