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Flavor profiles like sweet heat, global and regional flavors, and nostalgia continue to dominate the meat and poultry industry. Alongside these favorites, elevated classics and unexpected mashups are capturing attention by consumers and product developers alike.

To further explore which flavor profiles and ingredients are trending for meat and poultry products, The National Provisioner spoke with Smithfield Foods, Kerry Group, Everson Spice and 210 Analytics.

Sweet heat and global influences

Marianne Radley, managing director of marketing for Smithfield Foods, noted that sweet heat is particularly having a standout moment in the pork category, and is quickly growing in popularity among Gen Z consumers and on the TikTok app.

“This trend inspired our latest innovation – Smithfield Mike’s Hot Honey Bacon,” Radley said. “By pairing Smithfield’s signature hickory-smoked bacon with Mike’s cult-favorite Sweet Heat, the collab unites two category icons while tapping directly into consumer demand for bold, unexpected flavors.”

The rise of globally inspired and sweet heat flavor profiles is not a passing trend; rather, they signal a broader consumer appetite for adventurous flavor experiences.

The sweet heat trend is evolving into something more: fruit and heat. Cody Masters, VP sales and culinary, executive chef, Everson Spice Co./Lynn’s Foods, calls this flavor evolution “complex heat.” “Think of pairing a tropical fruit flavor with an on-trend heat source, with a degree of differentiation attached to the naming mechanism,” Masters said. “Blends like ‘Fire Roasted Pineapple & Serrano,’ ‘Zesty Habanero & Peach Chamoy’ or ‘Sweet Dill Pickle Chili Crisp,’ are the types of names that are grabbing people's attention.”

Nostalgia-driven innovations are evolving in a new way as well, driven by global and regional influences. "From AI-curated spice blends to third culture cuisine, this trend reflects a new kind of nostalgia – one that’s personal, tech-enabled, and globally inspired," said Kerry Group’s Shannon Coco, senior sales and marketing director, and Julie Beauchemin, strategic marketing manager. "Unlike past trends that focused on honoring or modernizing tradition, this is about rewriting it – where cultural memory meets digital tools, and authenticity is defined by the individual."

Global barbecue is also gaining popularity among consumers and processors alike, with Japanese and Korean barbecue driving growth, according to Datassential 2025.

Though these innovative flavor trends are getting a lot of attention in the meat and poultry industry, the classics are classics for a reason. Radley is seeing that consumers don’t want to choose between trend and innovation; instead, they want both. She noted that these innovations can reimagine familiar formats and flavors in new ways that feel fresh to consumers.

Generational shopping trends

Gen Z is gaining spending power, and their interest in TikTok is in increasingly shaping flavor and product development.

“For instance, the popularity of crunchy textures right now, whether freeze-dried candy, honeycrisp apples or crispy grapes. That’s something that can be brought into the meat department,” said Anne-Marie Roerink, principal for 210 Analytics. Unique textures are an innovative way to add novelty to classic products.

Roerink noted that Gen Z and millennial shoppers over index for LATAM and Mexican foods, as well as Caribbean, Mediterranean and Asian cuisines. “Boomers most certainly enjoy tacos and the more mainstream Mexican/LATAM items, while you see a much broader range of items and countries in the Millennial meal lineup, including items like birria or barbacoa,” she said.

This regional trend extends to Asian cuisines, with younger consumers exploring options like gyukatsu and Korean barbecue, as well as other local dishes. “This will influence how the meat is cut and presented as well as the different flavors featured in value-added meat and poultry items,” Roerink said.

In addition to TikTok inspiration, foodservice continues to influence retail meat and poultry trends. Roerink noted that when foodservice format CAVA added lamb meatballs to its menu, retail interest in ground lamb grew accordingly. “The interest in thinly-cut meat directly relates back to the popularity of pho, ramen, hot pot and other Asian dishes that are hugely popular in foodservice right now,” she said.

Looking ahead

The comfort food trend is growing in popularity, largely driven by the quickening pace of macro changes, said Coco and Beauchemin. Traditional cooking techniques continue their enduring popularity, but "Consumers are gravitating to new wood species callouts beyond the traditional hardwood and in a recent Kerry Proprietary Research study, ranked Applewood, Maple Wood, and Hickory as their top 3 most desired wood types used." Coco and Beauchemin anticipate interest in different types of wood combined with popular flavor profiles.

Looking ahead, Radley anticipates continued interest in sweet and spicy offerings, as well as global influences. “The future of flavor lies in mashups that feel approachable yet surprising so consumers can explore new taste experiences without losing the comfort and familiarity of the foods they already love,” she said.

Masters anticipates future interest in meat and poultry products inspired by Southeast Asian street foods and snacks. “Not only in terms of the flavors, but also in aesthetics,” he said. Masters added that the best way to understand meat trends is by observing the snack category. He sees potential in street-food-inspired “sticky” coatings, adding both flavor and sensory appeal for adventure-seeking consumers.