Bringing a global flavor perspective to snacks

KANSAS CITY — Snack manufacturers are seeking to turn everyday bites into flavor experiences as a point of differentiation. Snacks have become a mainstay in the daily consumption patterns of consumers, and globally influenced options enable consumers to experience different cultures in single-serve portions at an affordable price point.

“When it comes to snacks, focusing on familiar formats but with a regional approach is a way to connect with consumers,” said Rachael Jarzembowski, marketing manager at Wixon. “As regional flavors and ingredients continue to trend in retail and on menus, showcasing these flavors gives products a point of differentiation and premiumization, becoming part of a compelling story that resonates with adventurous consumers.”

Jessica Goldstein, vice president, Nu Products Seasoning Co., Oakland, NJ, said, “Today’s snacks succeed when they merge comfort and exploration. When you pair nostalgic formats — cookies, bars, cereals and chips — with global spice signatures, you unlock an emotional duality consumers can’t resist.”

Matcha is an ingredient and a flavor that resonates with consumers today. It has moved from a Japanese ceremonial beverage to an ingredient formulated into a range of applications from mochi ice cream to crispy snacks.

Matcha is the finely ground powder of specially grown and minimally processed green tea leaves. It features antioxidants, especially catechins, that are associated with improving metabolic health, reduced risk of chronic diseases and improving cognitive function.

The addition of matcha in food, bakery and dessert applications is driving market growth, according to Grand View Research, San Francisco, which estimates that the global matcha market size was $5.1 billion in 2025 and will reach $8.9 billion by 2033. Consumer awareness of matcha’s health benefits is expected to drive the market over the forecast period.

Matcha has an earthy, slightly bitter flavor and is recognizable by its creamy green appearance. It historically has been consumed dissolved in water or milk to make a traditional Japanese beverage. Recently, it has become the characterizing flavor in non-tea beverages, such as boba drinks, protein shakes and hydration mixes, and, it has found its way into snacks.

Wella Foods, Lockhart, Texas, has new Wella Crispy Treat Honey Matcha. The snack cracker is formulated with quinoa and brown rice and includes matcha green tea powder.

The new Evo Hemp Matcha Latte Bar is a hemp-based nutrition bar infused with matcha. The Boulder, Colo.-based company markets the bar for its nutrient density and calming properties.

Happy Nuts Day, a Japanese company, has started importing its matcha peanut butter to the United States, while Loacker, which has its US offices in Jersey City, NJ, is now infusing matcha into the cream filling in some varieties of its wafer cookies. The product is manufactured in Europe and, as front labels claim, “made with pure matcha from Japan.”

National boba brand Krak Boba, Orange County, Calif., introduced three matcha beverages this spring. The beverages are blended with matcha sourced directly from Nishio, Japan, a region known for its ideal growing conditions.

The evolution of ‘swicy’

The combination of spicy heat with a sweet element crosses many borders and is contributing to the “swicy” trends continued growth.

“The swicy trend is evolving and global cuisines that naturally balance these dualities translate especially well into sweets and snacks,” Goldstein said. “The cuisines translating especially well today are those with highly aromatic, layered flavor structures that balance sweetness, heat, acidity and umami.

“Some of the strongest performers right now include Mexican and Latin American. Mango-chili, tamarind, cajeta, dulce de leche and ancho-cinnamon bring heat, fruitiness and caramelized depth. We recently created a swicy blend of maple and chipotle and put it on dried mango. The chewy, familiar snack was a completely different way to experience this swicy combination.”

Mango is showing up in more pairings that combine sweet with spicy flavors.

| Photo: The Hershey Co.

Kamila Gierut, marketing director, Lucta US, Great Neck, NY, said, “Korean flavors stand out for their balance of sweet heat and savory depth, with the global influence of K-pop helping accelerate awareness and curiosity. That’s where Korean-style swicy profiles and ingredients like Japanese miso come into play, adding depth and complexity to formats like caramel, chocolate and savory snacks.”

