Food and drink moves quickly. New flavours go viral, formats blur, and shoppers come to expect something both familiar and new from the same product. In that environment, knowing what consumers really think of your product is more important than ever, and taste testing is one of the most direct ways to find out.
Taste still comes first
With all the talk of health, sustainability and values, it’s easy to forget the basic point. In one recent large-scale survey of food choices, 40% of respondents said they choose food for flavour above all else. A product can have a strong story and great packaging, but if it doesn’t taste right, shoppers won’t buy it twice.
Novelty and nostalgia at the same time
Flavour forecasters point to a consumer who wants contradictory things. Kerry’s 2026 Taste Charts, for example, describe a landscape that seeks both novelty and nostalgia. That’s a hard balance to strike, and it’s difficult to judge from inside a development team. A flavour that feels bold to your team may feel unremarkable to shoppers, or too unusual for them.
Global buzz can also run ahead of real behaviour. Oatly’s Future of Taste report notes that ingredients such as ube, pandan and hojicha are spreading quickly across drinks menus worldwide, yet in the UK, consumer interest in these flavours is still developing. A trend being talked about doesn’t mean your customers want it. Testing with the right consumers tells you which.
Taste is more than flavour
Modern taste testing looks at the whole eating experience. Innova’s 2026 flavour trends highlight that texture, visual appeal and aroma heighten indulgence and perceived value, and that younger consumers in particular are drawn to visually striking, surprising combinations. Overall liking comes from flavour, texture, appearance, aroma and how a product compares with expectations, so a good test captures all of those, not only whether people “like it”.
What modern taste testing does well
· Uses real consumers. People who actually buy in your category give a more reliable answer than colleagues or friends.
· Separates liking from preference. Knowing that people like a product is useful. Knowing whether they prefer it to the alternative is often what matters commercially.
· Explains the “why”. Scores tell you what happened. Consumer feedback on flavour, texture and aftertaste suggests what to change.
· Catches problems before launch. It is far cheaper to adjust a recipe in development than after a product is on shelf.
· Checks reformulations. Cost, supply, nutrition and sustainability pressures mean recipes change often. Testing confirms the change hasn’t cost you what shoppers valued.
· Supports decisions. Independent evidence helps align internal teams and gives retail buyers something concrete.
Getting the most from a test
A few habits make a big difference:
1. Start with a clear question. “Do consumers prefer the new recipe?” and “Does it match the original?” need different designs.
2. Test the right people. Your sample should reflect who actually buys the product.
3. Send representative samples. Test products that reflect what will really reach shoppers.
4. Compare where it matters. Include the competitors or previous version your shoppers genuinely weigh you against.
5. Decide in advance what you’ll do with the answer. Research is most useful when the next step is already on the table.
Final thought
Trends will keep changing, but the question underneath stays the same: will people enjoy this enough to buy it again? Taste testing is how you move from assuming the answer to knowing it.
If you’re planning a launch, a reformulation or a comparison with a competitor, our team at Wirral Sensory Services would be happy to talk through the right approach. You can start the conversation with us here.
