According to the latest Flavour Report from I.T.S, the specialist flavour experts, Eastern influences, Big and Bold and Everlasting flavours will be the ones to watch in the bakery sector during 2025.
Utilising market data from Innova Market Insights, Tastewise, Mintel and research company vypr along with the company’s own client NPD work, I.T.S’ annual Flavour Report highlights the major flavour trends for 2025 and the factors that are influencing their popularity.
I.T.S says that Asian and Eastern popular culture in the West is heavily influencing all food and drink categories but is impacting bakery especially, where Korean, Japanese and increasingly Filipino flavours are trending.
“With their calming, peaceful and restorative associations, Asian flavours are hugely popular”, explains Liz Gabriel, bakery specialist at I.T.S. “They make great additions to sweet baked goods and marry particularly well in dessert applications; hence we have seen a boom in these types of flavour profiles being requested by our bakery customers.
“I.T.S calls these emerging flavours Eastern Eats and they are often paired with core flavours to help consumers relate to them. So, if bakery manufacturers are using flavours like Pandan, Lychee, or Yuzu for example, pairing with a more familiar flavour such as coconut or lemon will entice consumers to try something new. Yuzu, Matcha and Miso are ideal for sweet bakery while in the savoury category, look out for kimchi, katsu curry or pickled cucumber. Don’t be surprised to see these distinctive savoury notes paired with sweet flavours either to entice consumers who love a sweet and salty combination,” Liz adds.
In contrast, to the calming flavours of the East, I.T.S has also identified that Big and Bold flavours which pack a punch as trending in bakery too. Quoting Innova Market Research I.T.S says that 40% of consumers say a “rich” flavour or taste makes for an “impressive experience” and 22% of global consumers are looking for “intense” and “bold” flavours. And according to CAGR data, these ‘instant gratification’ tastes include salty, margarita with its whack of salt and lime along with tastebud tinglers, sour and sherbet. Many of the bold flavours found in cocktails – pisco sour, margarita and espresso martini for example – can give a premium, adult feel to desserts.
I.T.S also highlights Everlasting Flavours are those which seem to be staying around for longer especially in bakery. Last year the company identified Newfound Nostalgia, Barbie World and Creative Caramel as ones to watch and these trends are continuing to feature high in the popularity stakes.
“Caramel is one everlasting flavour that continues to stay around,” Liz explains. “And we are seeing some creative flavour extensions in the market, from caramelised apple, Dulce de Leche, to Miso Caramel or smoky caramel. The beauty of caramel is that it pairs with so many other flavours working across every type of bakery application and that accounts for much of its everlasting appeal”.
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Editor, International Bakery
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