Datassential: 10 Flavors That Will be Hot in 2026

Datassential predicts flavors such as ancient grain beer and stracciatella cheese could make waves.

November 17, 2025

This year was full of trending flavors such as ube and hot honey. Looking to 2026, Datassential has lined up its predictions for 10 flavors, beverages and emerging foods that will be hot in 2026, according to its 2026 Trends Report.

“These ingredients represent the next wave of culinary innovation—rooted in cultural authenticity, ancient traditions and bold regional flavors that are just beginning to capture consumer imagination,” the research firm said.

Here’s a look at five of the flavors:

  • Ancient Grain Beer (Made with African Fonio): “Combining beer with health and sustainability-forward trends, ancient grain beer is brewed with ancient grains such as African fonio or quinoa. Forty percent of consumers are interested in trying it and 8% have already tried it.”
  • Fermented Black Beans: “Black soybeans that have been fermented with salt and a fermenting agent similar to koji create an intensely savory ingredient. While often used in a sauce to add funk to dishes, fermented black beans can also be used whole to add texture. Thirty-seven percent of consumers are interested in trying fermented black beans and 16% have already tried them—making this one of the more familiar items on this future trends list.”
  • Stracciatella Cheese: “A fresh, creamy Italian cheese made from shredded mozzarella and cream, stracciatella is the luscious filling inside burrata and could be used as an elevated swap anywhere burrata or fresh mozzarella are used. Fifty-eight percent of consumers are interested in trying it and 11% have already tried it.”
  • Camu Camu: “This small Brazilian berry has the potential to be the next big superfood as it boasts high levels of vitamin C and antioxidants. It is typically mixed into smoothies. Fifty-eight percent of consumers are interested in trying camu camu and 6% have already tried it.”
  • Som Tum (as a Flavor): “Sweet, spicy, sour and salty som tum is a quintessential Thai green papaya salad that can be easily customized to meet a variety of consumer preferences and serve as flavor inspiration for beverages. Forty-three percent of consumers are interested in trying it and 9% have already tried it.”

Check out the full 2026 prediction list here. And make sure to look out for more 2026 flavor trend predictions in the upcoming December 2025 issue of NACS Magazine.