12 Predicted Food Trends for 2014

It’s not so bad being trendy, everyone who eats like me is my friend.
Huh? That’s not how the song goes? Well, for this post it is. Because — I’ll admit it — while I’m not usually one for big trends in fashion, I’m a sucker for food trends. There’s just something enticing about being on the cutting-edge of ingredients and dishes. Looking at food trends gets me excited to eat out — and gives me new and unique ideas of how to mix up my own healthy cooking in the kitchen.
So, when Sensient Flavors had its experts predict the top 2014 food trends, I was curious. No, scratch that. I was happier than a lobster in butter sauce. Using both structured, formal research, as well as primary, grassroots market excursions to track, identify and predict consumer mega- and micro-trends, these 12 up-and-coming flavor trends for 2014 are pretty darn exciting. Some, I totally know. Others? Well, you’ll see … totally new food-trend territory!

2014 Food Trends

1. Balsamic Fig. A harmonious blend of full-flavored figs and aged dark balsamic vinegar. Neither too sweet nor too tart, it is a mellow combination that elevates the sensory experience when added to a variety of other flavors and works well in myriad formats.
2. Burnt Calamansi. A hybrid of a kumquat and mandarin orange, Burnt Calamansi is the next generation of citrus flavors. A unique citrus profile similar to a sour orange or a slightly sweeter lime with caramelized notes, with a fragrance to match.
3. Green Coconut. Green (young) coconut gained its initial recognition in the U.S. from the rise of popularity of coconut water, which stemmed from the claim of its superiority over traditional sports drinks.
4. Fernet. An aromatic spirit or bitter containing myrrh, chamomile, cardamom, aloe and saffron. A digestif popular in Italy, Fernet is flavored with lengthy, and often secret, lists of spices, roots and herbs.
5. Ginger Plum. A juicy, sweet and tart plum with a touch of spice from ginger that delivers multiple sensory experiences.
6. Guasaca. A Venezuelan avocado sauce, many have likened it to guacamole, but with a refreshing difference in flavor profile due to the addition of bright, fresh parsley notes.
7. Gochujang. Described as “the new Sriracha,” Gochujang is a savory and pungent fermented Korean condiment made from red chili, rice, fermented soybeans and salt.
8. Rhubarb. With antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, rhubarb helps boost the immune system and fight off disease.
9. Juniper Berries. Consumers long for the decadence of an expertly mixed cocktail in its proper type of glass. Gin, primarily flavored with Juniper berries, invokes a feeling of that elegant past era.
10. Willamette Hop. Used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent, hops impart a bitter, tangy flavor in beer, and increasingly, in confections and other unexpected food products.
11. Tayberry. A cross between a blackberry and a red raspberry, tayberries are rich in vitamins and antioxidants and are a welcome addition for the health-conscious consumer.
12. Ros el Hanout. Its name in Arabic means “top of the shop,” or the best spices the merchant had to offer. Typically including cardamom, clove, cinnamon, chili peppers, coriander, cumin, peppercorn, paprika, fenugreek and turmeric, Ros el Hanout brings the flavors and culture of Morocco to consumers’ doorsteps.
And don’t forget to check out the five food trends we’re predicting in 2014 here! Which 2014 food trend sounds the best to you? You know we’re all over the “new Sriracha!” —Jenn