At Innovations 2025, operators sipped lavender Arnold Palmers, took a bite of shakshuka, and dipped their spoons into ube parfait.
And that’s just three of the 80 samples that were available at Trend Explorer, a special tasting event at Innovations where operators enjoyed small plates based on six Datassential trends. We’re covering the highlights of the next three trends in part two of our Trend Explorer recap.
Did you miss part one? Check it out here.
Living for Now
Consumers might be pinching pennies in this economy, but they’re willing to spend a little more on a special treat. Datassential found that 69% of consumers eat an indulgent treat weekly or more often. An extra few dollars on an afternoon snack, over-the-top appetizer, or additional coffee flavor is an affordable indulgence, because you can’t put a price on joy.
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Nothing says indulgence like a toppings bar, and Winland Foods took that another level with their Mac ‘N Sweet. Attendees started with macaroni and proceeded to add hazelnut chocolate sauce and their choice of sweets. It’s a crazy combination that we couldn’t help but try, and that’s what living in the moment is all about.
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Chocolate might be the sweet ingredient we gravitate to when we think of indulgence, but Sara Lee Frozen Bakery went a different direction with their creamy, refreshing strawberry mango cheesecake ice cream.
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Mount Franklin Foods presented a snackable spin on the cheese board with savory mixed nuts served with brie and hot honey.
Social Media Sensations
At his Industry Update presentation, Dot Foods CEO Dick Tracy discussed the major influence social media has on buying behavior, particularly for younger generations. According to Circana, 76% of 18- to 34-year-olds have made a purchase because of something they saw online.
Restaurants can’t ignore this influence, but there’s no way to chase every viral culinary trend. Instead, operators should keep an eye out for the social media trends that make sense for their menu and audience. Be sure to create a unique take, so that it’ll seem fresh even if the trend has already gone stale.
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Towering waffle creations have captured attention on social media platforms. Kraft Heinz got in on the action with their Korean chicken and mac and cheese waffle stack, a fun mix of global, sweet, and savory flavors.
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Similar to the fried chicken sandwich wars, restaurants have battled it out over their French toast sticks. Michael Foods added extra visual appeal to their pumpkin spice French toast sticks with social-media friendly cotton candy flavored with chai.
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The Dubai chocolate bar made a viral splash in 2024. Inspired by a Middle Eastern dessert called knafeh, other versions made with cheese, pistachio, and pastry have cropped up, including David’s Cookies’ Dubai chocolate brownie on our show floor.
Spicy and…
2024 was the year of “swicy”—that is, sweet and spicy. But that wasn’t enough. Now, consumers crave just about any spicy flavor combination. This invites chefs to go bolder with flavor combinations and spices.
Like most U.S. food trends, the growing interest in complex spice has flown in from global cuisines and ingredients, like South Korea’s spicy and tangy kimchi and India’s spicy and smoky chamoy. This was reflected on the show floor, where exhibitors gave us a world tour of “spicy and…” creations.
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McCormick presented us with spicy and tangy esquites, or Mexican street corn, with chili lime seasoning.
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Pizza and flatbread are the perfect bases for Indian ingredients, which is why Indian pizza has been popping up more across the U.S. Savor Imports’ flatbread is topped with tandoori chicken and a creamy, spicy makhni (or makhani) sauce with tomato, cream, and spices.
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While many exhibitors sought inspiration from Mexico, South Korea, and India, Nestle Professional took us to Africa with fried shrimp and harissa, a North African sauce with chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices.
Your Sourcing Solution
It’s not always easy to act on innovative trends, particularly in the face of other industry challenges. But ignoring innovative trends is ignoring what consumers want. With increasingly curious consumers, restaurants must deliver on surprising flavors, fun trends, and small indulgences to deliver value.
Dot Foods can help you with industry challenges, so you can focus on menu innovation. We can support your sourcing, sampling, and LTO management as well as expose you to exciting products perfect for your menu—including any of the products from Innovations.
Bring more trends to life! Discover products from Trend Explorer.