Fuel the crave: 2025’s essential flavour guide for product innovators

If you work in snacks, you already know that flavour isn’t just a detail - it’s the whole game. And in 2025, it’s a game that’s getting more interesting by the day. Swicy mashups, nostalgic comfort notes and global reinterpretations are redefining what craveable means in every category.

Take hot honey, heritage miso or apple cinnamon - flavours that are driving major wins across bars, chips, granolas and beyond. Pulling insights from Good Housekeeping’s Snack Awards, Lay’s viral flavour contest, Lindt’s social-fuelled experiments and new data from Innova Market Insights and UK-based product intelligence platform Vypr, we explore what’s trending and how you can stay ahead.

Welcome to the year of big flavour

Good Housekeeping’s 2025 Snack Awards gave us a clear snapshot of what’s flying off shelves and why. Right at the top? Cheddar. But not just your average cheddar. It’s turning up in multiple award-winning products, like Simple Mills’ Cheddar Pop Mmms (baked, poppable crackers made with butternut squash and red beans) and Boulder Canyon’s Wavy Cheddar Sour Cream Chips, which pair sharp flavour with avocado oil and thick ridges perfect for dipping.

Sea salt continues to be a foundational flavour, showing up in Top Seedz Sea Salt Crackers, Jackson’s Sweet Potato Chips and Well Market’s Ghee & Pink Salt Popcorn. It’s used both for its clean simplicity and as a complementary note to richer or more functional ingredients like quinoa, almonds and ghee.

Chocolate, meanwhile, is having a multifunctional moment. In the Marimix Chocolatey Sea Salt Crunch Mix, it’s paired with maple sugar and vanilla to walk the line between indulgence and better-for-you. Chocolate also showed up in top-rated bars like the Aloha Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Protein Bar and Mush’s Double Chocolate Chip Refrigerated Protein Bar, where it supports plant-based or high-protein formulations without tasting medicinal.

Peanut butter – particularly in nostalgic PB&J formats – is thriving. Standouts include the Perfect Bar PB&J Mini (combining organic peanut butter, fruit and superfoods) and Purely Elizabeth’s Peanut Butter Cookie Granola, which one tester said kept them “full and satisfied” all morning.

But the breakout trend of 2025 is clearly swicy – the sweet and spicy mashup that’s sweeping categories. Lundberg’s Fiery Hot Rice Cake Minis rely on a four-pepper blend to deliver heat on a clean label, while Nichols Farms’ Hot Honey Pistachios capture the trend in a single, plant-protein-forward bite. “With rising demand for healthy snacks that complement active and health-conscious lifestyles, we are proud to be a family-owned producer leading the way,” said Jeff Nichols, VP of Supply Chain at Nichols Farms, on the win.

The swicy trend is backed by data. According to Vypr’s June 2025 study of 2,000 UK consumers, sweet and savoury combinations like hot honey and chili were the most popular new flavours among shoppers, with 21% saying they’d try them at home.

And then there’s the flavour fringe: fast gaining traction with serious staying power. Zesty ranch gets a high-protein twist in Milton’s Protein Crackers; cinnamon channels warm nostalgia in Wasa Cinnamon Crisp Creations; and umami-rich combos like Mary’s Gone Crackers Seaweed & Black Sesame are redefining what savoury snacks can taste like. But one flavour that’s quietly become a breakout hit? Nichols Farms’ Rosemary Garlic Pistachios – the brand’s most in-demand offering, beloved for its herbaceous depth and clean-label appeal.

What Lay’s and Lindt are teaching us about craveability

Lay’s Do Us A Flavor 2025 contest offers a real-time look at what’s connecting with consumers. This year’s winner – Bacon Grilled Cheese – is deeply tied to memory and comfort, submitted by Paula George of Oklahoma in honour of her father’s signature sandwich. “Knowing that thousands of Lay’s fans across the country tried and loved it, just as much as I did, fills me with immense joy and gratitude for this opportunity,” said George.

Other finalists included Valentina & Lime – a fiery twist inspired by a beloved Mexican hot sauce – and Korean-Style Fried Chicken, a crispy cult favourite that channels the global obsession with bold, umami-rich street food. Both flavours highlight the growing consumer hunger for culturally rooted yet comfortingly familiar mashups – an insight product developers would do well to leverage.

“The creativity and passion for bold, delicious flavours – and the story behind each submission – captured the hearts and taste buds of potato chip lovers everywhere,” said Denise Truelove, SVP of Marketing at PepsiCo Foods.

Meanwhile, Lindt took a different approach. The confectionery giant’s Maîtres Chocolatiers analysed viral TikTok flavour combos, testing 16 of the most talked-about pairings. The top performer was chocolate with balsamic vinegar pearls, which scored a perfect 10 on its proprietary scale. Lindt awarded it a Lindt GOLD rating for being “truly unusual, but irresistibly tasty.”

