7 Jan 2025
From indulgent flavors to innovative collaborations, 2024 has been a year of exciting culinary breakthroughs. As consumer preferences continue to evolve, food trends are reshaping how we indulge, celebrate and take care of ourselves (and the planet). Whether it's viral oversized treats, boozy desserts or super flaky pastry, these trends capture the diversity of today's food culture. Dive into the six key trends you may have missed last year.
1. Cocktails and alcohol-inspired innovation
Cheers to boozy flavors
Sambuca and espresso cannoli, Pornstar Martini chocolate bars and Guinness cake, alcoholic drinks are inspiring a new wave of indulgences. Desserts are infused with the flavors of whiskey, beer or Aperol Spritz to give them a hint of decadence and a more complex and layered taste. Specific alcoholic flavors that were having a moment in 2024 (and will continue to captivate consumers in 2025), are bourbon, mezcal, sambuca, sherry wine, champagne and cocktails such as espresso martini, Moscow mule and mojito.
The appeal lies in their unique profiles. Bourbon lends warm, caramelized notes to chocolate truffles or pecan pies, while champagne brings sweet acidity to macarons and bonbons. Mezcal’s smokiness contrasts beautifully with dark chocolate, creating an adventurous palate experience. Even classic mix drinks like the Moscow Mule are reimagined as dessert flavors. The zesty, gingery punch translates beautifully into cakes and pastries.
We saw this demand for indulgence with sophistication thriving consistently all around the globe. Based on online searches and social media conversations, these are some of the drastic growth numbers the hottest alcoholic flavors are seeing compared to last year:
Bourbon - Japan +1000%
Sambuca - Canada +1000%, US +1000%, France +500%
Sherry wine - Spain +1000%, Italy +592%, Australia + 411%
Espresso martini - Canada +490%, Spain +405%
Moscow mule - Turkey +1000%, Spain +841%, Canada +593%
Mojito - Germany +460%
2. Collaborations between beauty and food brands
Two indulgence industries meet for decadent self-care
Collaborations between beauty and food brands have been making waves in 2024, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down in 2025. While fast food-inspired nail art kits and pastry-flavored lipsticks might seem like fleeting marketing stunts, their impact goes deeper. These limited-edition releases continue to dominate press coverage and social media buzz because they embody a cultural shift toward multisensory experiences and cross-industry innovation.
In 2024, we saw standout examples like the Wonderskin x Chipotle "Lipotle" lip stain kit and Auntie Anne's pretzel-flavored perfume, which sold out in just 10 minutes. Beauty giant Dove also joined the movement by collaborating with Crumbl on deodorants, hand soaps, body washes, and body scrubs featuring indulgent scents like Confetti Cake, Strawberry Crumb Cake, and Lemon Glaze. These products resonate because they tap into consumers' emotional connections with indulgence and self-care.
The concept of comfort food and the 'little treat culture' has now merged with self-care routines, transforming ordinary tasks—like applying lip balm or moisturizing—into moments of indulgence. These collaborations thrive because food and beauty share parallels in sensory engagement and personal expression. In fact, flavored products now account for 30% of lip care brand Lanolips' business, spurred by the success of their glazed doughnut-flavored lip balm.
As we head into 2025, these partnerships will likely continue to fuel cross-sector growth, enabling brands to explore untapped demographics and innovate with product narratives that are both unexpected and familiar. Expect even more imaginative pairings that redefine indulgence and self-care for a new year.
3. Texture takes the spotlight
Enhancing the culinary experience beyond flavor
Terms such as ‘crunchy’, ‘chewy’ or ‘creamy’ can often be found on the packaging of new confectionary product releases. Texture has become a key driver in food innovation. In 2024, consumers were on the lookout for snacks that offer not just great flavor, but also a multi-sensory eating experience. Chewy textures, flaky pastries, hybrid creations with clashing textures such as cruffles (a croissant and waffle hybrid that’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside) or Dubai Chocolate (a gourmet chocolate bar, crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside) are all spiking in popularity and will continue attracting the attention of consumers worldwide in 2025.
Chewy textures were seeing a rise, especially in the US, UK, Canada, India and Australia. The squishiness of a mochi donut and canele provide a prolonged, satisfying mouthfeel, allowing flavors to linger and enhancing overall enjoyment. Flaky textures offer a satisfying crunch and a delicate, buttery experience. Think of croissants and puff pastry treats, but also savory treats such as the recently popularized Chinese scallion pancakes, made by frying multi-layered dough stuffed with green onions.
