Flavour Trends 2025: What consumers prefer!

The beverage world is responding to these needs with innovations that go far beyond classic  fruity flavours. Taste becomes an emotional message, an experience, and a means of  self-expression. More and more consumers seek products that appeal to the senses while reflecting their values—such as sustainability, health, or cultural openness. 

Exciting Flavour Trends and Bold Combinations 

Emerging flavors like Yuzu Kosho, juniper, or sour cherry reflect this desire for intense and unusual taste experiences. Many trends focus on the combination of familiar elements with new nuances. Miso caramel, for example, offers a harmonious balance between sweetness  and umami, while pandan brings an exotic, vanilla-like note to teas or lemonades. Cold  brews with botanical infusions or salty-fruity experiments like Umeboshi show: creativity  knows no limits. 

The desire for botanical flavors and a connection to nature is also reflected in the growing popularity of lavender, rosemary, and lemon verbena. These ingredients not only provide  taste complexity but also evoke associations with wellness and mindfulness. At the same  time, imaginative flavor concepts inspired by galactic or tropical motifs are rapidly gaining  traction—especially among younger target groups. 
Source: Mintel, Flavours to Watch in 2025

Beverage Categories in Transition

This development affects all beverage categories.  Soft drinks  are increasingly focusing on functionality and combine classic fruit flavors with ingredients like adaptogens or botanicals. Citrus, prickly pear, and lavender dominate—enhanced by exciting additions like basil or  yuzu. Juice drinks highlight natural, easy-to-understand ingredients with added health  benefits—such as acerola, matcha, or ginger. In the beer world, boundaries are also shifting:
alcohol-free variants with fruit or fermented notes are appealing to new audiences.
Cider is
also becoming more creative, benefitting from the growing demand for refreshing, sour
flavours.
(Sources: Mintel, Global Food & Drink Trends 2025; The Future of Juice 2025; Beer UK 2024)

In the RTD tea (ready-to-drink) and alternative beverage segment, calming and clearly
structured flavours dominate. Chamomile, tulsi, or schisandra provide relaxation and balance.
Meanwhile, demand for alcohol-free alternatives is increasing. Mocktails and botanical
blends with complex flavor compositions—such as cucumber, mint, juniper, or
cardamom—create a cocktail-like drinking experience without the alcohol.
The sports and functional drink market is also becoming more experimental. New flavors like
dragon fruit, turmeric, or moringa offer added benefits for regeneration, focus, or immune
support. Especially here, regional ingredients, natural coloring, and authentic storytelling
play a crucial role in product success.

New Generations, New Expectations

Alongside product diversity, differences in consumer behavior are also evident: younger
generations like Gen Z seek adventure, visual stimuli, and the storytelling behind a product.
They prefer bold flavours or combinations that are culturally or creatively charged. Millennials,
on the other hand, are more focused on functional benefits, sustainability, and natural
origins. Older consumers tend to look for familiar flavours with health-related benefits—such
as those supporting digestion or immunity.

In a world full of choices, personal values, origins, and emotional connections often guide
purchasing decisions. Consumers want traceable, transparent product concepts. Flavor thus
becomes a bridge between brand identity and individual lifestyle.
Source: Mintel, Global Consumer March 2024

Think Global – Act Local

Regionally, familiar flavours like berries or citrus still dominate many European markets.
However, the willingness to try new international tastes is growing—especially when
presented authentically and positioned as high-quality additions to existing portfolios. This
makes it possible to combine the familiar with the new—such as local fruits with Asian spices
or traditional herbs with exotic floral notes.

Another trend is the reinterpretation of regional classics. Whether elderflower with lime or
apple with lemongrass—targeted modernizations are creating exciting product concepts that
appeal to both long-time fans and new audiences. Ethnic flavour combinations from the
Middle East or South America are also finding their way into trendy lemonades and iced
teas.

Conclusion:

The beverage trends for 2025 strike a balance between tradition and innovation. It’s about
harmony—between function and pleasure, storytelling and clarity, comfort and discovery.
Taste becomes a platform for individuality and differentiation. Brands that recognize this and
embrace bold concepts will gain not only attention but also long-term loyalty.
Austria Juice supports this with a broad portfolio of natural flavours and extracts—from fruity
to exotic, familiar to visionary. Together, we develop products that inspire consumers and
help shape tomorrow’s trends