by Rachel Zoch MARKET SHARE Beyond Pumpkin Spice Keep an eye out for new flavors to surprise and delight recipients in the new year. Here are three trends to watch. 1Swicy = Sweet + Spicy People love gummies, chocolates and other sweets, but consumers are beginning to demand more balanced flavors. Think chili chocolate bars or spicy honey. Consumer interest in spicy honey has grown steadily over the past two years (by 26% in 2022 alone), according to Miriam Aniel of Tastewise, a food data firm. “By combining two taste profiles in one accessible format, spicy honey offers new interest to a stagnant category,” she writes. In the kitchen, spicy honey is most often used as a dressing or sauce ingredient for chicken dishes, she adds, with thousands of online recipes calling for the condiment. A branded bottle of spicy honey accompanied by a recipe card or link is a great way to help the recipient create a memory they can savor. The Bushwick Kitchen Bees Knees Honey Trio Gift Set includes salted, spicy and Meyer lemon honey that will enhance the flavors in fruits, meats, vegetables, breads and cheeses for a memorable gift. The kit includes a brandable tote in black or natural (shown), a dish towel and a QR code with Bushwick Kitchen recipes. Gluten-free and Paleo-friendly. Gemline / PPAI 113948, S11 www.gemline.com Promo products that engage the senses provide a great way to create an emotional experience and build positive and lasting memories. The pandemic sparked a boom in food gifting as a practical and comforting way to connect from a distance. For example, companies sent happy hour kits and other treats that employees could enjoy together during video conferences for a shared experience. Food gifts can be a powerful promotional tool because they involve taste and smell, as well as texture. Because smell and memory are particularly entwined in the human brain, it’s no wonder that edible items can be especially memorable. Salty and sweet snacks are go-to promo gifts, but what’s new on the table to help you stand out from the pumpkin-spiced crowd? Here are three flavor trends sure to make a tasty (and lasting) impression: 52 | DECEMBER 2022 | THINK
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