Texture mash-ups, combining contrasting sensations, are the newest frontier. Hybrids like the "Crookie" (a croissant with cookie dough) and the Pizza Cupcake (flaky dough with stretchy cheese) are redefining indulgence by merging different textures into one delightful bite. Texture, whether chewy, flaky, or a hybrid, became a major trend in 2024 and will continue to shape the bakery, patisserie, and chocolate industry in 2025, enhancing the eating experience beyond just taste.
4. Regenerative agriculture
Restoring balance to the plate and planet
There's a shift happening in the way people think about food production. Traditional farming methods deplete ecosystems, so environmentally forward consumers have now turned their sights towards regenerative agriculture. That’s not just a farming method; it’s a solution to revitalize ecosystems, improve soil health and combat climate change. According to our global consumer survey, 65% of global consumers believe that products from regenerative farming are better for the environment, and 68% associate them with improved health.
Brands are responding by making regenerative claims central in new product releases. Innova research on product launches reveals that 0.2% of all new products introduced in the past year featured a regenerative agriculture claim. The compound annual growth rate from 2019 to 2024 was a whopping 72%! These products appeal to both health-conscious consumers and those eager to support ethical and eco-friendly practices.
Baby and toddler foods, baked goods, and ready meals are seeing the fastest growth in regenerative claims. But we’ve also spotted some examples in the confectionery industry. Think of Alter Eco Chocolate, who've adopted regenerative production by opting for dynamic agroforestry. That method empowers farmers, increases cacao yields and produces higher-quality chocolate. Their mission goes beyond sustainability, aiming to reverse climate change while delivering indulgent treats like their Almond Blackout bars and Mint Crème Truffle Thins.
5. Swicy
Heat meets sweet
Globally, 65% of consumers are eager to explore unexpected flavor combinations. The most popular genre of those combinations in 2024 has been swicy: the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Infusing heat into sweet treats like cakes, drinks, pastries and chocolates is literally one of the hottest trends of the moment.
According to our Taste Tomorrow consumer data, swicy flavors are particularly popular in Canada, India, Indonesia, the US and the UK. Consumers love the unique, thrilling dimension spiciness brings to familiar, comforting flavors like chocolate, vanilla or strawberry. Spiciness affects the taste, but also adds a sensory experience by offering a pleasant burn or tingling sensation.
Peppers and spice blends from global cuisines are popular additions for swicy treats, think of Korean gochugaru paste, Mexican Tajín seasoning, Indonesian sambal oelek or Chinese crispy chili oil. Those also bring depth, flair and excitement to desserts. Think of Mochidoki’s habanero chocolate mochi or the viral gochugaru caramel cookie recipe from New York Times Cooking. Expect this flavor to become mainstream in 2025!
6. XXL confectionery
Size does matter
It’s a basic comedic principle. Make a small object very large and it becomes funny. Comically enlarged products have forever been popular as a marketing tool. In 2024, snack producers have adapted this technique as well to create treats that capture consumer attention and even have the potential to go viral. The XXL croissant by Philippe Conticini was all over TikTok this year, as influencers showcased its massive size by holding it up next to their head.
In the supermarket, shoppers can come across the Big Chewy Cookie by Chips Ahoy!, that is over three times the size of the regular cookie. Nestlé released a 28.5cm and 295-grams Aero chocolate bar ahead of the festive season. This oversized confectionery is meant specifically for gifting. The most outsized snack was the Pop-Tarts Party Pastry, released in a very limited edition to celebrate the 60th birthday of Pop-Tarts. For the occasion, they developed an enormous Strawberry Pop-Tart that is 73 times larger than normal. This single Instagram-post alone got a whopping 60.373 likes, because it featured the crazy enlarged treat.
This trend is all about visual impact and fun. Oversized snacks are designed to surprise, entertain, and make a bold statement, whether shared on social media or given as gifts. That’s why it can exist side by side with the little treat culture that revolves around small indulgences as a form of daily self-care in a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
Explore what’s next in 2025
Do you want your business to thrive this year? Explore our 2025 trend predictions for bakery, patisserie and chocolate. From bold flavor innovations to game-changing technologies, get inspired to adapt to consumer wishes and create products that perfectly hit the spot.
