Just add chocolate: the top flavour trend for the food and drink industry

Chocolate plays a role in year-long treating and celebration by helping consumers connect with the indulgent side of life. As the definition of wellness has broadened to include mental and emotional health, chocolate flavours are in high demand as a cherished mood booster and a quintessential comfort flavour.

Flavorchem, an ingredients and colour solutions provider to the confectionery industry, has launched a new collection, Chocolate remix, which taps into chocolate’s popularity with consumers.

• New Nostalgia: Brands are tapping into consumer cravings for nostalgic flavours by reimagining familiar foods such as dessert, breakfast, and childhood-inspired flavours. Decadent chocolate chip pancake has been transformed into its own flavour profile in recent launches from Pop-Tarts and IHOP. Brands are elevating the salty-sweet combination of chocolate and peanut butter with Koia’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake and Skippy’s Girl Scout Cookie-inspired Chocolate Peanut Butter P.B. Bites.

• Escapism: Consumers crave adventurous and unexpected chocolate varietals as brands create innovative flavour fusions across categories to meet consumer desire for exploration. Alicja’s Confections, known for their postcard chocolate bars, delivered on uniqueness with a potato chip, wasabi, and dill pickle-flavoured chocolate bars. Mexican Hot Chocolate, traditionally made with cinnamon and chili, was the inspiration for one of Seattle Chocolate’s best-selling truffle bars and Kroger’s Private Selection latest ice cream launch.

• Seasonal: Brands are manifesting innovative seasonal and limited-time chocolate-flavoured novelties for a most indulgent consumer experience. For their warm weather lineups, Dunkin’ unveiled its Chocolate Caramel Cold Brew topped with Chocolate Cold Foam and Cocoa Caramel Sprinkles while Starbuck’s launched a Chocolate Java Mint Frappuccino and White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew. Sprinkles limited-time fall offerings included several chocolate-inspired cupcakes including a chocolate cake with caramel, chocolate frosting, and finished with miniature Twix candies.