You are what you eat

Drinking a sangria in rainy England probably doesn’t taste the same as it would on a sunny beach in Spain – and it’s most likely down to your mood.

Some studies have suggested that what we consume can influence how we feel. For example, most of us will probably reach out a sleepy hand for the coffee granules in the morning.

And while it’s been known for some time that caffeine can make you feel more awake, more recent research has emerged which shows us that our gut and mental well-being may be more closely related than we thought. Specifically, studies have linked anxiety and depression with the community of microbes living in our guts.

Mood inspired products aren’t an entirely new concept, with the tea sector having been a frontrunner for such mood-inducing goods – think ‘calming chamomile’ – but it’s certainly a concept on the rise.

Last year, Pizza Hut dabbled with AI, installing a temporary device in several of its restaurants in India. This detected the diner’s mood via their facial cues and recommended a pizza based on the results.  

And more recently, Unilever has dived into the world of disposition with its release of mood-inspired Magnum ice creams.

Coming in a set of three flavours, including one vegan option, the ice creams have been created to evoke a sense of ‘euphoria’, ‘wonder’ or ‘chill’.

Ben Curtis, global Magnum and luxury brands lead, explained more: “Happiness is the inspiration for Magnum Euphoria. It pairs a lemon ice cream with a refreshing raspberry sorbet core. To add texture and fun, its thick white chocolate shell is studded with popping candy.​

“Chocolate, caramel and toffee, known as brown flavours in the food industry, are currently trending with all consumers and Magnum Wonder looks to capitalise on their popularity. It combines velvety ice cream with the unexpected sweetness of a date and toffee flavour ice cream core and is covered in golden chocolate and caramelised almonds.​

“The flavour inspiration of Magnum Chill is blueberries. This vegan option matches a vanilla biscuit-flavour ice cream with a blueberry sorbet core and crunchy cookie pieces, covered in a rich vegan chocolate couverture.”​

“Brands are constantly looking for new angles to position their products and today food isn’t just about fuel, it is about the way we feel at the time of eating and how the food also then makes us feel too,”​ Mike Bagshaw, founder of flavour house specialists I.T.S, informed Food Manufacture.

Two of the big trends for 2024 that have been gaining momentum for the last few years include health and wellness, and nostalgic twists.

Health and wellness

Speaking on the former, Bagshaw said the use of botanicals and floral flavours are growing in popularity. 

“We will be seeing a growing number of floral and fruit pairings in the conventional food and drink space as manufacturers strive to appeal to consumer demand for feel-good-food they believe will add value to their health,”​ he predicted.

Jacqui Passmore, marketing lead for West EU & AMEAP at Dawn Foods echoed this, adding that mood-boosting tastes and flavours linked to health and wellness are becoming increasingly popular facets of Gen Z’s purchasing habits.

“Dawn’s Global Trends Report identified that as consumers place a stronger emphasis on mental health and wellness, they have increasingly changed their perceptions of sweet goods. So, enjoying something sweet every day has gone from ‘something I feel guilty about’ to ‘something that makes me feel good’,” ​she continued.

“Certainly, in terms of Dawn’s NPD we are seeing a reduction in sugar and calories and interest in individual serving size and mini-format cakes as well as a focus on interesting ‘mood boosting’ flavours as higher priority for customers in the bakery manufacturing channel.”​

Bidfood’s nutrition manager, Heather Dolan, agreed, saying that drinks, snacks and breakfast cereals are all among the categories witnessing an increasing uptick in claims supporting a variety of health-related aspects, from the gut to immunity and brain function.

“As the trend grows, we are starting to see straightforward claims of "mood boosting" being labelled on pack – this is across sectors, but particularly in non-alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and sports nutrition and wellness products,”​ added Bagshaw. “This opens up a whole other debate about labelling regulation too!”​

Speaking with Natalie Narey, innovation manager at House of Flavours, she noted the influence that social media has had on our food experiences and perceptions.

“Social media has also changed how we perceive food, making information about what we eat more accessible than ever,” ​she said.

“This increased awareness has led us to focus on what additional benefits our food can offer. For example, lion's mane mushroom has become a popular ingredient due to its cognitive-enhancing properties and its ability to boost the immune system.”​

“A big factor we must take into consideration here is the correct application of the nutrition and health claims legislation,”​ added Dolan on mood claims.

