Citrus flavors add a tropical note to regional food and beverage
Implications - As lemonade is a classic drink facing widespread reinvention, citrus-based and citrus-flavored offerings are being combined with a number of regional drinks and menu items. Often blended with a complementary flavor profile that heightens the citrus notes, these tropically influenced food and drink items speak to a maturing consumer palate that thrives on diverse, complex flavor combinations influenced by nostalgia.
Workshop Question - If your brand were a glass of lemonade, what would be the sourest part? What feature could you blend into the recipe to soften that sourness?
Trend Themes
1. Citrus-themed Beverages - The demand for citrus-flavored drinks continues to rise, and businesses can offer innovative and diverse summer-themed refreshments by combining citrus flavors with other drinks and flavor profiles.
2. Fermented Beverages - The trend towards healthier and more varied drink options shows an opportunity for businesses to experiment with different ingredients and fermentation methods to create alternative drink options with unique and appealing health benefits.
3. Hybrid Drinks - The popularity of new and unexpected beverage combinations shows consumer interest in finding new flavor and texture combinations, and the demand for novelty-themed drinks presents an opportunity for businesses to create new drinks by experimenting with flavor combinations.
Industry Implications
1. Beverage Industry - The beverage industry should consider incorporating different citrus flavors, fermentation processes, and innovative blending techniques to create drinks that cater to consumers' modern demands.
2. Hospitality Industry - The hospitality industry can develop creative drinks featuring multiple cultural influences to offer customers a wide range of beverage choices that spark curiosity and exploration.
3. Healthy Eating Sector - The healthy eating industry should explore the combination of healthy and fermented ingredients to produce new drinks, which can be marketed as healthy and unique drink options with specific health benefits.
