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RANKED: 2022 Flavor Trends That Will Shape Innovation
As we cruise through the first part of 2022, we’re ranking all the top trending flavor combos that’ll tease the tastebuds. From our gold medal winners all the way to the honorable mentions that have followed us from the last year, there’s a lot to look forward to. Take a scroll – and reach out to collab on your next flavor combination!
2022 Gold Flavor Trend: Wellness Flavors
Functionally inspired taste profiles for modern wellness brands based on ingredients with inherent therapeutic properties or association from aromatic taste cues.
Moodfluencers: therapeutic wellness flavors for emotional well-being products with adaptogens, botanicals, and functional fruits for mental acuity, mindfulness, sleep, etc.
Relaxing
- Passionfruit Chamomile
- Blackberry Lavender
- Blackcurrant Mint
- White Tea Nectarine
Invigorating
- Pineapple Ginger
- Mango Turmeric
- Raspberry Lime
- Ginger Lemonade
Body Boosters: wellness flavors for physical and internal support products with targeted nutritional properties.
Digestion
- Ginger Chai ACV
- Peppermint-Fennel
Anti-Inflammatory
- Golden Chai Turmeric
- Blueberry Matcha
Immune
- Elderberry Acai
- Tart Cherry Boysenberry
Vision
- Apricot Mango
- Bilberry Goji
Beautifiers: wellness flavors for beauty and healthy aging products inspired with collagen, biotin, botanicals, and ingredients high in antioxidants.
Skin, Hair & Nails
- Green Tea Tangerine
- Pom-Blueberry
- Cranberry Matcha
- Pineapple Grapefruit
- Watermelon Cucumber
- Goji Aronia Berry
2022 Silver Flavor Trend: Sweet Spices
Sweet spices are nostalgic for many, offering comfort through happy memories of holiday desserts, PSLs, cinnamon dolces, warm cinnamon buns, or hot chai. Warm spices are also rooted in traditional medicines and functional teas, known for therapeutic properties. And for those seeking an elevated or unique taste adventure, sweet spices fit the bill, pairing beautifully with fruits, floral botanicals, chocolate, coffee, and healthy or indulgent drinks alike.
For some inspiration, Virginia Dare has created:
- Apple Cider Chai Kombucha
- Cinna-Citrus Peel Green Tea
- Chai Gingersnap
- Cardamom Fog (earl gray, lavender)
- Maple Spiced Matcha
- Toasted Turmeric (with caramel and coconut)
- Liquid Gold Latte (with maple, honey, and turmeric)
- Banananut Chai
- Spiced Fig Honey
- Cardamom Mocha Latte
2022 Bronze Flavor Trend: Classics Get Even More Upgrades
You can’t go wrong with the classics. Similar to merging familiar flavors with unique or exotic flavors, elevating a classic adds a sophisticated twist to popular profiles. Fresh for thrillseekers, yet familiar enough for the more traditionalist.
- vanilla upgrades to vanilla honeycomb or spiced vanilla
- chocolate upgrades to chocolate malt or brownie batter
- caramel upgrades to salted or maple caramel
2022 Honorable Mention Flavor Trend: Nostalgia is Here to Stay
Flavor trend for nostalgic and comforting flavors will continue! This year, we project nostalgic mashups will begin to emerge with fun crazy twists on childhood favorites. A few nostalgic candy inspirations (perfect for energy drinks and sports powders) include: orange ticktocks, sweet tart smarty, blue dummy pops, and PEZazz candy.
Here’s some more inspiration:
- Funfetti Cereal Milk (birthday cake and fruity cereal)
- Cosmic Candy Collision (strawberry burst, blue jolly lolly, space rocks)
- Unicorn Utopia (cotton candy, rainbow candy, fruity cereal)
- Fairy Tail Frenzy (sweet tart pixy dust, sour rainbow strips)
- Snap Crackl’n s’mores (marshmallow crispy rice treat s’mores)
- Mint Chip Cookie (mint chip ice cream, peppermint patty, chocolate chip cookie dough)
Whatever nostalgic flavors you’re looking for, we have a portfolio to please your inner child, and it’s here to stay. So far this year, what’s your take on all the tastes? Share it with us!