“Nutrition claims refer to the energy and/or nutrient value of a food, for example, ‘high fibre’ or ‘low sugar’. Health claims refer to a relationship between food and health, for example, ‘vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system’.​

“The Great British Nutrition and Health Claims Register lists thousands of claims that are either authorised or registered for use in the UK, based on the availability of scientific evidence. So only authorised health claims must be used, following the set specific criteria. While there are authorised claims around how nutrients such as zinc, iodine and iron contribute to normal cognitive function, there currently isn’t enough evidence to support claims like ‘increases concentration’.​

“As a business, we have two registered nutritionists within our technical services team and pride ourselves on an evidence-based approach. We focus on simple principles that are grounded in science, such as eating a variety of plant foods every day, as well as plenty of fibre and watching levels of saturated fat, free sugars and salt. ​

“Whilst there are plenty of these products out there, which can form part of a healthy, balanced diet, keep an eye out for those that are overly niche, sound too good to be true or are not backed by science!”​

A journey to the past

One of the areas where Bidfood has been playing with both science and mood is in the care home environment.

“For healthcare, in particular care homes, we incorporate a variety of colours, tastes and smells to our recipes to stimulate residents’ appetites, as well as inspire our customers on how to incorporate familiar textures and flavours to help evoke positive memories. For example, you can play with textures in a hearty chicken, vegetable and pearl barley soup and when you serve this with a homemade bloomer for dipping, the warm, comforting smells of freshly baked bread will signal to residents that lunchtime is approaching,” ​Dolan continued.

“Childhood favourites and old-time classics can also be brought to the present to conjure up a sense of nostalgia. Our 1940s and 1950s guides help residents relive cherished memories from their past and support them to meet their nutrition and hydration needs. ​

“As part of our Food and Drink Trends research, we have a ‘Flavours Less Travelled’ trend, which centres on dishes from around the world. Recipes such as Mexican charred corn elotes and Polish Borscht play into consumers’ sense of adventure. And for consumers from different cultural backgrounds, these authentic dishes will remind them of being at home.”​

“Flavours are deeply linked to memories and experiences, often triggering emotional responses based on past associations and cultural contexts,” ​added Hélène Moeller, vice president for global product marketing, flavors and colors at ADM.

“For example, the smell of vanilla might conjure feelings of comfort and warmth, as it is often associated with home-baked goods, while citrus flavours like lemon or orange can evoke energetic feelings, reminiscent of sunny days or refreshing drinks. As another example, peppermint flavours might lead to holiday cheer in some cultures due to its association with festive treats, while in others, it might be associated with medicinal remedies. ​

“By understanding these connections and any potential differences by culture or geography, manufacturers can create products that suggest specific emotional responses, whether it's nostalgia, relaxation or excitement.”​

‘Newstalgia’

While nostalgia is proving popular among consumers of all ages, one of the more recent trends Renshaw by Bakels’ marketing manager Hannah Kennedy is seeing is the twist of old meets new. 

“In uncertain times, consumers will often turn to nostalgic flavours and favourites, seen to bring both comfort and familiarity. But to keep shoppers coming back for more, brands should use nostalgia as a hook, while offering something new, exciting and unique at the same time,” ​she said.

“Newstalgia plays on the foundation of familiarity but with a modern twist, to entice consumers.”​

This is a trend the brand has tapped into, Kennedy explained, as it looks to educate consumers that marzipan isn’t just for Christmas or fruit cakes!

In fact, according to research from Innova, marzipan is a flavour trend ‘to watch’ for food manufacturers around the world.

“To capitalise on this, and inspire consumers to try the trend for themselves, we’ve developed a range of new recipes, including classic Marzipan Bakewell Crumble Tarts and Marzipan Eccles Cakes – both made using our Renshaw Original Marzipan,” ​added Kennedy.

Newstalgia is a trend Passmore has also seen within the wider bakery sector. She told Food Manufacture that Dawn’s Trend Report Europe and AMEAP 2024 found that 76% of European consumers enjoy sweet baked goods that put a new spin on a traditional item.

“As a result, bakery manufacturers are using flavour in icings, frostings, injections, in the batter and in the finished product decoration to add new dimensions to their products,” ​she noted.

Among some of the flavours that Dawn sees topping the charts are fruit and citrus. In particular, Passmore notes the rise of Yuzu, which saw a 25% uptick in growth across food and drink launches in 2023.

Other flavours of the fruity variety to keep your eyes on include passionfruit, fig and Bramley apple.

“The use of fruit varieties is being used increasingly to help ‘premiumise’ a finished product and appeals to consumers’ interest in food provenance as well as the importance of food from our past,”​ explained Passmore.

We’re also likely to see more Middle Eastern influences, such as sour cherry, rose and pistachio.

