FOOD & BEVERAGE TRENDS
V ideos of TikTokers eating crunchy foods, com- plete with exaggerated sound effects, are blow- ing up on the platform. It all fits with TikTok’s love of ASMR or “autonomous sensory meridian response”—the tingly sensation some people ex- perience when they hear certain sounds. “There’s fun that comes along with listening to crackling or crunching while watching someone eat or cook on social me- dia,” said Shannon O’Shields, VP of marketing for Rubix Foods, a flavor and ingredient innovation company. “Flavor has been explored but texture is novel and ready for more exploration. It can really make a product stand out.” It’s clear that consumers are embracing multi-sensory eat- ing experiences, and texture is playing a larger role in creating craveability. Menu developers are catching on, emphasizing crunch, crispiness, creaminess, chewiness, fizziness and other textural components of food and beverages. “Texture has long been a chef’s secret weapon in creating very craveable dishes,” said Mike Kostyo, vice president of Menu Matters, a food industry consulting firm. “I say ‘secret’ because consumers are often unaware of how important tex- ture is.”
Texture is trending on menus as consumers seek multi-sensory eating experiences Crunch, creaminess and other textural food components are becoming as important as flavor when it comes to menu innovation.
BY PATRICIA COBE
26
QUARTERLY | Q2
PHOTO COURTESY OF TACO BELL
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