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What is the Flavor AtlasTM?

Human curiosity about the world of flavor
is as old as the dawn of time.

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The Flavor Atlas is a set of maps—in the form of reports, perspectives and presentations—created by intrepid researchers and culinary cartographers, that reveals flavor movements and destinations to help you make more informed culinary and marketing decisions.

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Culinary Themes

In addition to individual flavor and ingredient trends, our chefs, culinary experts and planners identify key themes rooted in what is happening across the food landscape to reveal macro movements in culinary activity.

Citrus

1. Main Squeeze

Citrus has become popular in both seasonal and permanent menu items across all segments. Consumers are starting to try more adventurous citrus flavors.

GlobalAdventure

2. Global Adventure

Today’s more receptive palates are open to more worldly flavors, and global cuisines provide the sense of adventure and experimentation consumers seek.

Heat

3. Turn Up the Heat

Consumers like the “wow” factor and heat certainly adds it. The desire for traditional “warming” spices and sweet heat is continuing to grow—not just in food, but in beverage too.

Funky

4. A Little Funky

That’s right. We said funky. From fermented chili paste to fish sauce to stinky cheese, people are boldly exploring the edges of umami to experience a new depth of flavor.

Functional

5. Functional Fuel

Whether they’re looking for a protein boost, extra fiber or heart-health-promoting vitamins, consumers are intrigued by foods and beverages that have a positive effect on specific health concerns.

Conscious

6. Conscious Consumption

This trend is about mindful eating and drinking that respects the environment and the body. Consumers are looking to minimize waste and protect their health with clean ingredients and foods without gluten, dairy, meat, artificial ingredients, sugars, GMOs, trans fats and more.

VegetablesTakeTheLead

7. Vegetables Take the Lead

Vegetables are becoming the darlings of the plate as chefs feature them front and center and use “meat” preparation methods like roasting to give them more robust flavor.

The Flavor Feed

When we’re mulling over the latest pan-continental ingredient sensation or compiling a list of the hottest hot cocktails, sometimes we collect our thoughts here.

American Culinary Federation Recap

My Flavor Adventures at the ACF

Thinking about culinary shifts in 2020? Wondering what trends might affect the food and beverage industry, or your particular part of it? Just trying to impress your in-laws with some hot culinary gossip?

Recently I was honored to speak at the American Culinary Federation’s Food and Beverage Flavors and Trends event. Even though the session was...

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by Jorge Cespedes

Corporate Chef

Ready-to-drink (RTD) To-go Cocktails Are Here to Stay

The idea of canned or bottled cocktails isn’t a new one, but boy, did it blow out of the water in the past 12 months! It’s one of the fastest-growing categories in the world of adult beverages, and we love it. From retail brands to stand-alone bars creating their own labels, the variety of flavors and styles is enormous.

Thinking about culinary shifts in 2020? Wondering what trends might affect the food and beverage industry, or your particular part of it? Just trying to impress your in-laws with some hot culinary gossip?

For years now, there have been bottled cocktail brands on retail shelves; and most of them were way too commercial-looking and -tasting to really...

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Picture of Jorge Cespedes

by Jorge Cespedes

Corporate Chef

2020 Culinary Trend Predictions

Thinking about culinary shifts in 2020? Wondering what trends might affect the food and beverage industry, or your particular part of it? Just trying to impress your in-laws with some hot culinary gossip?

Thinking about culinary shifts in 2020? Wondering what trends might affect the food and beverage industry, or your particular part of it? Just trying to impress your in-laws with some hot culinary gossip?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are a lot like us. With all of those considerations driving our research, we have arrived at seven...

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by Meredith Daca

Senior Culinary Planner

The Gastronomic Journey of Coffee

For a couple hundred years the production of coffee was kept secret in Yemen until the mid-1600’s when a clever and sleek Dutch navy boat was able to sail of the port of Java in Indonesia with a couple of live seedlings.

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Picture of Jorge Cespedes

by Jorge Cespedes

Corporate Chef

What does “better for you” mean in 2018?

What foods are good for you? It’s tempting to see this question as a modern concern, but the connection between food and health goes back through recorded history.

Our dietary choices have evolved alongside our (incomplete) understanding of what’s best for human body, along with the culture that assigns value to...

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Picture of Meredith Daca

by Meredith Daca

Senior Culinary Planner

Trend Snapshots

Identifying and interpreting the constant movement of consumer preferences can be difficult—at times overwhelming. Our reports bring you the insights and information you need to not only catch up to current food and beverage trends, but to catch a glimpse of flavor’s next destinations.

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Interested in learning more about emerging culinary trends? Want a copy of our latest trend report? Interested in becoming a Flavor Atlas Influencer?