Change your life.
“Swicy” – a mix of sweet and spicy – is this summer’s blazing new food trend, with brands scrambling to get on the bandwagon, perhaps surprising for hot days.
“The spicy trend is here to stay,” Sally Lyons Wyatt, an advisor for the packaged goods and foodservice industry at market research firm Circana, told CNN.
“I think we’re going to see a lot more of this stuff,” she added. “There is a surge now and we are seeing growth both in units and dollars in spicy and swicy products. »
Starbucks is just one of many new menu items coming, launching three new Spicy Lemonade Refreshers drinks in April — which the company said were “inspired by the ‘swicy’ trend, which combines sweet and spiced in all sorts of creative ways. .”
The coffee chain also spiced things up with wildflower honey infused with premium chili peppers at its Starbucks Reserve Roasteries and select stores in Chicago, New York and Seattle, adding the Hot Honey Affogato and Hot Honey Espresso Martini to the menu.
In February, Coca-Cola released a “spicy” variation of its original recipe – a result of growing interest in spices.
“If you go down the aisles, you’ll see that the amount of spiciness has increased because consumers’ taste palettes have evolved. We realized this could be an opportunity for us,” Shakir Moin, Coca-Cola’s head of marketing for North America, said at the time.
Lyons Wyatt said younger millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha are the cohorts looking for spice, and Circana found that 11% of 25-34 year olds enjoy bold flavors, a 7-point increase in percentage compared to 2019.
This is due in part to increasing diversity in America and the introduction of a wider range of ingredients, Jennifer Creevy, director of food and beverage at the trend forecasting and analysis company, told CNN WGSN.
“Take the rise of K-drama and K-pop as an example. Fans of this entertainment want to consume the media but also want to taste the flavors of Korea, hence the rise of spicy Gochujang, which is now found in everything from dishes to snacks, drinks and desserts “, she said.
Additionally, according to Mintel foodservice analyst Varchasvi Singh, the stereotype that American palates are “bland” is a misconception, and this trend proves it.
“There is certainly an increased appetite for spicy foods and flavors, driven by a desire to explore unfamiliar ingredients and cuisines,” Singh told CNN. “This enthusiasm is not a fad, it is here to stay.”
Lyons Watt said consumers can expect to see more spice in all grocery aisles: frozen foods, drinks, ice cream, chips and more.
“For several years, my motto has been: ‘The warmer the better,’ because consumers are attracted to it. Traditionally, it was younger consumers who drove this trend, but we are now seeing that bold flavors are being embraced by most age groups, but younger consumers are still dominant,” he said. -she explains.
New York Post
