Remember when people didn’t know what Sriracha or kombucha were, much less how to pronounce them? After reviewing 50 menus from leading independent restaurants for its Independent Insights report (powered by Ignite), Technomic recently identified seven trending flavors and foods that may be the next big thing in ingredients.
Koji: an edible mold used to ferment beans and grains that's now used in dairy and meat
Fregola: a pellet-shaped toasted pasta
XO sauce: a chili-spiked fish sauce that originated in Hong Kong and Southern China
Saba: a cooked grape juice similar to balsamic vinegar but less acidic
Hojicha: a Japanese green tea that's often roasted over charcoal for an earthy flavor
Guanabana: a tropical fruit also known as soursop
Agrumato: a flavorful olive oil in which olives are crushed with a whole citrus fruit, vegetables or herbs
Click through for more details on the trending ingredients hitting menus now.