CERRITOS, CA — T. Hasegawa USA, a food and beverage flavor manufacturer, announced it has selected brown sugar as the 2025 Flavor of the Year.
“Consumer preferences are continually evolving in food and drink categories, and the flavor industry is on the frontline of these trends,” said Mark Webster, VP of sales and marketing at T. Hasegawa USA. “By working with many of the world’s top food and beverage brands, our R&D team has direct insight into the ingredients, culinary trends and consumer demands that will influence restaurant menus and CPG products well into the future.”
As noted in the company’s “2025 Food and Beverage Flavor Trends Report,” brown sugar has a complex flavor profile that makes it popular in baked goods, among other culinary avenues. Brown sugar does not go through a refining process to remove all of its molasses content and thus retains a caramel-like richness and a warm color.
The report also predicts other up-and-coming trends and consumer patterns related to the baking industry:
- Gut Health Revolution: Indicated by the increased demand for ingredients with digestive health benefits, including fiber, prebiotics and post-biotics.
- Retro Revival: The rise of products featuring a “newstalgic” twist aligns with the trend prediction towards offerings that call back to childhood memories.
- Flavor Escapism: Fun, fantasy flavors such as “rainbow” or “unicorn” can provide consumers with an escape from reality.
The 2024 Flavor of the Year, ube, was featured in a range of bakery products throughout the year, including Tous les Jours’ Ube Cloud Cake.
