Summer Trending HOT
The weather is heating up to summer temperatures—and so are trending flavors. With Coachella as the marker of summer trend kickoffs, Starbucks unveiled new recipes last April, and the flavors carry a spicy punch. “The lineup of ‘swicy’ drinks made with hot honey that were announced last month for Reserve stores in Chicago, New York City, and Seattle. Together, these beverages join the throng of hot honey pepperoni pizzas, sweet chili-flavored Takis, and chili pepper maple syrups that have been popular on menus and in grocery stores over the past year,” writes Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN). The new sweet-and-spicy—“swicy”—flavors include pineapple, dragonfruit, and strawberry, seasoned with Starbucks’s proprietary chili powder blend.
As NRN notes, this sweet-and-spicy trend is on the rise, in both foods and beverages. “Using Datassential’s approach, spicy flavors can be incorporated into your menu in a variety of ways,” shares Avendra, a hospitality services provider, offering a few suggestions for easy execution:
Inception: Fermented flavors like doubanjiang or fermented chilies are beginning to trend in 2024.
Adoption: Dried peppers and dried pepper flakes such as guajillo, Aleppo, and anchos are currently trending
Proliferation: Explore sweet and savory options, especially with tropical fruits. Consider spicy pineapple jalapeño jelly or mango salsa alongside popular proteins or in salads.
Ubiquity: Freshen up condiments with salsa variations like corn, black bean, or pepita salsa, offering modern twists to Mexican dishes or traditional entrees.
Sweet-and-spicy is a trend that has been organically and incrementally increasing, as evidenced by the spike in small-batch hot sauces in shops, restaurants, and even home kitchens. Social media influences share their curated hot sauce collections, and some malls now have stores dedicated just to hot sauces. This Medium article charts the quick growth of the hot sauce business and how it will impact trends in 2024. “Consumers are increasingly seeking unique and unconventional flavor experiences. This has led to a surge in the popularity of artisanal and small-batch hot sauces that push the boundaries of traditional flavor profiles,” says the author.
Local hot sauce offerings are an easy way for small restaurants to hop on-board the swicy trend; but for summer 2024, swicy drinks will be the hottest. Consumers seeking adventurous and still refreshing cocktails will be drawn to traditional flavors with an additional kick. And Spruce Eats has some great recipes to add a little fire to crowd-pleasing drinks.
Richard Weil, owner and principal of National Restaurant Consultants believes, “Utilizing multiple herbs and spices coupled with infusing sweet and salty adaptations to what guests are already craving, will entice guests to remember your restaurant and menu offerings and you will stay at the top of their minds all summer long.”
Staying on top of trending foods and drinks is an easy way to monitor and maintain customer retention and customer growth. By incorporating small additions and changes to seasonal menus, your restaurant can remain relevant and benefit from word-of-mouth communication. Trust our restaurant consultants to share up-to-date knowledge of food trends and easy ways to execute those trends in your restaurant business.