Flavor Drop: Cantaloupe & Black Raspberry

Posted November 17, 2023

The Trend: True-to-Fruit

The Flavor: Cantaloupe

When purchasing sliced fruit platters from the grocer, you can expect to find a combination of berries and melon — typically sweet and juicy Cantaloupe. While this delectable melon flavor is a bit rare in various marketplace products, it remains a staple in the produce aisle. This presents an exciting opportunity to introduce a timeless yet underrepresented flavor to consumers. Cantaloupe experienced 22% growth in global Google searches from Q3 to Q4 in 2023.¹ Notably, over the last year, the popularity of Cantaloupe in the context of ice cream has surged by an impressive 120.7%.² Additionally, in Asian markets, melon ranks among the top 20 fastest-growing flavors in the water and cold beverage category.³

Tasting notes from our Flavorists: refreshing, succulent sweetness, subtle tangy undertone of citrus zest, fruity and floral aromas

Cantaloupe-inspired market products:

Honey Dew Melon Miel, Honey Melon, Cantaloupe, Melon, Cantaloupe

Perfect Pairings from our Flavorists
Lime	Coconut	Cucumber

The Trend: Nostalgia

The Flavor: Black Raspberry

Looks may be deceiving, but this berry’s unique flavor is not. Slightly sweeter than Raspberry and less tart than Blackberry, Black Raspberry is a rare and short-seasoned fruit that gives a premium flavor impression to consumers while providing a slightly familiar True-to-Fruit flavor. An air of exclusivity comes not only from its rareness but from the word black, which adds a hint of mystery. Other popular black products on the market include Mountain Dew Pitch Black CSD which has a dark fruity citrus flavor and Fanta’s new black mystery-flavored CSD launched just in time for Halloween. We’ve spotted Black Raspberry in sparkling water, alcoholic beverages, tea, and ice cream, where it has gained significant popularity. In the realm of Raspberry products, tea has seen the most significant surge over the past year.² Notably, the global Raspberry hard tea market is projected to grow by $52.45 million by 2030.⁴ Earlier this year, Dunkin’ launched a Raspberry Watermelon Refresher, Friendly’s released Raspberry Crunch ice cream, and Jamba introduced Dragon Twist Smoothie — a fruit combo including raspberry. Next February, Coca-Cola is releasing Raspberry Spiced Zero-Sugar Coca-Cola.

Tasting notes from our Flavorists: sweet and slightly tart, juicy, subtle floral undertones, intense and inviting sweet and fruity aroma

Black Raspberry-inspired Products:

the republic of tea black raspberry green tea

Buka Black Raspberry, Black Raspberry, Black Raspberry, Black Raspberry, Black Raspberry

Perfect Pairings from our Flavorists
Chocolate	Cinnamon	Lemon

To request flavors, whether from this drop or any of the 20k flavors in our extensive library, simply click the button at the bottom of the page or email marketing@imbibeinc.com. And if you’re seeking further inspiration, don’t forget to explore our previous Drops for a plethora of inspiring ideas.