The Sauce Takeover - Our New Favorite Flavors
Bonji Hot Takes Volume 27
Welcome back to another edition of Bonji Hot Takes! Happy Thursday, we hope your week is going well and you are excited for another fast-approaching weekend. If you want to learn more or look back at our previous tips, head over to our website! Aside from producing the best quality, gourmet Açaí, Coconut, Pitaya, and new Mango-Pineapple smoothie bowl bases, our blog has been ranked as a top 100 restaurant blog, feel free to check it out for yourself! __________________ With new flavors constantly becoming trendy, it can be hard to keep up. Additionally, sauces have skyrocketed in popularity, especially since people have been exploring innovative tastes to use at home. Although many of us aren't in the retail sauce space, keeping flavors fresh at your restaurant is just as important. In fact, nearly 40% of restaurant-goers are tempted to order a dish that has an “original sauce." This is nothing new, as Americans have always loved sauces, but now it's hard to keep up with the ever-changing trends. We even discussed the obsession with condiments as a 2022 trend at the start of the year! Today we offer a few trending sauce profiles that you may want to play around with this year!
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__________________ Our Favorite New Sauce Flavors 1. Comforting and Earthy We are all well aware of the plant-based / vegan community, but still, people are craving sauces that hold true to real ingredients. According to the Innova Database, “the percentage of new mayonnaise, dressing and vinegar products making a vegan claim shot up from 6.5% in 2017 to 18.1% during the first 11 months of 2020.” Think about the wide variety of pasta sauces that can use a plant-based protein source or can be altered with a few extra spices. To be more specific, sauces that have the trendy umami flavor and marinades using ingredients like roasted garlic, nuts, and truffles have exploded. Experiment with these earthy tastes while still keeping a simple, comforting sauce profile. 2. Spicy is Thriving Although Americans are known for having a weak spice and heat tolerance, that trend has shifted, with more U.S. consumers demanding sauces to have some form of kick. Whether it's as simple as a buffalo sauce or a more in-depth chili pepper sauce, heat is on the rise. As a matter of fact, now 80% of consumers say they enjoy hot or spicy foods. That's right… every 8 out of 10 people that walk into your restaurant would be, at the very least, interested in having a kick in their dish. We aren't saying go ahead and slam their plate with hot peppers, but a nice little kick in a sauce could be a game-changer. A few prime examples are jalapeño/chipotle, hot mustard, or a chili crisp oil. 3. Tastes From Overseas Again, in the past, it seems that Americans were shut off from the rest of the world's cuisine. However, the tides have changed, and many Americans are craving dishes and flavors from all walks of the Earth. This has especially been true since travel restrictions have been lifted and people are back out there, exploring the world. Aside from simply taking sauces from overseas, like the Greek tzatziki (which has been soaring this Spring/Summer), blending Mexican and Asian flavors has been a fan favorite. For example, many restaurants have introduced a slightly spicy chili Korean sauce that can go well on a variety of dishes, ranging from chicken to salads. “As restrictions begin to ease, this desire for interesting new flavors has raised the profile of fiery marinades and table sauces featuring flavorful chili varieties like habanero, ancho, and guajillo. The combination of Mexican and Asian flavors is increasing, with spicy chili Korean barbecue sauce being one example", said Mabel Chacko, project leader, technical development and innovation for Ingredion, Inc. 4. Fusing Flavors As we mentioned previously, cultures are being brought together through food and flavors. This trend has boomed over the past year and is only increasing in interest. Mixing in hot and spicy with American bleu cheese or an Asian cuisine like soy, miso, and ginger has been taking over the sauce world. Now, we are seeing Mediterranean flavors like olive oil, harissa, and cumin making their own waves. Even massive brands like Frank's Red Hot have jumped on the fusion train, releasing a buffalo-ranch combination. For restaurants, this allows you to get creative and try to expand from the boring ketchup. Add some flair and freshness to your menu this Summer and try some new sauce flavors!
