“Flavor versatility is critical for dips and sauces in proving value in the short term, but also points to increased opportunities to guide younger consumers on how to maximize the flavor potential for these products. Longer term growth will be driven by quality formulations with BFY, recognizable ingredients, which bring associations with “premium,” to dips and sauces.”
– Kelsey Olsen, Food and Drink Analyst
This Report looks at the following areas:
- Dip/Sauce types consumed
- How application and usage impact interest, behavior and attitudes
- How ingredients and claims shape perceptions of healthy and premium associations
- Experience with and Interest in Flavors and Ingredients
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top Takeaways
- Consumer trends
- Gen Z, Millennials own growth potential
- Figure 1: use of dips and sauces, by generation, 2023
- Women are looking for flavor boosters
- Figure 2: Interest in flavor trial of specific dips and sauces, by gender, 2023
- “Tried and true” takes time
- Figure 3: Experience with and interest in dip, sauce, and dressing flavors, 2023
- Pair up to ease in newer, global flavors
- Figure 4: Experience with and interest in dip, sauce, and dressing flavors, 2023
- Competitive strategies
- Packaging can (and should) help brands meet needs
- Figure 5: Convenience packaging, 2023
- Separate flavor from use to encourage versatility
- Figure 6: Dips and sauces with varied use/application, 2023
- Plant based dips/sauces are a noteworthy niche
- Figure 7: Plant based claims in dips and spreads launches, 2020-2022
- Opportunities
- Win big with ingredients that can do both
- Figure 8: perceptions of healthy dips/sauces/dressing ingredients and claims, 2023
- Upgrade to premium status
- Figure 9: Perceptions of premium dip, sauce and dressing ingredients/claims, 2023
- Win younger crowds by reinventing mainstream flavors
- Figure 10: Experience with and interest in dip, sauce, and dressing flavors, by generation, 2023
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State of the Market
- Dips, spreads, sauces and condiments continue to climb
- Figure 11: Total US retail sales of condiments, salad dressings, cooking sauces and spreads by segment, at current prices, 2019-22
- Figure 12: Trended use of dips and sauces, 2022-2023
- …yet Gen Z, Millennials fall short in some dip, sauce use
- Figure 13: use of dips and sauces, by generation, 2023
- Under-45s more likely to be flavor seekers
- Figure 14: Food and drink flavor trial and attitudes, by generation, 2023
- Dips and sauces meet the needs for tight budgets
- Figure 15: Trended use of dips and sauces, 2022-2023
- Interest in trials points to opportunities in flavor innovations
- Figure 16: Interest in new flavors in dips/sauces, 2023
- Dips, spreads, sauces and condiments continue to climb
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Market Drivers
- Enduring inflation taking its toll on consumers
- Figure 17: Assessment of personal financial situation, 2021-23
- Brands can benefit from savings seekers
- Figure 18: Food and drink savings methods, 2022 vs 2023
- Food costs are a double edged sword
- Enduring inflation taking its toll on consumers
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Brands use packaging to demonstrate versatility
- Figure 19: convenience packaging, 2023
- Plant-based claims continue to rise in dips/sauces
- Figure 20: Plant-based claims in dips and spreads launches, 2020-2022
- Figure 21: Plant Based dips and spreads, 2023
- Brands multitask with flavorful “category” blurring
- Figure 22: Dips and sauces with varied use/application, 2023
- Brands use packaging to demonstrate versatility
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Product Development – Now – What’s Trending
- Brands tap into rising heat tolerance
- Figure 23: Dips product launches – Hot and spicy flavors, 2023
- Figure 24: Dips and sauces featuring spice/heat, 2023
- Avocado everywhere
- Figure 25: Dips and sauces featuring avocado, 2023
- A little sweet brings new complexity to meals and snacks
- Figure 26: Dips product launches – Sweet flavors, 2023
- Figure 27: Dips and sauces with sweet and spicy flavors, 2023
- Asian knows no borders
- Figure 28: International Cuisine Consumption, 2023
- Figure 29: Dips and sauces with asian-inspired flavors, 2023
- Brands tap into rising heat tolerance
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Product Development – Near – What to Watch Out For
- Chili crisp is heating up
- Figure 30: Chili crunch products, 2023
- Truffle mania proves that decadence is alive and well
- Figure 31: Sauces with truffle, 2023
- Middle Eastern spices show promise in fusion application
- Figure 32: International Cuisine Consumption, Net, 2023
- Figure 33: Dips and sauces with Greek, Middle eastern and African Flavours, 2023
- Chili crisp is heating up
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Product Development – Next – What’s in the Pipeline
- Will a superfood renaissance trigger next level function in dips/sauces?
