As the warmth of summer wanes, we wanted to take a look at a flavor trends that stood out in 2024: pickle. Through the late spring and summer, it seemed that product developers were introducing a roster of snacks (and sweets!) that highlighted pickle as a primary flavor. There is some indication that “pickle flavor” is experiencing its highest search interest in years. Perhaps that has led to such an explosion of pickle-flavor products on the market in summer 2024.

Here, you will find a snapshot of some of the most popular pickle-related pages on the PF website this summer. So, pucker up, as we showcase and celebrate the R&D teams that found inspiration in all that is sour.

With the pickle obsession is at an all-time high, Kraft Sauces got in on the excitement with the debut of flavored mayonnaise. Kraft Pickle Mayonnaise Dressing rolled out exclusively to Walmart shelves nationwide. The tangy, bold, and creamy spread combines real pickle relish and mayo for a crisp punch of flavor versatile enough to compliment anything from grilled classics, to tater tots, dipping veggies, chicken tenders and more.

According to Kraft, pickles and mayo are two condiments with their own cult followings - people across the country either love them or hate them. They also can already be found together on at-home favorites, like deli sandwiches, grilled burgers and hot dogs. With a majority of millennials sharing they like or love the taste of pickles and 180 million posts on TikTok, mayo + pickles might have been this summer’s hottest flavor combination.

Flavored mayos have driven 20% growth in the mayonnaise and dressing category over the last three years, Kraft says.

Pickles are all the rage, especially among Gen Z, and TikTok has played a significant role in amplifying this trend with the hashtag "pickle" garnering over 3.7 billion views. Google searches for pickles have surged by 3,800% since the start of 2023 with 73% of Americans reporting that they enjoy the taste of pickles. All of this encouraged the folks at Baked by Melissa’s famous handcrafted cupcakes to feature a dill pickle-infused cake and pickle buttercream icing.

Pepperidge Farm introduced a new limited-edition Goldfish Spicy Dill Pickle cracker. The new flavor is a balance of tangy dill pickle with the spicy kick of red chili peppers on Goldfish Original crackers. Goldfish Spicy Dill Pickle flavor crackers combine flavor and fandom with its latest limited-edition cracker.

Pringles introduced its flavor prowess to an entirely new format with its first-ever puffed offering – Pringles Mingles – a puffy, shareable snacking experience. One of the new flavors included Pringles® Mingles Dill Pickle & Ranch: Zesty dill pickle mingles with buttermilk and herbaceous ranch notes.

Leading food distributor US Foods Inc., Rosemont, Ill., launches more than 50 new items every year, particularly in the spring and fall. Here, Prepared Foods got the inside scoop on new product development from Stacey Kinkaid, US Foods vice president of product development & innovation.

PF: Can you tell us a little more about your approach to clean label?

Kinkaid: Spring Scoop also features items with clean ingredient labels—meaning the ingredient profiles do not contain certain ingredients, such as artificial flavors and artificial (FD&C) colors, hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup or added MSG. These products are the result of years of product development at US Foods.

One of the hero products launched in Spring Scoop is our Metro Deli Kosher Dill Pickle Chips, which do not contain any artificial colors, flavors or preservatives—unlike most commercially available pickles. Because this product does not contain any of these ingredients and because it is manufactured, shipped, and preserved cold—the result is a pickle that looks and tastes scratch made.

CVS Pharmacy®, the retail division of CVS Health®, announced the launch of Well Market™, a new store brand consumables line featuring snacks, beverages and groceries.

Crafted by experts and taste-tested by food lovers, the Well Market line offers a fusion of nutrition options and flavors. With options ranging from bold and spicy to sweet and savory — from Turmeric Curry Trail Mix to Sea Salt Rustic Plantain Chips to Dark Chocolate Lightly Dipped Cashews — Well Market's innovative flavors cater to diverse taste preferences.

It is also revolutionizing the way flavors are introduced, such as the first-to-market line of flavor-infused sprouted almonds, including Salt & Vinegar, Zesty Dill Pickle, and Maple Cinnamon, with each flavor infused during the sprouting process. This innovative technique not only enhances the taste and keeps hands clean but sprouting may help the body digest nutrients found in the almonds more easily, helping customers get the most out of every bite.

Hot sauce is a fragmented market, making it difficult for newcomers to stand out, explaining new entrants that leverage the name recognition of successful brands.

That describes new Mtn Dew Baja Blast Hot Sauce, although this “one-off” (produced with Houston’s iBurn hot sauce shop) is more of a publicity stunt than anything else. Launched around National Hot Sauce Day in 2023, Baja Blast blends the “iconic tropical lime flavor of the beloved Mtn Dew Baja Blast with habanero peppers, green chilies, and jalapeno peppers.” Only 750 bottles of the limited-edition hot sauce were produced.

Hoping to leverage the success of Bravo’s Top Chef program (now in its 20th season) Top Chef Heatonist Hot Sauce includes input from Top Chef Season 12 winner, Mei Lin, and comes in three bold flavors including Peppercorn.

There are signs that hot sauce makers are broadening beyond heat. The debut of Frank’s RedHot Dill Pickle Hot Sauce with its tangy dill pickle flavor may be a sign that hot sauce makers want to add other flavor notes. Last May saw Kelchner Food Products, Eau Claire, Wis., launch  a Smoky Maple Chipotle marinade. In the fall, Bushwick Kitchen expanded its Weak Knees hot sauce line with three unique flavors: Habanero +Smokey Strawberry, Scotch Bonnet + Grilled Peach, and Jalapeno + Crisp Apple. 

That could be good news for Sauce Ventures LLC, Los Angeles. This premium truffle-based products maker extended its TRUFF line with a Jalapeno Lime Hot Sauce, an early 2024 entry that combines jalapeno peppers and lime with black winter truffle.