Four key flavour and colour trends for food & bev in 2025

ADM has released its report on the trending flavours and colours set to impact food and beverage innovation for the next year.

In an era of rapidly advancing technology, today’s consumers are navigating a new universe of digital influences to define and embrace the ‘new human nature’. Guided by their desires and needs, they are seeking out flavours and colours that reflect this new human experience in their food and beverages.

ADM’s 2025 Flavor and Color Trends Report examines four trend spaces driving consumers’ choices as follows:

1. Revisit and reinvent

The power of human memories and shared experiences, coupled with new generations experiencing classic tastes and colours for the first time, is leading to a reinvention of tradition through simplicity, familiarity and comfort in food and beverage choices.

Colour inspiration is coral red, burgundy and fruit punch.

Classic and familiar local flavours such as lemon, strawberry, watermelon, ume and plum are gaining popularity among consumers in the Asia–Pacific region.

2. Adaptive eating

Consumers are tailoring their consumption moments to improve the quality of their health, adapt to changing economic or environmental concerns, and fulfil human needs for satisfaction from foods and beverages.

With technology informing and enabling better nutrition, consumers are adapting their eating habits to their chosen lifestyles.

Colour inspiration is maize, apricot and terracotta.

Flavours can help augment product concepts for satiety through delivering mouthfeel and satisfaction in a range of different flavour profiles. Reduced-fat products may lean into creaminess or umami to help create the perception of fullness in smaller portions.

Demand for orange, apple, honey and creamy flavours is expected to rise in the coming year within the Asia–Pacific region.

3. Euphoric wellness

Flavours and colours are interconnected with human moods and emotions, and there will be an ongoing desire for options that represent different areas of wellness, including nourishment for the mind, body and soul.

Colour inspiration is melon, sage and olive.

In 2025, local consumers are expected to seek out food and beverage products incorporating citrus flavours such as pink grapefruit, calamansi, bergamot, hirami lemon; kiwi, pink guava and acai.

4. Made for [you]

Sparking human curiosity and creating meaningful moments leads to positivity and personal joy through exploring unexpected and personalised foods and beverages, brought to life through vibrant flavours and colours.

Colour inspiration is blue.

For new taste experiences, the APAC region is experimenting with new flavour pairings and profiles such as:

• Citrus and spicy combinations like Sichuan pepper and orange
• Tropical and spicy twists such as spicy plum and spicy watermelon
• Fruity and fantasy flavours combined with mint and cooling sensations

Image credit: iStock.com/Liudmyla Yaremenko