- Figure 34: Dips and sauces with superfood ingredients, 2023
- Promising upcycled ingredients still under the radar
- Figure 35: Sauces with upcycled ingredients, 2023
- Will a superfood renaissance trigger next level function in dips/sauces?
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The Dips and Sauces Consumer – Fast Facts
- Versatility of flavors will foster value and growth
- Help consumers maximize flavor potential
- Keep quality ingredients at the base of “better” formulations
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Flavor Segmentation through the Dips and Sauces Lens
- Four consumer profiles divide the market
- Figure 36: The dips and sauces consumer, by flavor segmentation, 2023
- Risk Averse
- Flavor Seekers
- Tentative Tasters
- Dining Explorers
- Four consumer profiles divide the market
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Dip/Sauce Types Consumed
- Utilitarian condiments and dressing top dip/sauce use
- Figure 37: Use of dips and sauces, 202023
- Room to grow participation with Gen Z, Millennials
- Figure 38: use of dips and sauces, by generation, 2023
- Utilitarian condiments and dressing top dip/sauce use
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New Flavor Interest by Application
- Consumers want flavor exploration in both meals and snacks
- Figure 39: New flavor interest by dip/ sauce application, 2023
- Revive traditional categories to activate Gen Zs, Millenials
- Figure 40: Interest in flavor trial of specific dips and sauces, by generation, 2023
- Women are hungry for new flavorful options
- Figure 41: Interest in flavor trial of specific dips and sauces, by gender, 2023
- Struggling households most interested in trial
- Figure 42: Interest in flavor trial of specific dips and sauces, by financial situation, 2023
- Consumers want flavor exploration in both meals and snacks
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Dips, Sauces, and Dressings Behaviors
- Brands may be missing the social opportunities to build followings
- Figure 43: dips, sauces and dressing behaviors, 2023
- Grow with Gen Z and Millennials
- Figure 44: Dips, sauces and dressing behaviors, by generation, 2023
- Brands may be missing the social opportunities to build followings
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Attitudes Towards Dips and Sauces
- Versatility can mean blurring health and decadence
- Figure 45: attitudes towards dips and sauces, 2023
- Flavor brings value through indulgence for women
- Figure 46: attitudes towards dips and sauces, by gender, 2023
- Younger consumers have unmet needs
- Figure 47: attitudes towards dips and sauces, by generation, 2023
- Versatility can mean blurring health and decadence
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Healthy Dips/Sauces/Dressings Defined by Ingredients and Claims
- Lean into BFY without going all-in
- Figure 48: perceptions of healthy dips/sauces/dressing ingredients and claims, 2023
- Bring boosts of flavor and nutrition
- Figure 49: perceptions of healthy dips/sauces/dressing ingredients and claims, by gender, 2023
- Millennials set new flavor and ingredient expectations
- Figure 50: healthy dips/sauces/dressing defined by ingredients and claims, by generation, 2023
- Lean into BFY without going all-in
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Premium Dips/Sauces/Dressings Defined by Ingredients and Claims
- Nearly half equate premium with BFY
- Figure 51: Perceptions of premium dip, sauce and dressing ingredients/claims, 2023
- Health and indulgence both have places to shine
- Figure 52: Perceptions of premium dip, sauce and dressing ingredients/claims, by gender, 2023
- Nearly half equate premium with BFY
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Experience with and Interest in Flavors and Ingredients
- Flavor “sampling” continues to accelerate acceptance, awareness
- Figure 53: Experience with and interest in dip, sauce, and dressing flavors, 2023
- Fusions and pairing ease consumers into emerging global tastes
- Figure 54: Experience with and interest in dip, sauce, and dressing flavors, 2023
- Gen Z, Millennials want traditional refreshes
- Figure 55: Experience with and interest in dip, sauce, and dressing flavors, by generation, 2023
- Flavor “sampling” continues to accelerate acceptance, awareness
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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Appendix – Flavor segmentation
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- Figure 56: Flavor segmentation demographic profiles, indexed against all consumers, 2023
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Appendix – Flavorscape AI Methodology
- Flavorscape AI methodology
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