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Spanning from September to late December, the fall season is filled with comforting flavors and nostalgic holiday inspired tastes consumers look forward to each year. From favorite fruits to spice-related flavors, let’s take a look at the trending seasonal and limited-edition products and flavors for fall, and see where you can find inspiration for your brand.

61% of consumers are interested in purchasing limited-edition retail items or restaurant specials/LTOs in the fall – Datassential 

Top Flavors: 

• Peppermint
• Chocolate
• Pumpkin/Squash/Gourd & Spice/Spicy Chocolate
• Cherry
• Caramel/Caramelized
• Cocoa/Cacao
• Sugar
• Gingerbread
• Sour
• Raspberry
• Vanilla
• Cranberry
• Fruit

“Seasonally relevant flavors tap into fresh emotional context (think relevancy, impulse, discovery), letting brands stay top of mind and in more carts—without long-term shelf risk.” - Christy Lebor at SmashBrand (LinkedIn) 

Top Categories

Bakery, Sugar & Gum Confectionery, and Chocolate Confectionery ranked highest for top North America categories with fall seasonal and LTOs. - Mintel

Trends of Interest:

• Fall Fruit Favorites
• Holiday Spice Inspired Flavors
• Holiday Celebrations

Fall Fruit Favorites

Cherry, fig, cranberry and more. Developers can find opportunity with these fall inspired flavors cross-category with classic tastes like apple pie or more complex combinations like fig and prosciutto.

Products of Note: 

Nature's Bakery Pumpkin Spice Fig Bar features whole grains and real fruit.

Williams Sonoma Yuletide Mule Festive Cocktail Mixer features ginger, cranberry, and hibiscus.

Holiday Spice Inspired Flavors

There’s room for holiday spice inspired flavors outside of pumpkin spice, too. Think of opportunities with flavors like chai, gingerbread, and even peppermint that can also range from fall to winter.

Products of Note:

Pepperidge Farm Milano Chai Latte Flavored Distinctive Cookies feature flavors of nutmeg and clove.

Ritual Chocolate Gingerbread Toffee Crisp is a spiced oat milk chocolate with molasses toffee crisp.


Holiday Celebrations

Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Oktoberfest remain holidays consumers are interested in purchasing specials for, but developers can also find opportunity in fall holidays like Día de Muertos and more.

Products of Note:

Williams Sonoma Crispy Onion & Herbs Thanksgiving Crunch is a vibrant, umami-rich topping.

Van der Meer Chocolates Dia De Los Muertos Chocolate Covered Sandwich Cookies were available for Day of the Dead 2025.


A Word From Our Expert

Theresa Lancaster, Content & Communications Manager

“Autumn offers the perfect opportunity to satisfy consumer cravings for indulgent, familiar tastes. Sweet brown profiles like caramelized apple, spiced chai, and pecan pie capture the essence of the season, while savory favorites such as sage stuffing, roasted turkey, and au gratin potatoes bring back cherished memories of home and togetherness.”

View our Seasonal Lookback on Fall Flavors

Order your free flavor sample here.

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Let McCormick Flavor Solutions market insight and research experts get to work for you. Translate these trends into bold new ideas for your brand. Increase market share and get to your “what’s next.” Our technical flavor, seasoning 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.
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