It’s the trend that keeps on trending! Foods and flavors from around the world have managed to continue to captivate adventurous consumers, allowing them to explore exotic locales from their own homes during the pandemic. In fact, according to Mintel, 36% of consumers report wanting to see more international options available in retail. While this trend won’t be going away any time soon (or likely ever), consumers’ preferences are still rapidly evolving. Every year, our marketing research experts take a deep dive into global food and flavor trends to analyze what cuisines and flavors from around the world will be trending in the upcoming year. Here’s our take on the top international inspired foods and flavors that consumers will be craving in 2022:
- Chili Crunch. Hailing from China, this condiment has been generating a lot of buzz in foodservice recently. Featuring chili flakes, spices, and sesame seeds in oil, chili crunch delivers all the exotic spiciness that consumers are craving these days. It also has a unique crunchy texture going for it, and its flavor profile is incredibly versatile. Even better yet, its ingredients are familiar to most consumers, giving it mass appeal. Expect to see chili crunch (also known as chili crisp) making its way into more foodservice establishments and grocery stores in the coming year.
What’s not to love about birria? This Mexican beef stew features warm spices and the perfect balance of smoky, spicy, and savory notes. The stewed meat is commonly stuffed into tortillas and fried to make mouthwateringly delicious tacos. Birria tacos will be big in 2022, but the possibilities won’t stop there. Given its versatility – and consumers’ interest in global mashups – we anticipate that consumers will seek out birria in a wide variety of dishes, including ramen and pizza, in the coming year.
What’s not to love about birria? This Mexican beef stew features warm spices and the perfect balance of smoky, spicy, and savory notes. The stewed meat is commonly stuffed into tortillas and fried to make mouthwateringly delicious tacos. Birria tacos will be big in 2022, but the possibilities won’t stop there. Given its versatility – and consumers’ interest in global mashups – we anticipate that consumers will seek out birria in a wide variety of dishes, including ramen and pizza, in the coming year.
- Doro Wat. Curries from India and Thailand have long been popular, but with consumers on the hunt for what’s new and what’s next, it’s time to look to other regions for curry inspiration. Enter doro wat. Originating in Ethiopia, doro wat is a rich and spicy chicken curry. Typically topped with a boiled egg and served with injera, a slightly sour flatbread with a spongy texture, doro wat has been gaining traction in foodservice recently. Given that Millennial and Gen Z consumers have expressed considerable interest in African cuisine, we’re predicting that doro wat will be their next global comfort food obsession.
Difficult to pronounce, but easy to become obsessed with, khachapuri is a cheesy bread hailing from Georgia (the country, not the state). Often stuffed with several different types of cheese and topped with egg, khachapuri is the ultimate brunch food – and it’s highly customizable too, with different variations of it popping up on restaurant menus around the world. While Georgian cuisine has yet to hit the mainstream, we’re anticipating that khachapuri will really catch on in 2022.
Difficult to pronounce, but easy to become obsessed with, khachapuri is a cheesy bread hailing from Georgia (the country, not the state). Often stuffed with several different types of cheese and topped with egg, khachapuri is the ultimate brunch food – and it’s highly customizable too, with different variations of it popping up on restaurant menus around the world. While Georgian cuisine has yet to hit the mainstream, we’re anticipating that khachapuri will really catch on in 2022.
- When it comes to sweet treats, mochi is where it’s at. Originating in Japan, mochi is a bite-sized rice cake, known for its chewy texture and sweet coating. While it is usually served on holidays in Japan, it is now taking off in foodservice and retail around the world. Mochi is, in many ways, a blank canvas for flavor – and color. We’re predicting that uniquely flavored and vibrantly colored mochi will trend on social media in the coming months, eventually becoming more prominent in foodservice and retail. Mochi is going to have its moment in 2022!
Got global on your mind? We’ve got you covered! We’ll be launching our next white paper, all about global food and flavor trends, in early 2022. Keep checking our website for updates!
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