Download the July edition of 10 Things You Should Know!

1. Sriracha is still hot! According to Foodnetwork.com, Sriracha has become a household staple – in 2013 Americans spent more than $50 million on the hot stuff!

2. Bathtub Gin Organic Artisan Jam is inspired by the classic flavor profiles of early 20th-century cocktails. The line includes Rum Raisin Mission Fig, Elderflower Liqueur Blackberry, Basil Vodka Golden Tomato, Manhattan Red Marmalade and Riesling Rosemary Pear and can be paired with cheese & crackers, shaken into salad dressing or spooned over ice cream. | Cooking Light

3. Watermelon was spotted in a variety of categories with recipes from granita, green tea and sangria to gazpacho soup, bruschetta and salad, to ice cream and cupcakes. Pinterest features a recipe for Honey Grilled Watermelon Caprese Salad including mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette.

4. Top hydrating foods: cucumber/96.7% water, celery/95.4% water, tomatoes/94.5% water, cauliflower/92% water, watermelon/91.5% water and strawberries/91% water. | Health.com

5. 59% of consumers said they would rather give up chocolate than quit coffee. Good news! Research shows iced coffee hydrates just as effectively as water when consumed regularly. Try one of these products with interesting ingredients to get your fix: Realbeanz Iced Coffee Dark Roast made with coconut water or Bhakti Iced Chai Coffee Blend featuring fresh-pressed organic ginger. | Weight Watchers

6. Pandan is a perennial grass native to Southeast Asia. Its refreshing, floral aroma and citrus overtone add exotic flair. Traditionally, pandan is used in both sweet and savory dishes including birthday cakes, cassava cookies and in tomato chili sauce over chicken. | Saveur

7. Umami Burger, a Los Angeles chain, crafted its famous hamburger around the fifth taste. The mouthful includes oven-roasted tomatoes, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, Umami Ketchup made with truffle, a steak patty sprinkled with seaweed and mushroom powder and topped with Umami sauce made with tamari and miso. The bun is even stamped with edible seaweed-based ink!  | Food Network

8. 51% of consumers prefer vanilla ice cream over chocolate, but what about these out-of-the-box: Loblolly Creamery’s Buttermilk Berry Crumble, Hop Ice Cream Café’s Blueberry Kale, Creole Creamery’s Honeydew Ricotta Pistachio, Bent Spoon’s Chocolate Cardamom Orange and Salt & Straw’s Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero. | Mintel

9. In a recent study, consumers deemed crunchy and crisp foods to be 35% less caloric than softer ones, according to the Journal of Consumer Research. This is because our brains tend to think of smooth snacks as unhealthy compared to crunchy snacks.

10. Locally-made craft sodas are trending across the country and give us some interesting flavors: Barton Springs Orange Cream Soda/Austin, Filbert’s Grapefruit/Chicago, Taylor’s Tonics Chai Cola/San Francisco, Naughty Soda Marshmallow Cream/Atlanta and Manhattan Special Orange Soda/Brooklyn. | Food Network

Download the July edition of 10 Things You Should Know!

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FONA Can Help!

Let FONA’s market insight and research experts translate these trends into product category ideas for your brand. They can help you with concept and flavor pipeline development, ideation, consumer studies and white space analysis to pinpoint opportunities in the market. Our flavor and product development experts are also at your service to help meet the labeling and flavor profile needs for your products to capitalize on this consumer trend. We understand how to mesh the complexities of flavor with your brand development, technical requirements and regulatory needs to deliver a complete taste solution. From concept to manufacturing, we’re here every step of the way. Contact our Sales Service Department at 630.578.8600 to request a flavor sample or visit www.fona.com.