Beck Flavors Announces Food and Beverage Flavor of the Year for 2022

In preparation for a new year filled with exciting flavors and unique product launches aimed to capture the attention of the consumer, Beck Flavors has announced the four flavors that will be playing a big role in the food and beverage industry in 2022. 

Similar to their approach last year, Beck Flavors identified four key flavor categories–Fruit, Botanical, Innovative, and new for 2022 is the Indulgent category. Beck’s marketing and R&D team joined forces to analyze consumer flavor preferences and mega trends that are driving buying behavior to better understand where these trends will pivot in the coming year and what that means for product innovation. 

Fruit - Clementine

A sweet, crisp and refreshing citrus flavor that pairs well with other fruits, berries or even spices. “Given the pandemic, there’s been a huge consumer focus on better eating – which involves calorie consciousness, better ingredients, lower sugars or carbs, and a shift towards flavors that represent a “healthier” position”, said Megan Gibson, Marketing Manager at Beck Flavors. She adds, “There’s been a 50% year-over-year growth for new products with Clementine flavors. They are a vitamin C powerhouse, which is directly associated with antioxidant and immune-boosting properties, making it a very attractive flavor when looking for healthier ingredient options.”

Botanical – Elderflower

With notes described as fresh, fruity, and slightly floral, you’ll notice hints of pear and lychee with tropical nuances mixed throughout. “Floral ingredients are being incorporated into more foods and beverages since their tonalities can offer new experiences, aromas and healthy connotations”, said Messina Truttman, VP of Sales and Marketing at Beck. “These unique botanicals pair perfectly with more familiar flavors like apple, pear, blackberry or passionfruit to create something that consumers can ease into, without being too bold or exotic that it steers them away.” 

Innovative – Star Fruit Apricot

With the pandemic putting a halt to people’s travel plans over the past year, consumers are craving new experiences and more adventurous flavor profiles. Apricots offer a great balance of sweetness and tart flavors, like a mixture between a peach and a plum, whereas star fruits bring more of the sweetness which tastes like a mixture between grapefruits, oranges, and pears. Pairing an exotic fruit with a more domestic fruit or berry can make the food or beverage more enticing to try since it offers familiarity but offers a twist that makes it more enticing to try. We’ve found that 63% of consumers find exotic foods and beverages from all over the world appealing, so we are constantly exploring new exotic pairings that work well across a series of applications,” says Adam Berge, Applications Technologist at Beck Flavors. 

Indulgent – coconut caramel cookie

Just like the classic Samoa cookie we all know and love, this flavor combines the taste of shortbread cookie with hints of chocolate, rich caramel, and toasted coconut for a sweet, creamy, and indulgent finish. Now more than ever, consumers are drawn toward comfort foods and beverages, bringing back the trend of nostalgic flavors that remind us of all our childhood favorites. In fact, Beck found that nearly a third of global consumers have increased their preference for nostalgic and traditional flavors in the beverage category. 

To support the 2022 Flavor of the Year, Beck also released a series of infographics that break down reasoning behind the flavor selections, trends that support the winning choices, and potential flavor pairings that can work very well with the winning flavors across various applications.

DOWNLOAD FLAVOR OF THE YEAR INFOGRAPHICS