Bell Flavors & Fragrances recently announced new trend inspirations as part of its Spark trends platform. Since 2015, Bell’s Spark Trends platform covers present and future trends in the flavor and fragrance industries, and is designed to be a one-stop guide to the present consumer landscape.
 
The company reported five macro trends that are impacting consumers today, which serve for more granular trends on a micro level. Micro trends are tied to unique geographies, categories, flavors, fragrances, and botanicals.
 
“Predicting the most impactful trends of the future is challenging, but the Spark platform always starts with a common denominator: the essence of what makes us all human,” said Kelli Heinz, vice president of marketing and industry affairs. “When we think about micro trends, they are the phenomena firmly impacting consumers in the here-and-now. Micro trends shape consumer experiences based on what’s happening in the current world and can be attributed to specific actions or changes in market or consumer dynamics. We’re thrilled to share them with the industry.”
 
New Horizons: the Union of Imagination and Technology
 
The first macro trend on Bell’s list covers the trend of consumers craving a new era of interconnectedness via physical and digital fusion. Microtrends include:
 

• Extreme fusions, which are bold new mashups that can be found in co-branded meal and fragrance promotions, and intersections of formerly separate cuisines as consumers break boundaries and disrupt the mundane routines.
• Sensorial Sparks, or the consumer desire for flavors and fragrances that engage the senses and create memorable moments.
• New E-ra, a phenomenon in which consumers’ minds and palates gravitate toward the metaverse as a place to discover and interact with foods, beverages, and consumer products.

 
Nature Revolution: The New Dawn of Green Innovation
 
This trend looks at new sustainable innovations designed to safeguard the future of the planet,  without sacrificing familiar scents and taste sensations that consumers continue to crave. Micro trends include:
 

• Alternative Everything, as consumers seek healthier options with vegan and vegetarian food choices in high demand and flexitarian lifestyles entering the mainstream.
• Clean label, as brands are pressed to replace harmful ingredients and manufacturing methods with sustainable alternatives, all the while reducing carbon emissions in search of not just carbon neutrality, but climate positivity.
• Value Tech, which involves using technology to enhance flavors, smells, and appeal of natural ingredients and finished products.

 
Better Me: a Health-Forward Look at the Best You
 
This trend explores a fresh approach to holistic wellness which prioritizes mental health, self-care, and less crowded calendars. Micro trends include:
 

• Mood mods, as consumers gravitate toward natural remedies such as essential oils, botanical extracts, or food-grade botanicals to improve their mood.
• Balancing bliss, as holistic health becomes intermingled with indulgent allowances as consumers turn to natural fragrances and products made with organic ingredients, while honoring heritage cuisines and home cooked favorites.
• Functional Finds: brands will be challenged to continue incorporating functional ingredients and adaptogens into food, beverage, and fragrance products while maintaining the familiar tastes, textures, and sensorial experiences that consumers know and expect.

 
360-degree Rewards: Tantalizing Curiosities and Permissible Indulgences
 
Consumers have been searching for silver linings and are now giving themselves permission to embrace escapism, indulge unapologetically, and spark joy in unique ways. Micro trends include:
 

• Newstalgia, something new that harkens back to shared pop culture moments which can help unglue consumers from digital screens.
• Limited Edition, which is about capturing a passing moment in exclusive ways that motivate consumers to make purchases at fleeting moments in time.
• Back to Basics, a trend in which traditional foods and scents are used to connect to stories about consumers’ ancestors.

 
Tree of Life: United by Cultural Roots
 
Consumers remain passionate about paying it forward to the environment, but are now more aware of human connections across the globe, championing diverse heritage, authentic values, and sustainable products. Micro trends include:
 

• Future Proof – the time has come for future-proofing business models and supply chains as global crises and inflation adds urgency to replace and rebuild resources, guided by global regulatory standards.
• Human connection, which is a trend in which brands are paying it forward by creating sustainable and fair trade businesses in emerging economies or shining a light on underprivileged communities and their traditions.
• Hyper Local – the diversity of local communities continues to shine as consumers find the imprints of ethnic cuisines within their own communities.