Flavours, Health, and Sustainability in F&B: The Driving Forces of 2025
As we step into 2025, the food and beverage industry continue to evolve, shaped by consumer preferences, health-conscious choices, and sustainability goals. Several key trends are emerging that cater to the growing demand for healthier, more sustainable, and innovative products.
1. Innovative Flavours
Flavour is the heart and soul of every food and beverage product, defining its identity and appeal. It creates memorable experiences, enhancing both taste and enjoyment with every bite or sip. Flavour exploration is taking centre stage in 2025, with consumers eager to try unique and unexpected combinations. From exotic spices to fusion flavours that blend different culinary traditions, the market is embracing creativity like never before. Spicy, umami, floral, and botanical flavours are making their way into a variety of food and beverage products.
Consumer preferences, social trends, and geographical influences play a crucial role in shaping flavour innovations. Popular flavours often emerge from cultural nostalgia, social media trends, and celebrity endorsements. Regional ingredients and traditional cuisines also inspire new creations, while climate change impacts ingredient availability, driving sustainable alternatives. As global tastes evolve, brands blend authenticity with modern twists, ensuring flavours resonate with diverse palates while aligning with ethical and environmental concerns.
Global consumer studies show that consumers’ interest in trying new flavours varies greatly depending on their age. Younger generations are more willing to sample new and unusual flavours, especially Gen Z and Millennials. For example, compared to just 14% of Gen X respondents, 39% of Gen Z and Millennials have eaten or are aware with dragon fruit in desserts and confections. Furthermore, compared to 7% for other age groups, 14% of Millennials and 12% of Gen Z had bought international snacks in the last three months. Younger customers’ increased willingness to try new and foreign flavours is reflected in this trend.
Innovative flavours are also being influenced by health trends, with functional flavours such as turmeric, matcha, and hibiscus becoming mainstream. The beverage category, in particular, is experimenting with bold and refreshing taste profiles to cater to evolving palates.
2. Flavourful Hydration
Beverages are no longer just about quenching thirst; they are becoming an experience of flavourful hydration. Lightly carbonated water, fruit-infused water, and herbal-infused drinks are emerging as preferred choices for health-conscious consumers who seek and balanced and refreshing lifestyle. These beverages offer refreshing flavours without the excessive sugar content found in traditional sodas and juices.
The demand for functional hydration is also driving the inclusion of electrolytes, antioxidants, and adaptogens in beverages. Whether it’s a post-workout recovery drink or a mid-day refreshment, consumers are looking for hydration options that provide both taste and health benefits.
3. Health and Wellness
Delicious food and beverages are a universal joy, but today’s consumers want more—they seek indulgence with added health benefits. Due to this fact, health and wellness remain at the forefront of consumer priorities, with an increasing demand for products that offer both taste and nutritional benefits. Consumers are seeking food and beverage options that support gut health, incorporate probiotics, and are rich in fiber and protein. Functional ingredients such as natural vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes are becoming mainstream, offering added health benefits without compromising taste.
The focus on gut health has driven the rise of fermented foods and beverages, including kombucha, kefir, and probiotic-enriched snacks. Additionally, products fortified with superfoods and adaptogens are making their way into daily diets, helping consumers combat stress and enhance overall well-being.
4. Permissible Guilt-Free Indulgence
In urban areas, consumers struggle with hectic work life balance and strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle, they still crave guilt-free indulgence that do not compromise their health goals. This has led to the rise of permissible indulgence, where products are designed to be low in sodium, low in sugar, or even sugar-free without sacrificing flavour. Brands are leveraging natural sweeteners to provide sweetness without the negative health impacts of refined sugar. Gluten-free options are also gaining traction as more individuals adopt dietary choices that align with their health goals.
Healthier versions of traditionally indulgent ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-consume (RTC) items, such as ice creams, chocolates, and snacks, are gaining popularity. These products offer the same sensory experience with better nutritional profiles, allowing consumers to enjoy their favourite treats guilt-free.
