Hot and Spicy Foods are on the
Trendy list for 2016! It may have
started with siracha, but the demand for hot and spicy
flavors in Restaurants and Supermarkets continues to grow as consumers
demand more heat from a wider variety of sources. Chili peppers and spices from
cayenne to cinnamon are bringing the heat to a range of foods and beverages, including main courses, snacks and
even alcohol.
Jalapeno is the most popular spicy
pepper on menus, followed by chipotle, according to Datassential
MenuTrends. The market researcher found that operators are seeking
to make spicy flavors more approachable by adding heat to a traditional,
non-spicy sauce such as mayonnaise, ranch, vinaigrette or aioli.This quest for heat goes hand-in-hand with consumers’ growing familiarity and sense of adventure concerning global cuisines, which often pack a much spicier punch than typical American fare. A recent survey by the National Restaurant Association found that 17% of consumers report eating seven or more cuisines on a monthly basis, and two-thirds eat a wider variety of ethnic cuisines now than they did five years ago. Italian, Mexican and Chinese are the top three cuisines in terms of familiarity, trial and frequency of eating, but Thai, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian are also gaining popularity with American diners.
Technomic named spicy
flavors among its 10 top trend predictions for 2016, dubbing their surge in
populairty “the sriracha effect.” The food research and consulting firm
predicted that chefs will look to branch out from the ubiquitous chili sauce
with other global ingredients such as ghost pepper from India; sambal from Southeast
Asia; gochujang from Korea; and harissa, sumac and dukka from North Africa.
Beverage makers are burning out a
niche with spicy drinks in both the alcoholic and soft drink categories.
Non-alcoholic options are mainly juices that tout the functional benefits of
spices such as cinnamon and turmeric. Cayenne, which gained popularity as a
beverage ingredient thanks to cleanse-focused drinks, is now showing up in
products that highlight its spicy flavor rather than its metabolism-boosting
properties.
In US bars and liquor stores, the
huge popularity of Fireball cinnamon-flavored whiskey has given way to other
cinnamon liquors as well as spicier spirits that get their kick from chili
peppers, the Wall Street Journal
reported. Rogue rolled out a chipotle whiskey and Jim Beam is fighting Fireball
with fire with its own cinnamon-infused Kentucky Fire.
How is the spicy trend impacting
your menu or product line? Tell us about it in the comments.
