Monin sets the tone for 2025 with the Flavor of the Year: Yuzu.
Popular in Japanese and Korean cuisines, yuzu is a citrus fruit with a captivating and complex flavor profile. Bursting with notes of mandarin, grapefruit and lemon, it can be a premium replacement for lemon or lime, or shine as the star of cocktail, tea, and culinary creations.
After in-depth consumer research, Monin predicts yuzu to gain even more popularity in 2025 due to its vibrant taste, versatility, and visual appeal.
Yuzu is commonly grown across Japan and is a staple in several East Asian cuisines. Today, its prominence has surged in the Western Hemisphere, growing by nearly 30% on U.S. menus in the past four years. It is expected to outpace 96% of all other foods, beverages and ingredients through 2028 (Datassential). Similarly, both next-gen citrus and island flavors such as yuzu, mandarin, guava and starfruit will continue to see proliferation, with 57% of U.S. fruit consumers showing interest in exotic and tropical fresh fruits (FMCG Gurus).
“Yuzu is a vibrant fruit, in both flavor and color. Its premium, sophisticated citrus profile elevates beverage and culinary creations,” says Stasha Johnston, senior vice president of Marketing at Monin Americas. “Monin Yuzu Purée perfectly captures that authentic yuzu flavor in an easy-to-use format, allowing operators and consumers to create flavorful, globally inspired recipes with minimal prep and maximum enjoyment. As social media trends continue to shape bar and restaurant menus, patrons are searching for dishes and drinks that are just as photo-worthy as they are unique. Yuzu delivers on all fronts, blending fresh citrus with delicate floral notes for a vibrant, unforgettable flavor that customers will want to experience time and time again.”
For a decade, Monin has undergone an extensive annual process of collecting and analyzing emerging trends, consumer insights and industry data to determine the flavors that will trend throughout the upcoming year.
As outlined in their 2025 Flavor Trends, Monin found that consumers are seeking authentic flavors, modern takes on comfort foods and natural energy alternatives inspired by seasonality, social media trends and more. With an eye on seasonality and sustainability, the “From Seed to Sip” trend demonstrates that operators can experiment by pairing fresh local herbs, florals and exotic citrus—like yuzu—with more well-known fruit flavors such as peach, coconut and blueberry to create unique, seasonal offerings that consumers desire. By highlighting the origins of novel ingredients, like yuzu’s East Asian roots, operators can craft compelling stories to transform each sip into an unforgettable experience and foster deeper connections with patrons.
“Yuzu is an exotic flavor that is gaining popularity on both beverage and culinary menus. Its versatility has made it a favorite among chefs and mixologists,” says Bill Lombardo, CEO of Monin Americas. "As consumers increasingly seek globally inspired flavors, we're excited to name Yuzu our 2025 Flavor of the Year. Monin Yuzu Purée enhances everything from lemonades and teas to cocktails and numerous culinary dishes. We look forward to helping operators deliver this great flavor to their guests.”
Monin consistently predicts trending flavors year over year, including the 2023 Flavor of the Year, Hot Honey Syrup, which aligned with the “swicy” trend highlighted in the brand’s “Spice Heist” Flavor Trend prediction. Anticipating the rise of Asian and Central American flavors, Monin selected Ube Syrup as its 2024 Flavor of the Year, citing its “Flavor Journey” trend as the ingredient gained popularity in North America. Now, we will continue to see the influence of Asian flavors on American menus in 2025 with Yuzu.
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