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#Trendspotting: Hispanic Flavors & Fusions

  • In: Trends
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Your source for the most up-to-date information on emerging beverage trends.

Hispanic Flavors & Fusions

Hispanic consumers make up the largest minority group in the U.S. (just under 20%) and their expenditures on dining out increased 28% since 2012, reaching $70.9 billion in 2017. Flavor profiles common in Latin American & Hispanic cuisine have become mainstream in products and dishes and are helping to inspire some of the most on-trend beverages.

  • Horchata-frenzy
  • Agua Frescas
  • Make it Spicy
  • Google Says

Horchata-frenzy

This cinnamon classic often incorporates almonds, tigernuts and rice. Notable products include: Starbucks Horchata Frappuccino, Koia’s Cinnamon Horchata, Barrilitos (Coca cola) horchata agua fresca, and Taco Cabana’s horchata margarita LTO.

Agua Frescas

These fruit-flower-seed combos are gaining popularity as non-soda and non-alcoholic alternatives.

Native Foods Café has had a watermelon fresca as a staple on their menu for years.

Blaze Pizza rolled out two new aguas fresca flavors – matcha and blueberry hibiscus at the end of 2017.

Panera launched a prickly pear hibiscus fresca in 2017.

Make it Spicy

Sales of seasonings and spices (including those more common in Latin American cuisine, such as habanero peppers) increased 7% YoY, according to market research firm NPD.

Google Says

“Traveling through Taste” was identified as one of the main trends in the 2016 Google Food Trends Report. Top searches influenced by Latin American cuisine included: Mexican candy, taquitos, empanada, queso fresco, cotija cheese, chamoy, adobo seasoning, elotes, pastelitos, Mexican chips and tostados.

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