Fall serves up a cornucopia of menu possibilities and promotional opportunities. As the temperature drops, occasions for transitioning to tastes associated with the season rise, from back-to-school and football season to Oktoberfest, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.

With the approach of fall, consumers await the reemergence of season-defining flavors like pumpkin spice, apple pie, and brown butter. They also look forward to innovative and limited-edition items that feature exciting new flavors, formats, and collaborations.

Datassential found that 46% of consumers buy fall-flavored food and beverage products,¹ and that 1,321 fall menu items and limited-time offers were launched last year²—a clear indication of the level of culinary ingenuity applied to meet consumer expectations and the demands of the seasonal menu calendar.

Savor the Celebrations

Fall is rich in holidays and events—and the season has the flavors to match. “Classic Thanksgiving flavors dominate the fall palate as operators adopt the well-loved flavors of pumpkin spice, apple, pecan, and cinnamon,” reported Datassential.⁴ “On the savory side, aged cheeses, mustards (Oktoberfest), and gravies provide the comforting feeling of home.”⁴

Seasonal events like pro football are also closely associated with fall flavors. Chicken wings top the list as the most popular game-day food, scoring a 25% increase in average order volume at restaurants on Sundays compared to Sundays during the off-season.⁵ Soups and stews are next (+23%), followed by noodles and ramen (+17%).⁴

Explore a Wide World of Fall Flavors

Given that 82% of consumers are drawn to hot and spicy flavors,⁵ it makes sense to pump up international flair when we start to enter the cooler months. “Globalization continues to bring different cuisines and flavors from around the world and [has] led to more sophisticated taste buds and interest in exotic and unique flavors,” FMCG Gurus reported.⁵

Consider swapping traditional herbs and spices for those with a bit of worldly flavor, boosting taste without adding to the kitchen prep. Instead of chili powder, try gochugaru, a smoky, slightly sweet Korean spice. Or swap paprika for Aleppo pepper to add a fruity, mild heat popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes.

How Fall Flavors Can Work for Your Menu

Perennial fall favorite pumpkin spice has seen steady growth over the years. But while sales of pumpkin-spice-flavored products increased 47% from 2017 to 2022 to hit $236 million, other emerging fall flavors—including s’mores, donut, maple, and squash—have been gaining traction in the U.S. market.⁶

According to Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovation and insight at Mintel Consulting, pumpkin (sans spice), maple, and squash stand out as trending fall flavors. Squash has seen a “big uptick in soups,” she said, and cranberry, a popular seasonal flavor linked to the Thanksgiving holiday, “is appearing across more categories.”⁶

Fall’s bounty encompasses a wide range of produce, from butternut squash and cabbage to beets and Brussels sprouts. When creating menus this season, consider mouthwatering, produce-rich dishes that capture the cozy spirit of fall.

Content courtesy of Nestle Professional

¹Datassential, Flavor Report, 2022 Menu Innovation Report, 2023

²Datassential, Seasonal Flavor Lookback: Trends of Fall, 2024

³Datassential, Seasonality Report, 2023

⁴Guinn, Justin, “Most Popular Game Day Food and Drinks in NFL Cities This Season,” 2023

⁵FMCG Gurus, Flavor, Color, Texture Trends Report, March 2023

⁶French, April, “Fall Flavor Trends: Pumpkin Spice and Up-and-Coming Seasonal Flavors,” Food & Beverage Insider, October 5, 2023