Picture this: you’re walking past a bakery, and before you even see the cookies, your mouth starts watering. That’s not magic—it’s flavor anticipation, and it might just be the most underrated force in product innovation today.

Welcome to 2025, where less really is more—at least when it comes to food portions. Gone are the days of value-sized everything. Today’s consumers want just enough. Not too little. Not too much. Just right.

Flavor innovation has emerged as both a marketing marvel and a potential minefield in today’s fast-paced food and beverage industry. With brands racing to stay relevant, shelves fill with bold mash-ups like jalapeño–mango seltzer and marshmallow–lavender cereal. But for flavor professionals, the question isn’t just “can we make this?”—it’s “should we?” Constant novelty risks weakening brand identity, confusing customers, or even backfiring.