Instore - November 2018 - 30

R&D

Trending ﬂavors
by Andy Nelson

n the grocery deli and prepared food departments of 2019, expect to see more
global, plant-based and regional foods and
flavor combinations that balance the familiar with the cutting-edge.
And regardless of the trend, look for grocery
to be closer to the action than ever before -
not trailing behind other channels.
Grocery chain store customers in 2019 will
continue to have access to cutting-edge
flavors that were formerly the privilege of
more rarefied venues, says Marlo Mastalerz,
research and development chef and R&D director at Excalibur Seasoning.

"We're seeing more of a cultural
assortment of the freshest up-andcoming products that would normally
only be available at specialty markets."
MARLO MASTALERZ, EXCALIBUR SEASONING

"We're seeing more of a cultural assortment
of the freshest up-and-coming products that
would normally only be available at specialty
markets," Mastalerz says. "We're constantly
evaluating the needs of our customers, as
well as working with our suppliers to stay
ahead of the curve and forecast availability."

take risks because of a high degree of uncertainty in their lives.

pandan, regional BBQ and Mexican, Italian,
Spanish and Deep South (U.S.).

When it comes to food, Badaracco says, that
means people are leaning towards old favorites. They still want to try new flavors, but
the trick is not to overdo it.

Plant-based foods and beverages are hot and
will remain hot in 2019, says Amy MarksMcGee, founder of consultancy Trendincite
LLC. Not that long ago, access to plantbased foods was limited and the selection of
choices even narrower, she says.

"Now is not the time for extreme experimentation," she says. "Classics are the sweet
spot. If you do want to be more trend-forward, pair an experimental, fringe idea with
a classic background."
"Fringe" flavors expected to be in demand
in 2019, Badaracco says, include seaweed,
yuzu, pandan, smoke, tamarind, vegetable
ash and sour, pickled and fermented flavors.
At the other end of the spectrum, bringing
those fringe experiments down to earth, are
"comfort" flavors like caramel, varietal citrus, coconut, butter, regional BBQ, ginger,
cinnamon, pumpkin, rum and bourbon.
At the grocery instore level, Badaracco expects to see more use of sumac, rosemary,

Now it's mainstream for consumers to look
for better-for-you products driven by the
rise in vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian lifestyles. And the trend is migrating from the
center of the store to the perimeter.
"There is a lot of activity in packaged foods
and beverages, and now we're seeing activity slowly happen in the instore deli and prepared foods," Marks-McGee says. "What's
interesting about plant-based products is
that the flavors created for these products
are not so different - it's the base or preparation." For example, she says, in snacks
consumers still like salty, cheesy, spicy and
sweet flavors. But instead of a potato chip

In grocery stores, instore departments
are playing a bigger role in driving trends
throughout the store, Mastalerz says.
"Today we're seeing more and more trends
working their way into the instore restaurants and driving results on what you will
see on the grocery store shelf. By hiring
chefs and focusing on flavor, many grocery
stores have already elevated the profile of
their offerings."
Suzy Badaracco, president of consultancy
Culinary Tides Inc., says that although the
U.S. economy is roaring, political unrest in
the country has produced what economists
and behavioralists call a "stall" - a condition in which consumers are less willing to

30 * NOVEMBER 2018 * commissary INSIDER

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