Ep23 Gen Z's palate is MORE complex than you think (5 flavour trends F&D brands need in 2026)

Most food and drink brands spend thousands making their product look TikTokable for Gen Z. But they forget one thing: Gen-Z palate is far more complex than you think. In this episode, I walk you through the 5 Gen Z flavour trends that matter right now, the 3 mistakes that are getting products delisted, and how to build a flavour strategy that actually speaks to this generation. ▪️ [00:00] Why your safe flavours are costing you Gen Z consumers ▪️ [00:53] Who Gen Z really are as food and drink consumers ▪️ [03:31] Trend 1: Asian flavours 3.0 and comfort-led fusion ▪️ [05:48] Trend 2: Complex spice (sweet heat, salty heat, zingy heat) ▪️ [07:35] Trend 3: Street food energy in packaged products ▪️ [08:29] Trend 4: Unexpected combinations that just work ▪️ [09:40] Trend 5: The big shift happening in drinks right now ▪️ [11:06] The 3 mistakes that will get your product delisted ▪️ [14:00] How to build your Gen Z flavour brief from scratch 🎯 If you are developing a food or drink product for Gen Z and want to work through your flavour strategy, drop a comment below or head to my website to find out how we can work together. 👉 www.epicsi.co.uk ▶️ Companion episode to watch next: How to research your target consumer's palate →    • Ep22 Why Trying to Please Everyone With Yo...   📱 STAY CONNECTED ▪️ Instagram:   / epicsi.uk   ▪️ LinkedIn:   / manon-galizzi-94700666   #GenZ #FoodTrends #FlavourStrategy #FoodFounders #DrinkFounders #NPD #FMCG #ProductDevelopment #FoodBrand #DrinkBrand 👋 If this is your first time here, I'm Manon Galizzi, food and drink flavour consultant and founder of EPICSI. My mission is to help food and drink founders develop products that taste great, sell well and stay on retailer shelves. On this channel you will find: ▪️ Practical flavour strategy for food and drink founders ▪️ Behind the scenes of real product development ▪️ Honest conversations about what it really takes to build a food or drink brand Subscribe for weekly episodes! Food Lab is the go-to podcast for food and drink founders who want to develop products with a clear flavour strategy, understand their target consumer's palate, and build brands that achieve repeat purchase and grow market share. Whether you are just starting out, scaling up or reformulating an existing product, this is the place to get honest, practical and expert guidance on all things flavour.