How Nostalgia is Shaping the Future of Taste?
Nostalgia is more than a sentiment, it’s a psychological anchor. Research in consumer behaviour shows that nostalgic experiences can foster positive emotions, a sense of belonging, and even increased product satisfaction. Amid global uncertainty, health crises, and digital fatigue, consumers are leaning towards regaining moments of emotional connection, and comfort.
This is the reason why a single bite of mango candy, a sip of rose milk, or the comforting aroma of freshly baked butter cookies can transport us back in time. Flavour, as a deeply personal sensory experience, holds a unique power to evoke memories and emotions making nostalgia a potent driver in food and beverage innovation. When applied to food, nostalgia into multi-sensory memory taste, smell, and even texture it recalls of childhood treats, family meals, or cultural rituals.
As brands look for meaningful ways to connect with consumers, nostalgic flavours are finding new relevance, not just as a return to the past, but as a springboard for reimagined experiences. The blend of cherished memories and modern innovations is fueling a growing trend: Newstalgia. It builds on this emotional connection by blending the past with the present reviving time honoured flavours in modern formats, offering consumers the best of both worlds.
Classic Flavours Making a Comeback
From vanilla and rose to cardamom, saffron, coconut, mango, aam panna, gulab jamun, and butterscotch classic Indian and global flavours are making a strong resurgence across product categories. Flavours such as elaichi (cardamom), kesar (saffron), and kulfi are not only returning to shelves but are being reformulated into indulgent yet health-forward offerings.
In the global context, strawberry milk, birthday cake, root beer, and cotton candy are being reintroduced in more sophisticated, cleaner formats. These flavours remind consumers of simpler times, but with a more refined sensory and nutritional profile. They are no longer limited to retro confectionery; today, they are showing up in beverages, ice creams, protein powders, and functional snacks.
The Rise of Newstalgia
The essence of Newstalgia lies in reimagining the familiar and elevating it to meet modern expectation. This could mean launching an aam panna-flavoured fortified hydration drink, a gulab jamun-inspired protein bar, or a coconut-caramel oat milkshake.
Consumers are increasingly drawn to products that evoke tradition but are delivered in new-age formats convenient, portable, or plant-based. A rose-flavoured tea or a masala chai protein shake for example, bridges generational preferences.
Brands are capitalising newstalgia by packaging comfort in nostalgic visual cues with contemporary minimalism, introducing indulgent formats with clean-label credentials, and blending traditional ingredients with global formats, for example, rasmalai flavoured macarons or gulkand flavoured frozen yogurt. Familiarity lowers trial barriers, while innovation sparks curiosity together, they offer a compelling value proposition in highly competitive markets.
Product Categories Fueling the Nostalgic Trend
Nostalgia-driven innovation is not limited to one category, it is reshaping product development across several key verticals:
Beverages: From rose milk and jeera masala soda to sharbat-inspired sparkling drinks and nimbu pani energy boosters, beverages are leading the charge in nostalgia flavoured reformulations. Brands are infusing traditional tastes into wellness and convenience formats, including RTDs (ready-to-drink), functional drinks, mocktails, and plant-based lattes.
Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts: Flavours like kulfi, paan, gajar halwa, and mishti doi are being reinvented in premium ice cream formats, gourmet cones, and vegan frozen novelties. Combining these with layered inclusions like nuts, syrups, and baked elements enhances the sensorial and emotional appeal.
Confectionery: Hard-boiled candies, jellies, and toffees with classic profiles like coconut, jamun, lychee, and mango are seeing a premium transformation. Nostalgia also influences functional confectionery gummies, chews, and fortified lozenges are using these comforting flavour profiles to make health products more enjoyable.
Bakery: Bakery category also possesses a great potential for nostalgic reinterpretation. Cardamom-spiced cookies, filter coffee cakes, or butterscotch rusks are emerging bakery products. Even health-conscious baked goods such as millet cookies or protein-enriched muffins are infused with legacy flavours to maintain emotional relevance.
Keva Flavours: Reviving Classics. Reinventing Taste
At Keva Flavours, we understand the emotional resonance that flavour carries. Our approach to flavour innovation blends deep cultural insights with technical excellence, enabling brands to develop products that are not only flavourful but emotionally meaningful.
Our team of flavourists and application experts have crafted a wide portfolio of nostalgic flavours ranging from coconut, cardamom, saffron, mango, aam panna, and rose to more indulgent profiles like kulfi, gulkand, and butter. These profiles can be fine-tuned for various formats, including gummies, dairy, protein shakes, bakery, frozen treats, and beverages.
With in-house sensory science capabilities, flavour modulation tools, and a commitment to customised solutions, we ensure every nostalgic note delivers on both emotional and technical performance. As brands continue to explore this balance of old and new, Keva Flavours stands ready to co-create flavour journeys that are memorable, meaningful, and market-ready.
We also lead in developing newstalgic flavour pairings combining legacy tastes with trending formats or international influences. Whether you are looking to create a paan flavoured sparkling water, a masala chai flavoured protein bar, or an ice cream inspired by Indian mithai, Keva brings you the expertise to innovate with authenticity.
To explore more, visit our blogs or write to us at connect.flavours@keva.co.in
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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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The statements, views, thoughts and opinions expressed on blog or social media are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Keva Flavours or its parent organisation. The company does not take any responsibility for the views of the author.