Dive Brief:
- McCormick has released the 2016 Flavor Forecast, the company's annual trends preview report, which McCormick uses to plan out the next year's new products.
- McCormick gathers flavor information fromchefs, culinary experts, and otherfoodiesto create the Flavor Forecast, and last year, correctly predicted trends included global spice blends and a revamped juicing culture.
- McCormick has gleaned inspiration from the forecasted trends, which this year include "Heat and Tang," "Alternative Pulse Proteins," and "Ancestral Flavors," to create 56 new consumer products globally.
Dive Insight:
Many of these new products could be organic and non-GMO, per McCormick'sannouncementin September that the company would be making a majority of its products non-GMO and organic by 2016.
McCormick's trends overlap withglobal trendsfor 2016 predicted by Mintel, including the rise of alternative ingredients, such asplant-basedproteins anddairy alternatives, and a focus on foods with healthy ingredients, though in McCormick's case, the report highlights the blending of healthier foods with spices.
McCormick made headlines earlier this week for a change inleadership, with COO Lawrence Kurzius taking the helm as CEO Alan Wilson steps aside.
