One of the new vendors at this year's Natural Foods Expo West in California showed off a unique new flavor for its glazed walnuts.
While walnuts and other nut varieties are often caramelized with sweet coatings of honey, sugar and maple, Martella's Grower Direct showed off a savory-spicy flavor inspired by buffalo wings.
The saucy chicken wing-inspired nut snacks offer a unique way to take inspiration from a popular meat product and turn the essence of its flavor into a healthy snack for on-the-go eating. Simulated buffalo wing flavors can be found in everything from chips to pretzels from many snack manufacturers, but it is rarely used to enhance foods that are sourced from nature.
Spicy Glazed Walnuts
These Sun-Glazed Walnuts are Coated in a Buffalo Wing Flavor
Trend Themes
1. Savory-spicy Flavored Snacks - The trend of creating savory-spicy flavored snacks offers opportunities for innovative new flavor combinations and expanding the snack market.
2. Inspired Flavors - Using popular meat product flavors as inspiration for healthy snacks taps into consumer preferences for familiar tastes in alternative formats.
3. Nature-inspired Snacks - Incorporating unique flavors derived from nature, such as buffalo wing essence, provides disruptive opportunities for creating healthier and more natural snack options.
Industry Implications
1. Snack Food Industry - The snack food industry can utilize the trend of savory-spicy flavored snacks to create innovative products that cater to consumer demands for new and exciting taste experiences.
2. Health Food Industry - The health food industry can explore using inspired flavors, like buffalo wing essence, to create healthier snack options that appeal to both taste and nutrition-conscious consumers.
3. Nut Industry - The nut industry can embrace the trend of nature-inspired snacks and experiment with unique flavor combinations, such as savory-spicy glazed walnuts, to attract snack enthusiasts seeking novel offerings.