On trend flavors often emerge and gain momentum within the beverage and snack food categories. If you follow new product entries and ascribe to this as an indicator of American consumers’ changing tastes you will be struck by the fact that consumer preferred beverage flavors can and do change quickly and dramatically.

Fruity flavors are gaining in popularity while the superfruits craze seems to be yesterday’s news. Acai moves from one of the top 5 most used flavors in new beverage products in 2009 to 19th in 2011. Pomegranate slips from #1 in both 2008-09 to 18th in 2011. Top flavors in 2011 are so very familiar and are reminiscent of coming home – apple, berry and orange. All things considered, it’s especially important to stay ahead of flavor trends in the beverage segment.