What's Next in Spicy Foods on Technomic's Flavor Lifecycle

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Oct 13, 2015, 11:10 ET

CHICAGO, Oct. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- It's no secret that spicy is an incendiary menu flavor right now. Technomic's Flavor Lifecycle, which tracks flavors on their journey from innovation to ubiquity, shows many mature staples: Buffalo, chile, jalapeno, Cajun. But it also shows us what's likely to come next.

"Menu categories see wide variation in flavor innovation," says Bernadette Noone, vice president at Technomic. "Aji amarillo, a Southeast Asian spice, is the leading cutting-edge spicy flavor in appetizers; while in entrees, it's sambal, an Indonesian favorite. Spicy flavors that are one step closer to widespread acceptance—but still innovative—include poblano in appetizers and red chile in entrees."

The Flavor Lifecycle tracks adoption levels across concept categories with varying levels of innovation, from chef-driven restaurants to national chains. It dynamically projects trends for thousands of menu categories, and helps organizations find the right flavors before they go mainstream.

Even widely adopted flavors find new life with unique menu applications. The Flavor Lifecycle tool projects a new platform for wasabi—a longtime mature flavor for sushi—on early adopter salad menus. For Sriracha, now widely accepted on most handhelds (burgers, sandwiches, sushi and wings), the next push looks likely to be in tacos.

And if you're looking for the little-known trend-to-be, Technomic also forecasts growth for gochujang (a spicy, salty paste from Asia, made from fermented soybeans, dried chiles and garlic).

Technomic's MenuMonitor analyzes more than 7,000 commercial and noncommercial menus tracked quarterly to identify menu opportunities, including seasonal promotions, new menus and LTOs. Technomic's Flavor Lifecycle has been tracking flavors on the innovation spectrum since 2011. As a dynamic part of MenuMonitor, it can pull predictive flavor insights on a limitless range of dishes in seconds.

To learn more, please visit Technomic.com or contact one of the individuals listed below. For Technomic updates, please follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or our blog.

Contacts:
Press Inquiries: Bernadette Noone, 312-506-3853, or [email protected]
Report Details: Bri Quinn, 312-506-4075, or [email protected]
Purchasing Details: Patrick Noone, 312-506-3852, or [email protected]

About Technomic

Only Technomic, a Winsight company, delivers a 360-degree view of the food industry. We impact growth and profitability for our clients by providing consumer-grounded vision and channel-relevant strategic insights. Our services range from major research studies and management consulting solutions to online databases and simple fact-finding assignments. Our clients include food manufacturers and distributors, restaurants and retailers, other foodservice organizations, and various institutions aligned with the food industry. Visit us at technomic.com.

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SOURCE Technomic