Flavor Experience 2025

Top row, left to right: Flavor & The Menu’s Cathy Nash Holley and Katie Ayoub dove into trends to watch in 2026 and beyond; attendees tasted the trends in real time. Bottom row, left to right: Lentils.org served Mumbai Fries with butter lentil curry, paneer, mint chutney and yogurt sauce. In a compelling general session, Joe Burns, global strategist and trend forecaster with Quality Meats Creative, explored why “mid” is the most dangerous place for brands today. Attendees enjoyed Danone North America’s Mochi Midnight Madness, cold brew shaken with bourbon and salted vanilla syrup, topped with cold foam, chocolate bitters and a skewer of fried mochi sprinkled with strawberry dust.

The 2025 Flavor Experience took place in August in Newport Beach, Calif., showcasing three days of flavor trends and consumer insights, along with food and beverage inspiration—all aimed at giving high-volume menu developers a roadmap to menu success in 2026 and beyond. Presented by Flavor & The Menu magazine, this singular annual event explores the ever-evolving world of flavor, marking more than two decades of inspiring innovation in foodservice.