These Are the Flavors at the Center of This Year’s Summer Celebrations and Gatherings

CERRITOS, Calif. — Following the official first day of summer, food and beverage flavor manufacturer T. Hasegawa highlighted the top 10 flavors of the summer — five sweet and five savory. This year’s flavors, inspired by global cuisines and national favorites, were chosen based on consumer trends.

The 2026 sweet summer flavors are:

• Firework. A patriotic burst of cherry, lime and blue raspberry that captures the excitement of summer festivities and is reminiscent of the United States’ red, white and blue.
• Prickly Pear. A vibrant cactus fruit native to the Americas, delivering berry-like sweetness with bold color across beverages, sauces and confections.
• Sweetcorn. A nostalgic, nutty-sweet favorite that brings carnival-style comfort to beverages and desserts. More than half of U.S. candy and dessert eaters have already tried a sweetcorn-flavored treat.
• White Peach. A honeyed, delicate sweetness that shines in refreshing drinks, jams and grilled desserts, perfectly ripe for summer. 46% of consumers have tried white peach in non-alcoholic beverages.
• Blackberry. Rich, tangy and versatile, blackberries' deep sweetness and bold hue make them a standout addition to both sweet and savory applications.

The 2026 savory summer flavors are:

• Charcoal. The essence of summer grilling, delivering a smoky, complex char that elevates meats, vegetables and seafood. 77% of US consumers like to try new flavors while grilling, while 34% research ways to enhance food quality when grilling.
• Guajillo. A staple of Mexican cuisine, this moderately spicy chili brings sweet heat to everything from savory dishes to desserts and chocolate. Nearly half of global consumers have sought intense, bold flavors.
• Yakitori. Classic Japanese skewered chicken grilled over charcoal with a sweet soy-based glaze, offering simple, high-quality flavor ideal for gatherings.
• Spicy Coconut. Tropical and fiery, this creamy chili-infused flavor draws inspiration from the culinary traditions of South Asia, Brazil and Jamaica.
• White Miso. A mild, tangy Japanese seasoning paste made from fermented rice and soybeans that adds umami depth to dressings, marinades and grilled dishes.

“With our nation’s 250^th anniversary and the World Cup now in North America, global cuisine and regional pride will converge on our restaurant menus, grocery store shelves and pantries like never before,” said Mark Webster, vice president of sales and marketing at T. Hasegawa USA. “As consumer preferences continue to evolve, food and beverage brands are uniquely positioned to have fun and leverage bold and nuanced flavors to capitalize on the excitement this summer brings.”

Flavors Report Findings.

Summer flavors are just one of several findings in the 2026 Summer Flavors Report, a free publication by California-based T. Hasegawa USA.

In addition to unveiling this year’s summer flavors, T. Hasegawa’s reports predict other up-and-coming ingredients, flavor trends and consumer patterns that will shape the world of foods and beverages, including:

• 64% of U.S. consumers would like their usual grocer to offer more international food and drink products
• 44% of U.S. and Canadian consumers say traditional and nostalgic flavors influence their food and beverage choices
• 29% of U.S. and Canadian consumers say seasonal and limited-edition flavors influence their food and beverage choices