Remember the big American Sriracha shortage of 2023? That tragedy wasn’t just a fluke but a bold marker of the country’s growing passion for spicy foods. Evidence of this steamy love affair has been simmering for years, seen in skyrocketing sales of zippy hot sauces, spicy snack foods and chili-spiked chocolates.
A quick glance at supermarket shelves shows this trend in action. You’ll find them crammed with hot sauces, spicy salad dressings and amped-up snacks like Frito Lay’s Ruffles Flamin’ Hot Cheddar & Sour Cream Chips, Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew and Doritos Smoky Chile Queso Dinamita Sticks. Frito Lay reported an impressive 12% growth in the spicy snack category between 2018 and 2022.
Social media is fueling this taste preference as younger generations look to online platforms for food recommendations. According to Nestlé USA, 80% of Gen Zs have tried a food or flavor they saw online.
Cucumber kimchi, for example, a staple in the Korean diet, is a spicy dish that has gained global popularity across social media. This traditional fermented dish, made with heaps of Korean chili flakes called gochugaru, has won hearts all over the internet.
Obsessive fan bases have formed around spicy condiments like chili paste, Sriracha, harissa paste and chili crisp. You’ll find these key ingredients in dishes like harissa chicken, a Tunisian favorite with a delicious combination of smokey and spicy flavors.
“America’s palate is evolving, and the growing love for spicy foods reflects our increasing appreciation for bold and diverse flavors,” says JD Alewine, a sushi chef in Asheville, North Carolina, and owner of the food blog Them Bites. “The Sriracha shortage of 2023 is a testament to the sauce’s popularity, as consumers nationwide seek to add an extra kick to their culinary experiences.”
At home, more people are reaching for zingy ingredients like Sichuan peppercorns, a mouth-numbing spice integral to the popular Chinese dish salt and pepper chicken. In addition, a 2023 Grubhub report showed that 53 million items ordered included spicy elements.
National chains like California Pizza Kitchen are reacting to this demand by releasing hotter products, like the Hot Honey Croissant Crust Pizza and Pizza Hut’s Hot Honey Pizza. In Chicago, Lou Malnati’s recently unveiled its version of the latter.
The spice phenomenon is here to stay, with the hot sauce market projected to grow from $3.09 billion in 2023 to $5.09 billion by 2030. Future food marketing and product development will focus on capturing these flavor preferences through unique spicy offerings. Look for the extra-hot Hungarian goathorn pepper, which Whole Foods named one of their Top 10 Food Trends for 2024, coming soon to a grocery store near you.