5. Traditional Nostalgia
Nostalgia—what comes to mind when you hear this word? Is it the burst of bubble gum or kala khatta from your childhood? The perfect roadside chaat from your favourite local vendor? Or the tangy-sweet tamarind chutney lovingly prepared by your grandmother? Flavours have a powerful way of transporting us back in time, reviving cherished memories and emotions.
Consumers are increasingly seeking comfort and familiarity in their food choices, leading to a resurgence of traditional and nostalgic flavours. Whether its childhood favourites reimagined with a modern twist or regional specialties that evoke fond memories, the desire for nostalgia-driven foods is on the rise. Classic recipes are being reintroduced with a healthier profile, incorporating natural ingredients while maintaining their authentic taste.
6. Cleaner Labelling
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) were a major talking point in 2024, driven largely by Gen Z and social media, according to The Tape Agency. Transparency in food labelling has become a critical factor for consumers who want to make informed choices about what they consume. Cleaner labelling means products with fewer, recognizable ingredients that are free from artificial additives, preservatives, and synthetic chemicals. Consumers are scrutinizing ingredient lists more than ever, driving brands to adopt clear and honest communication.
Organic, non-GMO, and minimally processed products are also gaining traction as part of the clean-label movement.
7. Plant-Based Product Offerings
The plant-based movement continues to gain momentum slowly among Gen-Z consumers embracing plant-based diets for health, ethical, and environmental reasons. The market is witnessing an expansion of plant-based alternatives beyond dairy and meat substitutes, with new offerings in snacks, bakery products, and even beverages.
Innovative plant-based foods, derived from sources like quinoa, jackfruit, and cauliflower, are being incorporated into a variety of products, offering a delicious texture and nutritional benefits while meeting consumer demand for sustainability and flavour. Similarly, plant-based proteins derived from sources such as peas, lentils, and chickpeas are being incorporated into a wide range of products, offering a satisfying texture and nutritional value. Plant-based dairy alternatives, including oat, almond, and coconut milk, are also evolving to meet consumer demand for taste and functionality.
8. Sustainability
Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword; it has become an essential factor influencing purchasing decisions. According to researches, over 60% of consumers are actively seeking ways to adopt more environmentally friendly habits. Meanwhile, FMCG Gurus reports that 32% of consumers are keen to avoid ingredients that may harm the planet. In response, brands are prioritizing sustainability by focusing on ethical sourcing, reducing their carbon footprint, and advocating for social and environmental causes.
Keva Flavours: Leading Innovations with Tailored Flavour Solutions
The food and beverage industry in 2025 is driven by a desire for healthier, more sustainable, and flavourful choices. Consumers are becoming more discerning, seeking products that align with their values and lifestyles.
Keva Flavours, leveraging deep market insights and R&D expertise, pioneers innovative flavour concepts tailored to evolving consumer preferences. Collaborating with food scientists and application technologists, it develops flavour solutions that seamlessly integrate health-focused ingredients while masking off-notes to enhance taste and deliver a superior sensorial experience. With expertise in flavour modulation, sugar modulation, and clean-label solutions, Keva ensures that beverages and food products offer both nutritional benefits and exceptional taste. Its tailored solutions help brands achieve balanced sweetness without compromising on flavour integrity, appealing to the adventurous yet health-conscious consumer base.
Additionally, Keva brings nostalgic flavours to life with modern formulations, striking the perfect balance between tradition and innovation. Supporting the clean-label movement, it also offers plant-based flavour solutions that enhance taste while meeting sustainability and transparency demands, ensuring consumer trust and loyalty.
By staying ahead of market shifts and embracing innovation, Keva Flavours continues to be a trusted partner in shaping the future of the food and beverage industry. For more information, write to us at connect.flavours@keva.co.in and read our blogs.
Keep relishing our elegant flavours!
Array
Keva has an extensive flavour shop for various food and beverage applications, besides a team of expert flavourists and food technologists for creating custom flavours and matches. To partner with us, contact Keva today.
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27 Feb 2025
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