It all started with sriracha. What now feels like a lifetime ago, sriracha made waves for its sweet heat, ethnic appeal, and incredible versatility. At a time when the ethnic food trend was just starting to pick up steam, sriracha was able to garner significant buzz thanks to the rise of social media. When sriracha was at its height, it seemed impossible, back then, to scroll through Facebook or YouTube without a post dedicated to its deliciousness. Many a trend expert predicted that sriracha was just a fad and would fizzle out and fade into memory eventually. It turned out that they were wrong – very wrong; sriracha reached mainstream status and has continued to show growth across categories, in foodservice and retail.
Due to the sriracha success story, our trend experts get asked all the time, “What’s the next sriracha?” If there’s anything to take away from sriracha’s success, it’s that ethnic sauces serve as excellent inspiration for flavor and food products across the board. As the search for the next sriracha continues, let’s take a look at four contenders that have some serious potential when it comes to being sriracha 2.0.
Harissa – Hailing from Tunisia, harissa has all the complex spiciness consumers are craving. Featuring roasted red peppers and warm, alluring spices, harissa is as versatile as it is delicious. It is commonly served with meat, fish, or couscous, or added to stews. The possibilities don’t stop there though; harissa’s flavor profile translates well to everything from snack seasonings to dairy-based dips.
Zhug – Zhug has been making waves in the past year or so as it has gained traction in foodservice and retail. A spicy green condiment, zhug is typically used as a sauce for proteins. Its flavor profile, however, translates exceptionally well to snacks, side dishes, and vegetables.
Gochujang – Another one that brings the heat, Korean gochujang has been gaining traction in foodservice over the past couple of years. An added bonus? It is fermented, offering a delicious sour flavor that consumers will totally crave. It delivers the “wow” factor for snacks and condiments alike.
Ajvar – Made from roasted peppers and eggplant, ajvar is a classic condiment in Serbian cuisine that is now beginning to rise in popularity around the world. Commonly used as a spread, its flavor profile translates well to a variety of other applications, including dips, snacks, and more.
Need more flavor inspiration? Our experts have you covered. Contact us today to get in touch with our team of flavor innovators.