The American palate is undergoing a fiery transformation as consumers, particularly younger generations, boldly embrace spicier and more complex flavors. This summer, the food and beverage industry is turning up the heat, offering a sizzling array of products that cater to this growing trend. From snacks and drinks to frozen pizzas and desserts, the "swicy" sensation, a creative combination of sweet and spicy flavors, is taking the market by storm.
Sally Lyons Wyatt, a packaged goods and foodservice industry advisor with market research firm Circana, emphasizes that the spicy trend is here to stay. While younger consumers, including Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha, are the driving force behind this movement, bold flavors are being embraced by most age groups. Lyons Wyatt notes that the proliferation of spiciness across different categories, such as beverages, is a relatively new development.
Major players in the food and beverage industry are quickly adapting to this trend. Coca-Cola recently launched its first new permanent soda flavor in years, Coca-Cola Spiced, which blends the traditional Coke flavor with raspberry and spiced flavors. Starbucks also introduced a limited-time spiced-up line of lemonade drinks, inspired by the "swicy" trend, and added hot honey drinks to its menu at select locations.
The rise in popularity of spicy and swicy flavors can be attributed to several factors, including shifting demographics and increased globalization. As the United States becomes more racially and ethnically diverse, consumers have greater access to global ingredients and dishes. Younger generations, in particular, have a more global outlook and are more open to trying new and exciting flavors from around the world.
The pandemic has also played a significant role in accelerating the popularity of spice. During lockdowns, consumers yearned to taste the cuisines of faraway places and became more adventurous in their cooking. This, coupled with the growing interest in Vietnamese and African cuisine, has contributed to the demand for bolder flavors.
Major food companies are capitalizing on this trend by introducing innovative products. Pepsico's Flamin' Hot snack and beverage brand has seen a 31% increase in store trips by shoppers in North America, with nearly 400 million trips made in 2023. Nestlé USA has also launched several spicy offerings, such as the DiGiorno Thin & Crispy Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Pizza with Mike's Hot Honey and the Tombstone tavern-style pizza called "the Primo," which features pepperoni, sausage, banana peppers, and red onion. As the spicy and swicy trend continues to gain momentum, it is expected to expand to other food categories, including confections, frozen goods, deli products, and pizza varieties. However, the longevity of this trend will depend on how committed consumers are to sticking with these flavors as they age, as taste buds change over time. Nonetheless, industry experts believe that the enthusiasm for spicy foods and flavors is not a fad and is here to stay.
