UK Food & Drink | 2026/27
Spicy Food Trends 2026/27:
Four innovation thought-starters for UK food development teams
Four innovation thought-starters for UK food development teams
Egg Soldiers explores the next wave of spicy food innovation, spotlighting complex heat, darker sweet-spicy builds, provenance-led sauces, textural chilli formats and cooling aromatics as potential focus areas for UK food brands and operators
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| Spicy Food Trends Setting the Scene Spice has come an awfully long way from the idea of just simply whacking “extra hot” on a menu and hoping the bravest diners take the bait. That world still exists, of course. There will always be the thrill-seekers, the challenge-led launches and the social media clips of self-inflicted demonic-level heat taking the souls of the regretful. But heat, in terms of being 'hot', has diversified. And from a food development perspective, the most interesting trajectory for 2026/27 is within the realms of what heat can actually do, not about heat for heat’s sake. |
| Spicy Food Trends The View of the Market Across the UK, the concept of spice is becoming more refined. Its a natural push-on as consumers become increasingly fluent in global flavours, with younger audiences in particular more open to heat-led adventure. As such, brands are searching for routes that deliver excitement without tipping into novelty territory. The likes of hot honey, gochujang, Nashville hot, chilli crisp, peri-peri, harissa and mouth-numbing mala have all played their respective roles in broadening consumer understanding of spice over the past few years. Some have gone fully mainstream, while others still remain a bit more specialist. But together, they have helped move the conversation on from “how hot is it?” to “what kind of hot are we talking about?” So, what should UK food development teams be looking at next in the wild and wonderful world of spicy food trends? Our award-winning team of food experts love a bit of complex spice (and so do our clients) - with the guys whittling out four trend-led thought-starters for spicy food development in 2026/27. |
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1
Complex Burn
Because balance is everything
Because balance is everything
Smoked & Charred Chicken Thigh Kebab, Amba Yoghurt (Yellow Cafe, USA)
Complexity is arguably the most interesting ways to make spice work harder, with creamy heat now a go-to in this space.
Creaminess wins as consumers become more comfortable with heat but still want balance, richness and dip-friendly familiarity.
Mayonnaise, yoghurts and all manner of cremas do this job to perfection, with buffalo and spicy ranch designs both 'it' options right now.
The most effective of these are built so the creaminess changes the whole shape of the flavour, be it rounding off sharper chilli notes, carrying aromatics or softening acidity, making repeat eating much easier.
Then, looking more deeply at the spicy-driven balancing act, you'll find that 'freshness' is doing similar work.
Green, herbal, citrus and botanical elements are unlocking alternative routes for spicy complexity, creating flavour profiles that feel brighter and cleaner - lifting up, cutting through and flicking on taste buds with flavour sophistication.
Creaminess wins as consumers become more comfortable with heat but still want balance, richness and dip-friendly familiarity.
Mayonnaise, yoghurts and all manner of cremas do this job to perfection, with buffalo and spicy ranch designs both 'it' options right now.
The most effective of these are built so the creaminess changes the whole shape of the flavour, be it rounding off sharper chilli notes, carrying aromatics or softening acidity, making repeat eating much easier.
Then, looking more deeply at the spicy-driven balancing act, you'll find that 'freshness' is doing similar work.
Green, herbal, citrus and botanical elements are unlocking alternative routes for spicy complexity, creating flavour profiles that feel brighter and cleaner - lifting up, cutting through and flicking on taste buds with flavour sophistication.
Complex Burn
What this means for UK food teams
What this means for UK food teams
- "Building with more balance, using creaminess, herbs, citrus and aromatics, helps chilli cut through richer formats without dominating the whole dish.
"That could mean rethinking spicy sauces as more than simply “hot dips”, with creamy spice builds bringing comfort and familiarity, while greener, fresher spice routes add lift to grilled meats, fried foods, loaded sides and bowl formats.
"As a recent example in the public eye, Chipotle have gone down both the creamy and 'fresh' routes a few times this past year with its Red Chimmichuri, Adobo Ranch and Cilantro Lime Sauce.
"Lest we forget the LA popup Alitas Jalisco I mentioned in our 'Gen Z: Sophisticated Spice' spolight, which is making real waves with its best-selling glaze, Caguamera - a complex garlic, lime and chilli number that brings zingy sweetness to proceedings."
Tom Gatehouse, Senior Strategist
2
Going Beyond Gochujang
Start your engines
Start your engines
Double Smash Burger, Sambal & Toasted Sesame Mayo, Beef Jus, Fontina, Coriander (Mabel, USA)
Asian-inspired spice has done a fair bit of growing up in the UK.
What was once shorthand for a fairly narrow set of sweet chilli, katsu and sriracha cues has broadened into a much more diverse development space, spanning tingle, umami, acidity, texture and deeply savoury heat.
Korean and Japanese flavours played a big role in that shift, of course. But the opportunity is now much wider than simply adding gochujang to something and calling it a day.
We’re talking sweet fermented heat, Sichuan-style tingle, punchy sambals, fragrant Thai builds, miso-led depth and the kind of savoury complexity that makes a standard “hot sauce” feel a bit one-note.
The broader view is that Asian-inspired spice now sits in a sweet spot between familiarity and discovery. Consumers increasingly recognise the big boys, but there is increasingly room for food teams to stretch into lesser-used sauces, seasonings and regional references without losing mainstream appeal.
For a UK market still hungry for flavour-led newness, that gives this space real legs.
What was once shorthand for a fairly narrow set of sweet chilli, katsu and sriracha cues has broadened into a much more diverse development space, spanning tingle, umami, acidity, texture and deeply savoury heat.
Korean and Japanese flavours played a big role in that shift, of course. But the opportunity is now much wider than simply adding gochujang to something and calling it a day.
