# Harissa-Spiced Pita Chips Cava is Adding Smoky-Sweet Harissa BBQ Pita Chips This Summer By Katherine Pendrill | Published 2026-07-18 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/harissa-bbq-pita-chips References: [qsrmagazine](https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/cava-launches-harissa-bbq-pita-chips-expands-summer-menu-with-seasonal-offerings/)  [CAVA](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cava-chicken-shawarma) is celebrating summer with the debut of several new limited-time menu items, including new [Harissa](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hot-girl-pickles) BBQ Pita Chips. For those unfamiliar, harissa is a Tunisian hot chili pepper paste and is used widely in North African and Middle Eastern cuisines. CAVA's new Harissa BBQ Pita Chips take the smoky, sweet, and spicy notes of this chili paste and use it as seasoning for its crispy and crunchy pita chips In addition to the new chips, CAVA's other tasty summer offerings include a Strawberry Ginger Juice that features hints of spicy ginger, and a Strawberry Steak Salad finished with a seasonal strawberry sesame dressing. There's also a new Pomegranate Glazed Salmon Bowl, which is a digital-exclusive menu item that consists of pomegranate-glazed salmon, paired with avocado, fresh vegetables, and a Greek vinaigrette. Image Credit: CAVA ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.8/10 - Popularity: 29% | Activity: 33% | Freshness: 83% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Global Spice Snacking:** North African and Middle Eastern flavors in familiar snack formats create space for bold, culturally inspired products that broaden mainstream flavor expectations. - **Seasonal Limited-time Menus:** Short-run summer offerings allow restaurant brands to test adventurous ingredients, drive urgency, and refresh consumer interest without permanent menu commitments. - **Digital-exclusive Meals:** App-only items such as specialty salmon bowls support differentiated ordering experiences, personalized promotions, and data-informed menu experimentation. ### Where This Applies - **Fast Casual Dining:** Flavor-forward menu innovation helps fast casual brands stand out in competitive markets where consumers expect freshness, convenience, and culinary novelty. - **Packaged Snacks:** Restaurant-inspired pita chips with smoky-sweet heat signal opportunities for premium snack brands to translate global condiments into craveable retail products. - **Functional Beverages:** Fruit-forward drinks with spicy ingredients reflect growing interest in refreshing beverages that combine seasonal appeal with more complex flavor profiles. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Mediterranean Cuisine Pita Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mediterranean-salsa-pita-chips.md) - [Mediterranean-Inspired Pita Crisps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/garlic-ranch-pita-chips.md) - [Mediterranean-Style Pita Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pita-jimmy-chips.md) - [Herbaceous Pretzel Chip Snacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pretzel-pita-chips.md) - [Spicy Mediterranean Pita Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hot-harissa-pita-chips.md) - [Patented Coated Pita Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coated-pita-chips.md) - [Ancient Grain Pita Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/freekeh-harvest-baked-pita-chips.md) - [Summery Pita Chip Snacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stacys-tomato-basil.md) - [Veggie-Infused Pita Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/veggie-pita-crackers.md)