As retailers and restaurants plan for the fall season, they’re leaning into the experiential nature of food and beverage consumption.
Rather than offering a simple latte, restaurants want to provide the feeling of cradling a warm beverage as a cool breeze kicks up auburn and orange leaves. And they’re looking to zingy, punchy, spiced flavors to answer the call.
Consumers are most interested in seeing fall flavors in desserts (43%), breakfast (39%), and appetizers (46%), according to a Rubix Foods report. Plus, they’re nearly evenly split on preferring classic and new flavors this season.
“This push-pull between comfort and novelty is what makes fall such an exciting canvas for innovation,” Shannon O’Shields, VP of marketing at Rubix Foods, told The Food Institute.
In response, retailers are looking to a new suite of flavors to inspire them. More than 66% of consumers are forming new routines around food habits this fall, according to a Food Industry Association report, making it the perfect time for brands to convert American households.
Seasonal flavors offer nostalgic elements while also addressing some concerns of the modern, health-focused consumer. The takeaway: for CPGs, health-first is the way to go; for foodservice, it’s okay to indulge in a homey, seasonal experience.
1. Cranberry
The summer’s tart cherry trend is shifting to cranberries for many of the same reasons. Both are iconically American, offer a visual pop of red, are loaded with nutritional benefits, and, most importantly, surprise the palate with a mix of tart and sour flavors.
Moreover, cranberries are the nostalgic staple of Thanksgiving dinner, and consumers are ready to free them from their cranberry sauce pigeonhole. In response, Spindrift is bringing back the seasonal favorite Cranberry Raspberry flavor while also debuting Cranberry Punch this season.
“Cranberry has an opportunity to evolve in formats that tap both tradition and innovation,” said O’Shields. She added that season-agnostic cherry and blood orange will also have a place on menus, both of which pair nicely with cranberry.
In foodservice, Chick-fil-A is bringing back its Cherry Berry beverage line that incorporates cherry, blueberry, and cranberry into lemonades. New this year is the Cherry Berry & Sprite combination.
2. Chai Spice
Consumers are craving cozy comfort with a modern twist.
Roughly 63% of consumers associate fall flavors with warmth and nostalgia, and adaptogens have seen a 40% year-over-year rise in consumer interest, according to a Mosaic Flavors report.
Chai spice delivers on these needs with functional and flavorful ingredients such as cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and star anise.
Peet’s Coffee is set to debut a line of cardamom-infused beverage offerings, such as the Cardamom Citrus Cold Brew Oat Latte and the Cardamom Citrus Mocha Frappé. Starbucks, on the other hand, added chai spices to its Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte.
Both chains brought chai’s flavor profile to beloved staples to communicate a signature nostalgia while making it feel new.
3. Maple
The most indulgent flavor in the lineup, the enduring popularity of maple, even during a time when consumers are paying closer attention to nutrition labels, demonstrates that sweetness will always have a seat at the season’s table.
Restaurant chain First Watch debuted the Maple Bacon Croissant Sandwich in its fall menu. The offering also includes house-pickled jalapeño to balance out the sweet, demonstrating how maple can be leveraged on seasonal menus alongside spice to play into the pervasive “swicy” trend that resonates with younger generations.
On the sweeter side, McCormick unveiled Maple Brown Sugar as one of its newest finishing sugars intended for use in coffee, cookies, pancakes, and other baked goods.
The spice brand cites convenient, subtle sweetness and “bringing seasonal magic into everyday moments” as the impetus for the line.
4. Pumpkin (Not Just Spice)
The pumpkin spice latte may still be beloved, but for many diners, it’s starting to lose its appeal. Rubix found that 47% of consumers feel pumpkin is overrated, and 25% are officially over it, especially Gen X and Boomers.
On the other hand, pumpkin as its own hero flavor holds out hope: 15% say it’s underrated, and one of the most craveable flavors of the season.
Mosaic called out Pumpkin Chipotle as an on-trend pairing for the upcoming season. Google Trends data confirms that, since the beginning of August, search data for the term is trending, with Chipotle Pumpkin soup, chili, and pasta taking over popular recipe platforms.
For café chains, Dutch Bros is bringing back last year’s Caramel Pumpkin Brúlée hit, which is likely to trend this time for its pumpkin notes rather than last year’s caramel twist. Additionally, Dunkin’ is ushering in a new era of baked goods with its Iced Pumpkin Loaf, going toe-to-toe with Starbucks’ staple.
5. Pecan
Although under the radar, pecan is everywhere. Crowned the fastest-growing fall flavor by DoorDash, pecan orders are already up 28% year-over-year, while gingerbread and apple tied for second place.
It made a splash with Starbucks’ fall menu, with offerings such as Pecan Oatmilk Cortado and Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte. It is also the signature flavor in the Snickers Pecan limited-time offering.
Pecan is ingrained in American culture and is an important part of fall festivities. It also pairs well with other listed fall trends, such as maple in Starbucks’ retail-ready Maple Pecan Latte Inspired Non-Dairy Creamer.
The Food Institute Podcast
How will the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) impact your food business? Unraveling the implications of new legislation is never easy, but Patrick O’Reilly and Jeff Pera of CBIZ explain how provisions of the bill related to no tax on tips, depreciation and expensing of capital purchases, and research and development will impact the industry.
