Bacon, ham, sausage and all pork categories have traditionally made for irresistible entrees.
But they can be used for virtually every part of the meal, including appetizers, sides and the
best part: enhancing desserts. Rethink your application and revitalize your menu.
Though savory and sweet flavor profiles are very on trend for 2023, the popularity of this pairing has been building for years – maybe decades. There is a general skew toward a more savory palate among American consumers with the proliferation of sour, bitter and umami flavors. The sweet/spicy trend started, perhaps intuitively, in the dessert and sweets category. This year, Mintel reports a +138% increase in spicy flavors on bakery menus. However, consumers are now embracing the flavor combination across all categories.¹
Glazes and marinades are great examples of the sweet/ savory profile, with ingredients like honey, brown sugar and maple syrup being used to enhance ham, bacon, and other proteins.
There is increased interest in, and deeper exploration of, Internationally-and domestically-inspired barbecue sauces, which combine sweet and savory elements.
Meats are also being used in traditionally sweet formats, as seen with bacon jam, an increasingly popular sweet, smoky and salty condiment.¹
Complex sauces, spice blends and condiments have been found in cuisines from around the world, including Japanese, Indian, and Middle Eastern, to name a few.
These flavors have found their way through various applications to elevate everything from drinks to desserts.
Korean BBQ sauces and Thai chile sauces are two examples of these now-mainstream flavors that inspire operators to create unique, craveable dishes.¹
The complexity of contrasting and unlikely flavors is key in creating a memorable dining experience. Examples are hot honey, salted caramel and smoked maple syrup. In Spoonshot’s Trends 2023 and Beyond report, consumer interest in “complex heat” that incorporates sweet as well as spicy grew by +21% in the past 12 months ending July 2022.
¹ Menu Matters, 2022 by Maeve Webster