ADM unveils 2026 Flavor and Color Trends
ADM has released its 2026 Flavor and Color Trends Outlook, forecasting a year where personal resilience and emotional wellbeing will shape consumer preferences across food and beverage categories.
The report identifies three key trend spaces — Authentic Wellbeing, Give Me More, and Newstalgia Dreamland — each reflecting a growing desire for nourishment, escapism, and emotional connection in the face of ongoing global stressors.
For food and drink professionals, the insights offer a roadmap for innovation that goes beyond taste and aesthetics. ADM’s research suggests that consumers are actively seeking products that help them feel safe, in control, and joyful — with flavour and colour playing a central role in that experience.
1. Authentic Wellbeing: nourishment with purpose
Health and wellness continue to dominate consumer priorities, but in 2026, the focus expands to include mental resilience and social connection.
ADM highlights orange and yellow hues, bright citrus notes, and creamy textures as key indicators of this trend. These elements signal warmth, optimism, and authenticity — qualities that consumers associate with longevity and self-care.
For manufacturers, this means developing products that not only deliver nutritional value but also evoke emotional comfort. Functional ingredients, clean-label formulations, and formats that support mindful consumption will be critical.
2. Give Me More: sensory escapism and bold creativity
In uncertain times, indulgence becomes a form of self-care. ADM’s “Give Me More” trend taps into consumers’ appetite for deeper, more playful experiences. Think bold blues, unique greens, and unexpected flavour mash-ups — all designed to create a multi-sensory “theatre” of taste, texture, and colour.
This trend challenges brands to push boundaries. Hybrid formats, layered flavour profiles, and immersive packaging can help products stand out in a crowded marketplace. It’s a call to embrace creativity and deliver joy through culinary surprise.
3. Newstalgia Dreamland: comfort meets innovation
The final trend space, “Newstalgia Dreamland,” blends the familiar with the futuristic. Consumers are turning to retro flavours and colours — vibrant reds, pinks, and purples — reimagined in modern formats. This fusion of tradition and innovation offers emotional grounding while inviting discovery.
For food and drink professionals, this is an opportunity to revisit classic recipes, formats, and branding through a contemporary lens. Storytelling will be key, as consumers seek products that connect them to heritage while offering something new.
ADM’s 2026 outlook underscores the importance of emotional intelligence in product development. Flavour and colour have become tools for connection, comfort, and self-expression.
Brands that respond to these trends with empathy, creativity, and purpose will be well-positioned to capture consumer attention and loyalty. Whether through functional wellness offerings, immersive flavour experiences, or nostalgic reinventions, the message is clear: resilience is personal, and food is part of the journey.
For formulators, marketers, and R&D teams, ADM’s insights prioritises not just what consumers eat, but also how they feel.
