Nostalgic to “newstalgic”: Companies inspire Millennials and Gen Z with familiar throwbacks at IFT FIRST

18 Jul 2023 --- The 2023 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) FIRST Annual Event & Expo kicked off in Chicago, US, this week, and Food Ingredients First is on hand to experience innovations from the 80s and 90s that are tapping into the trend of nostalgia in food. We speak with Bell Flavors & Fragrances, the Almond Board of California and Givaudan, who all share insights live from the show floor.

Bell Flavors is leaning into the demand for “newstalgia,” a micro trend featuring a menu and booth design inspired by a decade marked by grunge music, blockbuster movies, experimental flavors and Michael Jordan superfans: the 1990s.

All about the 80s, 90s and 2000s
This year, the culinary team at Bell has created a fun and flavorful trip back to the 1990’s, including adventurous formats that are guaranteed to transport consumers to the birth of crazy flavors and bizarre eating experiences. 

Layne Hillesland, marketing specialist at Bell Flavors, explains why nostalgic tastes are taking shape across F&B. “Bell is bringing to life wild formats such as a Cubano-inspired bagel bite. All are guaranteed to get your inner child smiling,” says David Banks, senior director of marketing. 

The company believes “newstalgia” is a twist consumers love, blending the familiar with the excitement of something new, drawing inspiration from pop culture and refurbishing retro phenomena from different decades.

Layne Hillesland, marketing specialist at Bell Flavors, tells us why nostalgic tastes are taking shape across F&B. 

“For the US, it’s all about the 80s, 90s and early 2000s because for many Millennial consumers, that’s when they grow up, and the foods and flavors they experienced then is what is nostalgic for them.”

AT IFT, the company is showcasing an edible slime concept in a citrus-lime flavor containing edible glitter. “We also have a Himalayan hot lemonade, kind of reminiscent of the lemonade that you would sell as a child, a fruity rainbow slushie and a bourbon brown sugar iced tea, so that is also a nod to the craftsmanship type of trend,” explains Hillesland. 

“Nostalgia means a lot of different things to different people and it’s going to look different everywhere you go,” she comments. “For us, we are a global company, so we are always looking at the European, Asian and Latin American trends that we see coming together.” In those regions, nostalgia is gaining traction.

“The meaning is the same, but often it looks different in each region because it relates to what consumers grew up with,” adds Hillesland. “But the idea of nostalgia and the reason that we’re tracking this trend stems from this post-COVID world is that COVID put the whole economy and our consumer ship on its head and that made us uneasy, particularly when what followed after that has been inflation and a recession.”Bell is showcasing an edible slime concept at IFT containing edible glitter.

“Consumers, whether they do it subconsciously or consciously, often lead toward products that remind them of a simpler time, perhaps of their childhood,” she underscores. “That can also bring back feelings about having fun in that kid, wonder-like senses but also just feeling at ease with the products being served because often, as adult consumers, we can feel uneasy about the world around us.”

So, for Bell, the “newstalgia” concept is about previous craftsmanship, comfort and relaxation. 

Familiarity with chocolate & nuts
The Almond Board of California (ABC) is also tapping into the trend for familiar ingredients, showcasing an almond-based choco taco-inspired deconstructed dessert. 

“We are throwing it back to choco-tacos,” Henry Hill, culinary strategist, tells us. 

“It’s an almond-based soft serve and almond flour taco shell, made using a technology that makes a baked taco shell, which is one of the only ones on the market that can create a baked, not fried taco shell. Then we have an almond butter fudge and toasted almonds to top it off.”

Hill says almonds are “an excellent” ingredient for alt-dairy applications. “They pick up flavor and toast wonderfully. They’re great for adding nutrition, protein and fiber to any food application. Then in a soft serve, they add a great neutral base, compared to an oat base, for example.”

Harbinder Maan, associate director of trade marketing and stewardship at ABC, adds that globally, almonds are the number one nut by a large margin for product introductions with plant-based and vegan claims.

ABC is showcasing an almond-based choco taco-inspired deconstructed dessert.“Almonds are available in over 14 versatile forms that lend themselves to alternative dairy formulations. Alongside almond milk, ingredients like almond butter, almond flour and defatted almond flour can improve texture and contribute nutrients like protein and fiber.”

Notably, “creamy” and “silky” are the top texture claims for dairy introductions with almonds. “The number of health and choice claims in dairy introductions with almonds is considerably higher than claims on overall dairy introductions. Vegan (46%) and plant-based (43%) frequently appear on dairy introductions with almonds, according to Innova Market Insights Global New Product Introductions Report,” explains Maan.

“Cereal-licious” flavors
Additionally, Hill reflects that “throwback concepts like cereal can revitalize the choco taco, a nostalgic concept many people grew up with.”

“We’re doing a bit of a modern facelift on that trend,” he notes. 

“And we have that with some of the other concepts we will showcase this week at IFT. For example, we’re exhibiting a snacking-based cereal and presenting our modern take on fruits, so instead of grapefruit and orange, we’re utilizing ingredients such as goji berry, spirulina, blueberry and pandang.” 

Hill believes that’s the next trend to keep an eye on. “It’s like a modern take on Fruit Loops,” he divests. 

Moves from mango
Santiago Vega, VP of marketing at Givaudan, also spoke with us on consumer trends that link food to familiarity. 

“Consumers are looking for both familiar ingredients that also show a sense of maturity.” At the trade show, Givaudan is exhibiting the scope for mango as a fruit and a flavor. The company presented a drink using mango inspired by a Mexican smoothie that combines sour, sweet and salty flavors: the mangonada.

Santiago Vega, VP of marketing at Givaudan, speaks about consumer trends that link food to familiarity. “Mango has long been a consumer favorite,” notes Vega, “in applications such as a tropical fruit beverage.” Now, the company is showcasing that it’s possible to regenerate these consumer segments and create new flavors and innovations that the consumers are already familiar with, so they are not afraid to commit to.

Flavors, such as mango, are well-known. Often, it can spark a meaningful memory and be used to create excitement around new flavor formats, he adds. 

Delivering new consumer experiences is a key priority for Givaudan, as the company plans to showcase its expertise in functional, botanical and well-known flavors while also “creating something fun as a result, whether that is based on taste and crazy combinations, or to show off on Instagram.”

By Elizabeth Green, with additional reporting by Missy Green, live at IFT FIRST in Chicago