Korean cuisine also contributes flavors such as gochujang, black sesame and yuzu. These are applicable in snacks, especially traditional Korean milk-based confections.

“They feel indulgent yet modern,” said Ryan Kukuruzovic, executive chef and director of culinary for Wixon. “The same is true for flavors from Mexico, which include tamarind, chamoy, cajeta, Mexican chocolate and chili lime.

“Global flavor combinations that balance sweet with savory, heat, salt and acid, effortlessly flow into candy, snacks and bakery items. Southeast Asian elements such as pandan, coconut, Thai tea and calamansi deliver color, aroma, and brightness that perform beautifully in frozen desserts, baked goods and snack coatings. These cuisines succeed because they already embrace the sweet heat contrast, toasted notes, fruit acidity and warming spice in ways that adapt very naturally to consumer formats.”

Kukuruzovic offered some concepts that Wixon has developed. In snacks, there’s gochujang caramel popcorn with toasted sesame, calamansi white chocolate covered pretzels and peri peri honey roasted nut mix with subtle heat build.

“Imagine a Mexican hot chocolate protein bar with cinnamon and ancho, or chamoy mango gummy clusters with Tajin-style seasoning,” he said.

Like matcha, mango also is growing in popularity. Mangoes are most popular in tropical regions, which by itself contributes to its global positioning because they are associated with Southeast Asian, Indian, Mexican and Brazilian cuisines, where they are often a carrier or partner to spicy foods.

El Nacho, Waltham, Mass., has added Ms. Mango hot honey mango and lime to its flavored white corn tortilla chips. Just Born Quality Confections, Bethlehem, Pa., ventured into swicy this spring with Peeps chili lime mango flavored Marshmallow Chicks.

Indian cuisine is not typically considered to be spicy in terms of heat, but the flavors are bright and complex. The complexity feeds into the swicy trend.

Trader Joe’s, Monrovia, Calif., has developed limited-edition yellow curry flavored potato chips. The savory chips convey the mild heat of chili pepper, with the tang of lime, plus a hint of brown-sugar, along with garlic, onion and other spices. The retailer also offers papadum, thin, chip-like discs made from lentils and chickpeas. They are fried in rice bran oil, and lightly seasoned with salt and cumin.

The Dubai chocolate trend in the United States is a signal to product developers that consumers may be open to trying additonal Middle Eastern flavors.

| Photo: My/Mochi

Looking beyond Dubai chocolate

When Dubai chocolate started showing up in all types of foods in the United States the past few years, product developers took note, because it showed Americans appeared to be ready for Middle Eastern flavor profiles.

Dubai chocolate is a confection consisting of a chocolate bar filled with a blend of knafeh and pistachios. Knafeh is a traditional Arab dessert consisting of pastry dough layered with semi-soft salty cheese that is soaked in a sweet-tasting syrup.

Pistachio, in general, is growing in popularity due to social media-fueled interest in Dubai chocolate. Shawarma Press, Irving, Texas, for example, offers its own take on Dubai chocolate. The quick-service cafe starts with pistachio ice cream and mixes in crispy kataifi then drizzles the creation with chocolate.

“We’re seeing rising interest in Middle Eastern flavors, like pistachio, tahini or date, initially sparked by viral moments like Dubai-style chocolate, but now evolving into a broader, more sustained influence,” Gierut said. “Think cardamom pistachio ice cream with saffron swirl. This shift is largely driven by younger consumers, who are more diverse than ever and increasingly explore culture through flavor, making multicultural influence feel like the norm.”

Marcela Megda, flavor marketing specialist at Lucta, said, “The Middle East brings a rich range of spice blends, like sumac and za’atar, that are still underutilized. Savory, salty snacks are a perfect fit.”

Kukuruzovic said, “These flavors offer familiarity with just enough intrigue to feel new. Think pistachio tahini swirl brownie bites or date and cardamom energy bites with sea salt.”