“The addition of nuts, seeds and spices is trending both for added texture but also to add a depth of flavour. Pistachio is the premium flavour for 2024, from Waitrose’s pistachio Easter egg earlier this year, to Donutelier’s ultimate luxury Sweet Rose Donut featuring pistachio vanilla filling, meringue, Chantilly cream, raspberry jam, ground pistachios and a fresh raspberry,” ​Passmore continued.

And ‘dessert’ will continue to gain popularity as a flavour. 

“Taking inspiration from well-known desserts taps into consumer desire for nostalgic indulgence. Red velvet, crème brûlée, tiramisu and key lime pie are prominent flavours we have seen in the doughnut category, for example.”​

Bagshaw agreed, noting this was not a trend saved just for bakery: “As nostalgia continues to be big news both in flavours and format, consumers are buying products with flavours that take them down memory lane - marzipan, custard, sherbet, gingerbread and even candy floss, but criss-crossed across different food and beverage categories. Think of Marzipan Old Fashioned cocktail.”​

Passmore also pointed out the importance of the environment when it comes to our mood and food.

Citing research from Professor Charles Spence, an experimental psychologist from the University of Oxford, whose studies found that the time of day affects our ‘need for sweet’, Passmore said: “We tend to be drawn to sweeter products earlier in the day – so sweet bakery items, for example, are ideal for breakfast and morning coffee and our ability to detect sweetness diminishes as the day progresses. ​

“Our mood also shows some degree of variation over the course of the day too which might exert some influence over our food choices.”​

When flavour becomes too complicated

The Single Cask is another brand that has been playing with the concept of emotions with its whisky.

Speaking with its team, they explained to Food Manufacture that categorising and marketing its drinks based on mood is actually much easier than flavour due to the unpredictability of single cask whisky.

The Single Cask was created in 2010 by Ben Curtis (incidentally, not the same Ben Curtis mentioned earlier!) who was fascinated by the character of whisky drawn straight from the cask at natural strength. Whereas a single malt will be a mixture of many of casks put together, The Single Cask focuses on bottling straight from the cask, meaning that no two whiskys are the same.

“Every cask is unique. It has a unique character and a unique personality,” ​said Helen Stewart, brand marketing manager at The Single Cask, who introduced the idea of profiling by mood to the company. “You only get 200 bottles [of a particular whisky]. When it’s gone, it’s finished and you can’t ever buy it again.”​

“There’s a real ‘emotional’ side to whisky. You tend to miss that if you just talk about flavour. Flavour is so subjective. Categorising by mood means you get a feel for the character and how it’s going to make you feel. What you’re in the mood for is much easier than what flavours do you like.”​

“Single cask whisky has the most diverse range of flavours,” ​added her colleague Kami Newton, whisky sensory expert. “To try and categorise it like that is much more complicated than, say, wine.”​

The flavour of whisky is influenced by a range of factors, including the type of oak, where the oak was grown, even where the tree grew in the forest can impact it.

“Oak trees at the edge of the forest tend to grow out more, whereas oak trees in the middle of the forest grow up more and this changes the grain of the oak,” ​Newton explained.

“We wanted to make [the process of choosing whisky] as simple as possible. Everyone understands moods, they’re not culturally specific; everyone understands what it feels like to be cheerful or playful or mellow.”​

The Single Cask has categorised its whiskys into five moods – playful, cheerful, curious, bold and easy going.

“We're not being that specific with the flavours, it's about the overall charisma.”​

Conclusion

Looking to the future of ‘mood snacking’, Unilever’s Curtis said it looks promising, as the company continues to see growing consumer interest in products that enhance emotional experiences.

“In Magnum, we see this trend continuing to evolve, with more innovative and personalised product offerings that cater to specific moods,”​ he added.

“Mood flavours show signs of being a lasting movement rather than a fleeting fad, especially as it taps into the larger and enduring consumer interest in mental and emotional well-being,”​ agreed Moeller.

Moeller referenced the cultural shift we’re seeing towards the ‘it’s ok not to be ok’ movement, with mental health awareness and discussion improving, subsequently driving the increased acceptability of products that are aimed at altering our emotional state.

“As more research is done to understand the relationship between flavours, ingredients and mood, it is likely that the industry will continue to explore and invest in this area,” ​she concluded.

Call it gut feeling, but this author can certainly envision further research emerging linking the gut and brain in the coming years. But, regardless of what happens, humans are emotional beings and we will always associate experiences, including food and drink, to how we feel.