Among the surprise standouts were polenta, caramelised zucchini and even braised meat – proving that even savoury dinner-table staples can go gourmet with the right chocolate twist. For innovators, the takeaway is this: balance and sensory intrigue are your golden ticket to making the unexpected irresistible.

“Our experts’ research shows that even the most unexpected combinations can be elevated by chocolate, whether as a creative cooking ingredient or simply as an original snack,” said Guilia Muzzin Scevola, marketing director of Lindt IT.

The flavour megatrends behind the movement

To understand why these flavours are resonating, we turn to Innova Market Insights’ 2025 Global flavour Trends, which outline five key forces shaping global product development.

First up: Sensory Therapy. Consumers are turning to flavour to boost emotional wellness, with comforting profiles like vanilla, coffee and cinnamon leading the way. These are often paired with creamy or chewy textures to soothe and recharge.

Second is Authentic & Rooted – the craving for cultural connection. Nearly half of global consumers say they actively seek out traditional, heritage-inspired flavours. That includes everything from Swiss-style comfort foods (Vypr’s third most popular summer cuisine in the UK) to Korean BBQ and Japanese miso.

The third trend, Imaginative Taste Adventures, is all about bold experimentation – think swicy heat, tropical fusions and unconventional flavour pairings. TikTok has turbocharged this space, turning snacks into viral experiences.

Fourth, Healthier Enjoyment emphasises that nutritious snacks still need to bring satisfaction. From low-sugar chocolate bars to fibre-rich granolas, the winners in this space are those that taste indulgent while delivering better-for-you benefits.

Finally, there’s Quality & Enrichment. Premiumisation is in full swing, with consumers gravitating toward bold, rich flavours like truffle, aged cheese and dark chocolate. Especially as budgets tighten, shoppers are looking for indulgent experiences that feel worth the splurge.

These global megatrends are echoed in Vypr’s research, which reveals how they’re playing out in key European markets. Among UK shoppers, 26% plan to try Japanese flavours this summer, closely followed by 25% leaning into Korean cuisine. That spells big opportunity for brands experimenting with East Asian formats, from rice-based snacks to miso-infused crisps.

Nostalgia remains a powerful emotional driver. Vypr found 25% of UK consumers crave strawberries and cream flavours, followed by rhubarb (17%) and apple pie (15%). Meanwhile, new entrants like Dubai Chocolate are making noise online but aren’t yet dominating real-world preferences

“Despite the hype, Dubai Chocolate ranks third among sweet flavour preferences,” said Vypr founder Ben Davies. “Its rise has likely influenced the popularity of pistachio, which comes in second. However, the top choice for almost a third of consumers (27%) is apple cinnamon. Surprisingly, despite the huge buzz around Biscoff both online and in stores, speculoos spiced biscuits came last, with just 4% of consumers keen to try them. This is likely down to low brand awareness - once people try the flavour, it’s likely to rise in popularity, just like Biscoff did.”

Interestingly, while 71% of UK consumers consider themselves adventurous with flavour, most prefer to try new things at home. “Twice as many people say they will only try something new at home compared to only trying when eating out,” added Davies. This suggests real potential for grocery innovation, especially in ready-to-eat snacks, bold bakery launches and seasoning kits that make exploration easy.

Even drinks aren’t off-limits for flavour disruption. Vypr’s data shows black cherry (18%), wild berry (17%) and mojito (15%) as top preferences in soft drinks. Meanwhile, savoury profiles are gaining traction, too: cucumber (32%), beetroot (19%) and tomato (19%) signal a shift toward more adult, culinary-style beverages.

Flavour remains the hook

If you’re building the next generation of snacks, here’s the cheat code: layer flavours thoughtfully, honour your audience’s emotional needs and deliver a complete sensory experience.

Products that succeed in 2025 aren’t just delicious – they’re story-driven, lifestyle-aligned and social-media friendly. Think Perfect Bar’s PB&J Mini, which combines functional nutrition with nostalgic joy. Or Defi’s Dark Chocolate Pink Himalayan Sea Salt Superfood Bites, which earned praise for their flavour balance and use of real sugar instead of sweeteners.

For marketers, this is the time to invest in storytelling. Use creator partnerships, founder stories and cultural relevance to connect with consumers beyond the package. And for retailers, this means giving more visibility to flavour-first innovations. Themed displays, sampler bundles and bold signage can all help accelerate trial.

2025 has proven that flavour is the most potent innovation lever in food. It drives trial. It creates emotional connection. And in a market where consumers crave excitement but demand health and value, flavour is the one place you can’t afford to play it safe.

Get bold. Get layered. Get global. And give people something unforgettable.