We’re talking sweet fermented heat, Sichuan-style tingle, punchy sambals, fragrant Thai builds, miso-led depth and the kind of savoury complexity that makes a standard “hot sauce” feel a bit one-note.
The broader view is that Asian-inspired spice now sits in a sweet spot between familiarity and discovery. Consumers increasingly recognise the big boys, but there is increasingly room for food teams to stretch into lesser-used sauces, seasonings and regional references without losing mainstream appeal.
For a UK market still hungry for flavour-led newness, that gives this space real legs.
Going Beyond Gochujang
What this means for UK food teams
What this means for UK food teams
- "Asian-inspired spice is a flavour toolbox, not a single trend.
"And in said toolbox, you have your accessible routes: sweet, sticky Korean-style glazes on fried chicken; miso-spiked dips with built-in umami; and Thai chilli dressings that bring freshness as much as fire.
"Then there are the power tools: mala seasonings with that signature tingle, sambal-led burger sauces with proper savoury depth, or nam jim-style 'jams' to bring sweet, sticky heat.
"Asian-inspired spice can be switched up or down (or in and out) depending on the format, the customer and the occasion, which makes the space immediately ownable and trend-relevant.
"It's about borrowing the right heat cue, from the right place, for the right reason and building something that hits in just the right way. An 'Asian-Heat Goldilocks' flex."
Flora Williams, Creative Insights
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3
Dark & Swicy
Hot honey, but moodier
Hot honey, but moodier
Image: Fried Chicken Thigh, Hot Maple Glaze (Lucky's, UK)
Sweet-spicy isn't going anywhere (or the teeth-achingly twee 'swicy' term), but the concept is primed to get a lot more interesting.
Hot honey has done a lot of heavy lifting over the past few years, turning sweet heat from a specialist condiment into a mainstream menu staple.
The Brazilian-born ex-pizza drizzle finds itself on absolutely everything - fried chicken, burgers, flabreads, fries, sandwiches, cheeses and anything else willing to sit still long enough to be dolloped upon.
The big question? What comes next.
Well, by 2027, the sweet-spicy opportunity may well be darker, tangier and more complex.
For starters? Blackberry chilli, blackcurrant heat, cherry cola spice, elderberry glazes, bourbon-fruit BBQ, hot maple, hot agave, tamarind caramel, fermented chilli honey and other builds that take sweet heat into deeper territory.
Hot honey has done a lot of heavy lifting over the past few years, turning sweet heat from a specialist condiment into a mainstream menu staple.
The Brazilian-born ex-pizza drizzle finds itself on absolutely everything - fried chicken, burgers, flabreads, fries, sandwiches, cheeses and anything else willing to sit still long enough to be dolloped upon.
The big question? What comes next.
Well, by 2027, the sweet-spicy opportunity may well be darker, tangier and more complex.
For starters? Blackberry chilli, blackcurrant heat, cherry cola spice, elderberry glazes, bourbon-fruit BBQ, hot maple, hot agave, tamarind caramel, fermented chilli honey and other builds that take sweet heat into deeper territory.
Dark & Swicy
What this means for UK food teams
What this means for UK food teams
- "Unlike early hot honey-style builds, which often rely on immediate sweetness and chilli warmth, Dark & Swicy has more depth.
"Consider the complexity - the likes of dark berries bringing tartness and colour, tamarind delivering tang and stickiness, cola adding nostalgia, maple and bourbon bringing warmth, and fermented chilli throwing out deeply savoury hits.
"That opens up plenty of development space for those willing (able) to experiment: blackberry-glazed fried chicken, cherry chilli BBQ pork, hot maple pepperoni pizza, tamarind black pepper wings, blackcurrant chilli burgers, halloumi with fermented chilli honey - take your pick.
"But there is a bit of plate-spinning to manage. Too sweet and the whole thing goes children’s party. Too hot and the fruit gets lost. Too clever and consumers may wander off in search of something with just bacon in it.
"That said, hot honey opened the door - Dark & Swicy might be what walks through it wearing cooler trainers."
Tom Gatehouse, Senior Strategist
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4
Crunch Confidence
Back teeth, activate
Back teeth, activate
Fei-Hong Fries (Antidote, USA)
Beyond sauce, spice has many forms.
It can be a crumb, a dust, an oil, a crackle, a finishing salt, a crunchy topping, a fried chilli fleck, or the bit of texture that makes an otherwise familiar dish feel suddenly much more exciting.
Texture has become central to modern food innovation, with consumers responding to contrast and curation to go alongside loud flavours.
And in terms of spice, chilli crisp and chilli crunch were textural pioneers, but the wider opportunity is bigger than one condiment style.
Texture gives spice somewhere to live beyond the obvious, while adding a visible point of difference to make familiar formats feel sharper, louder and much more deliberate.
It can be a crumb, a dust, an oil, a crackle, a finishing salt, a crunchy topping, a fried chilli fleck, or the bit of texture that makes an otherwise familiar dish feel suddenly much more exciting.
Texture has become central to modern food innovation, with consumers responding to contrast and curation to go alongside loud flavours.
And in terms of spice, chilli crisp and chilli crunch were textural pioneers, but the wider opportunity is bigger than one condiment style.
Texture gives spice somewhere to live beyond the obvious, while adding a visible point of difference to make familiar formats feel sharper, louder and much more deliberate.
Crunch Confidence
What this means for UK food teams
What this means for UK food teams
- "This is about contrast - crispy against creamy, crunchy against soft, hot against cool, or dry spice cutting through sticky sauce.
"And crunch-led spice formats can upgrade existing menu items without requiring a full rebuild.
"Sometimes the smartest spice move is less about adding another sauce, and more about giving the dish a final bit of bite."
Tom Gatehouse, Senior Strategist
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