Black garlic just got crowned the Flavor of the Year, but the more interesting number in the new 2027 flavor trends report is a bummer for hype chasers: only 11% of household grocery decision-makers say newer flavors have become everyday staples in their homes. Interest in trying new flavors also slid from 63% to 51% in a year.
The report comes from food marketing firm MorganMyers and was released on Oct. 7, 2026. Below: the 10 flavors it expects to rise, why most trends die in the pantry, and how to try the new stuff without wasting money.
The 2027 Flavor Trends List: 10 Flavors to Watch
According to the MorganMyers press release, the 2027 Food & Flavor Trends Report picks these 10 flavors:
- Black garlic (named Flavor of the Year)
- Chili crisp
- Labneh
- Manuka honey
- Dates
- Sumac
- Espresso
- Masa corn
- Dragon fruit
- Koji
The forecast blends culinary, retail, menu and search-trend analysis with original consumer research. That research is two online surveys fielded in August 2026: one of 389 U.S. adults and one of 351 household grocery purchase decision-makers. Each has a margin of error of plus or minus 5%.
One caveat up front: this is a marketing firm’s own report, shared as a press release. It does not name the survey vendor or explain weighting. Treat it as a useful signal, not a census.
Why Black Garlic Is the Flavor of the Year
Black garlic is garlic that has been aged until it turns dark, soft and sweet. Mintel, in its 2026 snacking flavors report as relayed by The Food Institute, describes a mellower taste than raw garlic with “notes of molasses and balsamic.” Mintel also calls it a “premium, chef-inspired ingredient.”
It has a tailwind from fermented foods. The same Food Institute roundup cites a Datassential survey in which 46% of people who had tried fermented foods liked or loved them. That figure covers fermented foods in general, not black garlic specifically.
In the MorganMyers survey, half of consumers expressed interest in black garlic. Seasoning maker McCormick also describes it as sweeter and more delicate than regular garlic, with a “rich, savory depth,” and suggests pairing it with nutty cheeses or umami-heavy steak.
Black is a whole trend
Black garlic is not alone. The Food Institute piece, published Dec. 10, 2025, tracked a run of dark flavors on 2026 forecast lists. Yelp said searches for black sesame matcha rose 147% year over year. McCormick picked black currant as its 2026 flavor of the year. In other words, the 2027 flavor trends list is leaning into a mood that was already building.
The 11% Problem: Most Flavor Trends Do Not Stick
Here is the sobering part. Only 11% of grocery decision-makers say newer flavors have become staples in their homes. That is the gap between “I’d try that” and “I buy that every week.”
MorganMyers even keeps a “Flavor Graveyard.” Its examples of short-lived trends include ruby chocolate and butter boards. Its examples of lasting wins include pumpkin spice and hot honey.
The firm’s own executives frame it as a brand problem. Eric Davis, vice president of food and beverage at MorganMyers, said: “With interest in trying new flavors declining, food marketers face an even bigger challenge.” He added that brands need to put as much effort into generating a second and third purchase as the first.
How Food Trends Stick: The Four-Stage Playbook
MorganMyers lays out a four-stage path: The Spark, The Pantry Test, The Repeat Buy and Staple Status. The data suggests the make-or-break moment is the middle.
- Discovery: 74% of decision-makers find new flavors through grocery store displays, 60% through friends and family and 51% through social media.
- First taste: 54% say they would most likely try a new flavor at home after buying it at a store, versus 24% at a restaurant.
- The nudge: in-store sampling (66%) and coupons or discounts (64%) are the top influences on trying something new.
- Repeat purchase: 92% say they would likely buy again after a good experience. The biggest factors are affordability (71%), consistent availability (63%) and household approval (59%).
Notice what is missing: virality. Among Gen Z, 48% name friends and family as their most trusted source for new flavors, while fewer than 3% name social media, per the release. A trend can trend online and still lose at the dinner table.
Food Trends Are Burning Out Faster Everywhere
The U.S. survey fits a pattern seen abroad. In a Sept. 29 analysis in The Jakarta Post, Mandiri Institute analyst Nabila C. Kusworo tracked weekly Google searches for more than 30 Indonesian food and drink trends over about a decade.
Trends that peaked by 2021 stayed above half of their peak search interest for roughly 30 weeks. Trends peaking from 2024 on lasted about 12 weeks. The shortening happens after the peak, she found, while the climb takes about as long as before.
Her conclusion is a useful rule of thumb for anyone, anywhere: “more reinvention does not necessarily mean more longevity.” Lasting products, she argues, tend to fit repeat consumption, like coffee. That is Indonesian data, so do not assume U.S. numbers match, but the direction lines up with what MorganMyers found.
What the 2027 Flavor Trends Mean for Your Grocery Bill
If you shop with a budget, the takeaway is simple: be the skeptical pantry tester. Novelty items often cost more, and the survey suggests most never become staples. Hot honey and pumpkin spice earned their place by being easy to use again and again.
The ones on the 2027 list with obvious repeat use are worth a look first. Espresso, dates and sumac slide into things you already cook or drink. Chili crisp works on eggs, rice and noodles. Koji and masa corn are more of a project.
For more on what is already on your feed, see our look at the fall 2026 food trends and our TikTok trends for October.
Which 2027 flavor trends have the best odds?
Nobody can promise a winner, and the report does not either. But its own logic gives a way to handicap the list. Flavors that are affordable, easy to find and welcome at home have the best shot at repeat buys, since those are the three factors shoppers named most.
Dates and espresso already sit in most grocery stores at familiar prices. Chili crisp has already spread widely in the sauce aisle. Koji and masa corn, by contrast, ask shoppers to learn a new technique first. That is an editorial read, not a finding from the survey, so take it as a guess.
It also matters that the 2027 flavor trends mix old and new. Honey, coffee and dates are ancient pantry items getting a fresh label, while black garlic and koji lean on the current appetite for fermented and aged ingredients.
How to Try New Flavors Without Wasting Money
- Sample first. In-store tastings and small jars beat a full-size bottle.
- Pick one ingredient, not five. Buy black garlic or chili crisp, not the whole list.
- Plan three uses before you buy. If you cannot name them, skip it.
- Ask the household. The survey says household approval matters for repeat buys, and a jar nobody likes is a jar that expires.
- Wait a few weeks. If it is still around and still on sale, it may be a keeper.
Looking at a bigger seasonal picture? Our fall 2026 trends roundup sorts what is worth the hype from what to skip.
The Bottom Line
The 2027 flavor trends are a fun forecast, and black garlic has a real shot at becoming a menu and snack-aisle regular. But the survey’s headline is how few new flavors make it home for good. Try one thing from the list, give it three uses, and decide on the third bite whether it earns a permanent spot.
Stay tuned to USA One News for more lifestyle trends, and tell us which flavor you are trying first.
Trend data in this article is as of Oct. 8, 2026, and comes from industry reports and surveys, not independent studies.
