August 19, 2025 – Picture this: you’re on a sweet and spicy balance beam and you’re struggling to make it to the end where the perfect flavor combination lies. To your left is the unwavering demand for flavorful, complex heat. To your right are cooling, under-utilized fruit flavors that enhance sweetness in a unique way. Falling off in either direction leads to an overpowering consequence – a flavor that’s too hot or a flavor that’s too not.
There is a technique to finding the balance between sweet and spicy, and it’s all about pairing the right peppery heat with a complementing fruity sweet. Oh, and this flavor combination? It has to be something consumers actually want. Don’t worry though, we’ve nailed this balancing act and have all the flavorful insights that’ll help you make it to the swicy finish.
Though the demand for burn-your-tongue-off heat is declining, the craving for complex, flavor-enhancing spice is here to stay. Through our work with The NEXT Flavor Network, a Rubix exclusive group of social influencers dedicated to finding the unmet cravings of their massive followings, we confirmed that Gen Z loves the spice in their life but wants those flavors that aren’t too hot to handle.
🟧 74% prefer a mild or medium spice level.
🟧 66% are more likely to purchase an item if it’s advertised as spicy.
🟧 44% would pay more for a menu item advertised as spicy.
🟧 48% would choose the spicy version of a menu item over the original.
🟧 15% have 5 or more hot sauces at home.1
Now, let’s get this swicy flavor development work started, shall we? Start with picking your preferred pepper and coupling it with a complementary fruit that’ll cut the heat just right. Or, as Application Chef Thomas Allen so eloquently explains it, “flavors that dance together without a lot of help.” Here are some of the spicy flavors that have shown growth in the past 4 years and are projected to grow over the next 4 years, plus the fruity flavors our chefs recommend they be paired with.
A seriously more approachable pepper than you think, 62% of consumers who have tried habanero say they love/like it, with Millennials having the strongest affinity for the flavor2. Sure, it’s super spicy, but it also has fruity, tropical notes making this pepper a versatile option for any sweet and spicy concept.
You’ve seen habanero deliciously paired with mango in most instances, but what’s the next swicy step for habanero? Our chefs point to peach. 65% of survey takers told us they are interested in trying peach habanero3 and 56% of concept testers said they would visit a restaurant specifically for peach habanero chicken tenders4.
Ghost pepper packs intense heat and intense flavor. Sitting at the top of the Scoville scale, a little bit of ghost pepper goes a long way – and consumers are here for it. When we asked consumers which peppers and spicy flavors they want more of, ghost pepper landed in the top five, with 30% of total votes3. For a swicy take on ghost pepper, go the berry route. Raspberries, blueberries and blackberries would all lead you to a complex, mouth-watering flavor combination.
Despite the name, Thai chili peppers AKA birds eye chili peppers, originate from Mexico. While the level of spice varies from pepper to pepper, any Thai chili you pick will be HOT. Thai chili sauce is a perfect pairing for seafood and it’s peaking in popularity. Since August 2024, YouTube searches for “Thai chili sauce” have increased 500%5. As far as fruit incorporations go, our chefs believe that plum, papaya, yuzu or lychee would all be a tasty match for Thai chili.
Calabrian peppers have a robust flavor profile with a little bit of smoke, a hint of fruitiness and a medium heat level. This Italian pepper is versatile, finding spots on pasta, pizza and chicken wing menus. Calabrian peppers have grown 33% on U.S. restaurant menus in the past 4 years and are projected to grow 33% in the next 4 years6, proving this pepper deserves the attention of menu makers. A not-yet-mainstream pepper like Calabrian calls for uniqueness or ubiquity when it comes to fruit pairings. Both nectarine (on 0.3% of menus) and pineapple (on 59% of menus)6 are worth exploring.
Peruvian food is starting to gain notoriety, as are this cuisine’s bold flavors and ingredients, like Aji Amarillo. This particular pepper sits in the 30,000 – 50,000 range on the Scoville scale and is on less than 1% of U.S. restaurant menus today7. But if Gen Z and their demand for more authentic, globally-inspired flavors has anything to do with it, Aji Amarillo will soon make its mark on American cuisine. For a swicy, flavorful combo, citrus is the way to go. Lemon, lime and even tangerine are effortless yet impactful fits for Aji Amarillo.
Your fruity favorites like peach and mango have and always will be delicious additions to swicy concepts. But, if you really want to elevate your flavor game, keep a close eye on these up-and-coming fruits with serious growth potential and minimal penetration on menus today giving YOU the opportunity to be a fruit-forward trend setter.
Is dragon fruit (AKA pitaya) the beverage flavor of the year? We think so! You’ve seen dragon fruit drink concepts from some of the biggest names in the industry like Chick-fil-A and Starbucks, and you can expect to see more of this subtly sweet fruit in the future. Datassential predicts that dragon fruit will grow 80% on U.S. restaurant menus through 20296.
Often described as a mix between a banana and pineapple, jackfruit is gaining popularity in BBQ and taco concepts. With 55% of consumers who have tried jackfruit saying they love/like it2 and social media conversations up 8.6% over the past 12 months6, this fruit is low-hanging and begging to be picked.
Haven’t seen pink pineapple at the grocery store or on social media yet? You’re missing out! Pink pineapple tastes similar to a standard pineapple but it’s sweeter and less acidic. This vibrant fruit is only found on 0.1% of U.S. restaurant menus today6, and it’s projected to grow 41% over the next 4 years in the casual dining segment specifically6.
Monk fruit is super sweet and commonly used as an alternative to sugar and Stevia. Its presumed reputation of being an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory is music to a health-conscious consumer’s ears. In fact, Google searches for “anti inflammatory fruits and vegetables” are up 50% since May 20255. Monk fruit has increased nearly 20% on U.S. restaurant menus in the past 4 years6 and future usage is likely to be seen in beverages and desserts.
Persimmon, which is loved/liked by 53% of consumers who have tried it2, looks like a tomato, feels like a plum, and tastes like a mix between honey and mango. You may even pick up on hints of vanilla and cinnamon. A quick scroll through TikTok will show you creative and craveable ways consumers are incorporating persimmon into recipes including breads, cookies, puddings and jams – especially during the fall.
Off you go, tastemakers! These sweet and spicy flavors won’t develop themselves… or we can do it for you. 😏 Our chefs can handle the heat and aren’t getting out of the kitchen anytime soon so drop us a line if you’re interested in collaborating on a fire (figuratively speaking, of course) concept.
1 –Rubix Foods, The NEXT Flavor Report, November 2024
2 – Datassential, Consumer Preferences, August 2025
3 – Rubix Foods, Hot Sauce + Spicy Flavors Study, October 2024
4 – Rubix Foods, Concept Testing, January 2025
5 – Google Trends, August 2025
6 – Datassential, SNAP, August 2025
