Category
Lifestyle
Serial Snacking
Trend cluster
Category
Eastern
Infusion
Cold tea beverages incorporate Eastern taste profiles for consumer allure.
3.3
Trend score
Trend
What is the Eastern Infusion trend?
Eastern Infusion: Spicy, ethnic flavors hailing from the East have been making their way into traditionally sweeter fare, such as desserts and coffee, in order to satisfy a growing consumer desire for flavor reversal. Cold beverages are following suit, adding a spicy kick to an otherwise refreshing experience, while simultaneously providing North American consumers with international variations of iced drinks. The expansion of fusion from food to beverage signifies a consumer appreciation for new incarnations of familiar flavors.
Trend themes
Themes within the Eastern Infusion trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Spicy Flavor Profile
The use of spicy, ethnic flavors in traditionally sweet drinks like tea communicates consumers' interest in innovative taste combinations.
02
Fusion Beverages
Food and drink cultures are blending as consumers become more adventurous and interested in the next iteration of familiar flavors.
03
Traditional Beverage Makeovers
Disruptive innovation opportunities arise from updating traditional beverages to suit modern taste preferences, like cold tea with a spicy kick.
Industry implications
What the Eastern Infusion trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Beverage Production
Innovative takes on traditional drink recipes provide an opportunity for beverage producers to experiment with new flavor combinations and capitalize on consumers' expanding palates.
For
Culinary Innovation
Innovation opportunities arise from the fusion of various international flavors for food and beverage production, such as with the emergence of spicy, ethnic flavors in traditional sweet drinks like tea.
For
Packaging Design
The opportunity to capitalize on the beverage industry's race to the top means that packaging design is a potential avenue for companies to pique customers' interest and stand out from competitors, such as with the use of labels inspired by vintage Eastern medicine packaging.
Workshop question
Describe a new way to a inject Southeast Asian influence into your product or service.
Trend signals
Trend signals for Eastern Infusion
Trend score 3.3 out of 10, from popularity 45%, activity 45%, freshness 8%.
Popularity45%
Activity45%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha (not a primary audience)
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Europe
Evidence
Examples of the Eastern Infusion trend
5 featured examples from Jun 20, 2015 to Jan 9, 2017CategoryLifestyle
Eastern Ginger Brews
Mr. Mak's Ginbao Has Packaging Reminiscent of Ancient Medicines
The traditional Chinese wellness drinks offered by Mr.
CategoryLifestyle
Tea Thyme Sodas
This Refreshing Ice Tea Recipe Can Also Be Used in an Extremely Easy Cocktail
Beverage companies can create refreshing and novel non-alcoholic drinks by using the Tea Thyme syrup recipe in this article as inspiration.
CategoryLifestyle
Boozy Thai Teas
This Alcoholic Thai Ice Tea is an Alternative Summer Cocktail You Need to Try
The beverage industry can capitalize on the trend of boozy Thai teas by developing new product lines or variations that incorporate unique flavors and ingredients.
CategoryLifestyle
Thai Iced Teas
White on Rice Couple's Iced Tea Blend References Asian Cuisine
The beverage industry can incorporate Asian-inspired blends into their product offerings, providing consumers with exciting and unique drink options.
CategoryLifestyle
Hybrid Tea Beverages
This 'Drunken Meadow' Tea Combines Matcha and Oolong Leaves
The beverage industry can explore new products and flavors by incorporating Drunken Meadow Tea's hybrid tea beverage concept.
