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We will see pistachio inspiring more snacks and beverages in the coming year – appearing as creams, butters, sauces in desserts, confections, and even beverages.
Taste & nutrition innovation specialist, Kerry Group, has come out with the 2025 Taste Charts, a unique report that uncovers what's next on the taste spectrum—A from sweet to savoury, beverages to snacks.
We distil some of the insights for office managers who are planning their office pantry restocking for the year ahead. The trends highlighted below are curated specifically for the Asia region.
2025 emerging flavour: Citrus
Citrus reigns supreme in the refreshing beverages space but now adds dimension and depth beyond beverages, going into indulgent sweet treats and salty snacks. While the quintessential citrus flavours of lemon, orange and lime continue to dominate, the market remains vibrant with the emergence of flavours around blood orange, yuzu, finger lime, pomelo, kaffir, and kumquat.
The following are the trending citrus flavours in Asia: bergamot, blood orange, calamansi, citron, kaffir lime, lemon curd, mandarin, mikan (satsuma), orange peel, pink grapefruit, pomelo, Sicilian lemon, sudachi, and tangerine.
Pistachio is experiencing a revival
We will see the emergence of pistachio in pesto and inspiring more snacks and beverages in the coming year – appearing as creams, butters, sauces in desserts, confections, and even beverages. This resurgence is fuelled by the influence of social media enthusiasm, whereby the Pistachio Kunefe/Pistachio Cream trend had the most searches.
There has been an 8% increase in pistachio product launches worldwide over the past three years. Globally, the search results for 'pistachio' peak every November for the pre-holiday season, positioning well as an indulgent holiday flavour.
Top 10 mainstream savoury flavours for the past five years
From hearty meats and meat alternatives to rich sauces and seafood, as well as appetisers and dips, these are the 10 flavours satisfying savoury desires.
- Tomato
- Black Pepper
- Indian Masala
- Japanese Miso
- Seaweed
- Korean Kimchi
- Smoke
- Barbecue
- Lemon
- Sambal Chilli
Fastest growing salty flavours in the past three years
The following are the crispy, crunchy bite flavours that keep people coming back for more, when it comes to chips, crisps, salty crackers, popcorn, meat snacks, puffed treats, tortillas and nachos.
- Cucumber
- White Cheddar
- Korean Kimchi
- Habanero Chilli
- Tamagoyaki
- Thai Tom Yum
- Wood-Fired Pizza
- Sambal
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Indian Tandoori
Cold and water-based beverage flavours in the past five years
Light, refreshing and thirst-quenching - cold and water-based beverages include alcohol, beverage enhancers, water, soft drinks, juices, and smoothies.
- Lime
- Grapefruit
- Plum
- Honey
- Passion Fruit
- Guava
- Pomegranate
- Ginger
- Pear
- Blueberry
Fastest-growing flavours in hot and dairy-based drinks
From morning coffee to afternoon teas, soothing hot cocoa, and dairy-based drinks, these are the emerging flavours to watch out for.
- Lime
- Pandan
- Lavender
- Masala
- Wintermelon
- Spiced Vanilla
- Pomelo
- Strawberry Matcha
- Miso Caramel
- Mikan (Japanese mandarin)
Top 10 sweet flavours in the past five years
Think of the flavours making desserts, sweets, biscuits, yoghurts, ice creams, granolas and snack bars into irresistible, indulgent moments of happiness.
- Milk Chocolate
- Strawberry
- Almond
- Vanilla
- Orange
- Mango
- Coconut
- Banana
- Lemon
- Caramel
Alternative ingredients to keep in your sights
Apart from functional ingredients such as garlic, onion, ginseng, black bean, and turmeric, the following are the emerging alternative ingredients that will influence the taste, functionality, nutrition and sensorial experiences of food and drink.
- Black Bean
- Jackfruit
- Shiitake Mushrooms
- Pumpkin
- Beetroot
- Lentil
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom
- Coconut Sugar
- Monkfruit
- Stevia
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