Bell Flavors & Fragrances is excited to begin the sixth year of its Spark® program and has unveiled key trends that will lead the way to new innovations within the flavor and fragrance industry.
The Spark trends platform at Bell is the origin of imagination and where the journey begins to predicting what’s next. It’s the source of what’s possible. It’s the essence of creativity and the future of what’s to come. It’s a guide to what is happening in popular culture and what will be consumed by the everyday consumer now and in the future.
This year’s trends fall under a theme of concepts and lifestyles that once were not easily within reach, but with the fast and ever-changing marketplace, a new level of access has made them obtainable to the everyday consumer. They focus on the extreme, exotic and euphoric, but also tie back to the basic, pure and foundational aspects of human emotion and experience.
As we move into a new decade, Bell has taken the time to review the past five years of Spark predictions to see how they have performed and evolved. Looking back at the path traveled tells a lot about how trends begin and where they are heading.
The flavor trends within this years’ Spark® program include everything from seeking out the rarest and most endangered ingredients of the world to understanding the culinary crossroads of cooking methodologies, flavors and ingredients of South East Asia and the culinary application of Cannabis.
The 2020 flavor trends include the following five platforms:
- Rare and Endangered - Consumers are constantly seeking out the rarest and most authentic ingredients, but doing so with a new found sense of sustainability and care for the future that hasn’t been seen in previous generations.
Related Flavors: Aleppo Chili Pepper, Avocado, Kona Coffee, Manuka Honey, Matsutake Mushroom, Saffron, Truffle, Yubari melon
- Evolution of Healthy - The idea of eating has transformed from an act of simply satisfying hunger to a holistic experience identifying the interconnections between specific lifestyles and the effects they have on overall wellness, the supply chains feeding them, and ultimately, the environment.
Related Flavors: Bone broth, Dates, Ghee, Ginseng, Hibiscus, Matcha, Nori, Oat Milk, Turmeric
- The Well-Traveled Kitchen: South East Asia - Geographical boundaries mean nothing to the senses as flavors travel from one country to another. The history of this region allows for a rich exchange of ingredients and culinary techniques that is unseen anywhere else on the globe.
Related Flavors: Birds Eye Chili Coconut Milk, Curry Leaf, Fish Sauce, Galangal, Makrut Lime, Mangosteen, Pandan, Sambal Belacan, Tamarind, Thai Basil
- The Gatherer - Harvesting wild plants, seeds, and berries provides many things to humans, but the most noticeable is a way to eat fresh, micro-nutrient dense food in a conscious manner.
Related Flavors: Dandelion, Elderberry, Elderflower, Huckleberry, Juniper Berry, Garlic scape, Pine Needle, Sunflower, Lingon Berry
- Breaking Boundaries - As society continues to evolve their mindset, what was once seen as a sub-culture is now being viewed as a social norm. Cannabis, once illegal, is now permeating all areas of society, from medical to culinary through an ever-growing number of CBD and THC based products.
Related Strain-Specific Flavors: Apple Jack, Blackberry Kush, Blue Dream, Cali Cure, Forbidden Fruit
With over 100 years of industry experience, Bell’s deep passion is to create products that captivate the world’s taste buds and stimulate the senses. This passion was instilled by Bell’s founder William M. Bell, and continues today. Bell is proud to call over 800 employees its family and is opening more doors for new career opportunities.
Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. is a leader in the flavor and fragrance industry. With eight manufacturing plants across the globe and over 40 sales offices around the world, Bell has the ability to create the flavor, fragrance, or botanical for any application.
For more information visit our Website at www.bellff.com.
