This year’s Innova Market Insights “Layers of Delight” trend focuses on the concept of indulgence. In this trend, we go beyond indulgence as a singular concept to explore the relationship between indulgence and key layers of food and beverage product benefits, including mood, comfort, sensory features, health, and well-being.
Multi-Sensory Desires
Today’s environment—whether related to the economy, safety, personal finances, health, or global forces—challenges consumers. Little indulgences and treats in food and beverages offer people a way to escape from their worries. It may not matter to consumers how they indulge, with equal numbers preferring a familiar product or exploring something new. What consumers gain from indulgence is an event that provides comfort, boosts their mood, and stimulates a sensory experience.
Health trends show that consumers in the U.S., as well as globally, seek emotional well-being. As part of Innova’s 2025 health and nutrition survey, over one-third of U.S. consumers report being extremely or very concerned about their mental health and emotional resilience. They also are concerned about stress, anxiety, and worry. That is why indulgences that deliver emotional well-being as part of overall health and wellness are a necessity and priority for U.S. consumers.
U.S. survey participants responded to a number of questions about indulgent food and beverage experiences. When asked in our 2026 trends survey what an indulgent food or drink experience means to them, at least three in ten U.S. consumers named comfort, sensory enjoyment, and a special treat. We also asked them about product features that confer sensory enjoyment. Top responses included sweet, dessert-like flavors, as well as contrasting, intense, and bold flavors. U.S. consumers also associate smooth, creamy textures with indulgence.
Our consumer trends research also shows that a growing number of U.S. consumers turn to food for comfort. During uncertain times, consumers looking for emotional wellness often are drawn to flavors that uplift or calm them. Also, they are very willing to treat themselves regularly with small, luxurious indulgences. We see growing popularity in premium and indulgent dairy products, for example. Whether in frozen desserts, creamy refrigerated desserts, or premium butter, dairy can add a bit of indulgent joy and brightness to someone’s day. Treats and indulgent food and drinks also can help us face and manage stress.
In tracking launches of products with an indulgence claim, we see connections to different drivers of pleasure in food, including richness of flavor, interesting texture, and new and unique tastes. These create “little luxuries,” specialty products that are growing in number every year thanks to suppliers and formulators who work together to create treats that are rich, creamy, comforting, unique, flavorful, and, importantly, affordable. Consumers we survey tell Innova that they are attracted to luxury flavors that enhance their value and feeling of indulgence.
Given the high levels of U.S. consumer concern about physical and mental health, we were curious whether indulgence and health could coexist. Consumers feel that indulgent food and drink consumption can improve their mood by satisfying cravings, bringing joy, and providing pleasure.
Innova recognizes that health features might be able to shift indulgence from health compromise to health advantage. Therefore, we asked U.S. consumers what, in their opinion, makes an indulgent food or drink feel healthier. Responses were varied, with top health-aligned features being reduced sugar and natural ingredients. Sugar reduction in a product with natural ingredients could help convert a guilty pleasure into a guilt-free preference.
Flavor and Texture
Our ongoing tracking of consumer attitudes and behaviors shows that indulgent flavors influence around one-quarter of consumers making food and beverage choices, and sweet, indulgent flavors are particularly appealing. U.S. consumers also seek flavors that are comforting and familiar. They turn first to desserts, ice cream, chocolate, cakes, pastries, and sweet goods for indulgence and are most likely to try new flavors in these categories. Sauces and seasonings also appeal to consumers as a low-risk way to experiment with flavor.
Within sweet flavors, chocolate and brown flavors—including fudge, coffee, caramel, and praline—are enduring favorites. Consumers report brown flavors help them feel cheerful and happy, and many also find them relaxing and calming. As formulators content with tightening cacao supplies and rising cocoa prices, brown flavors may deliver similar feelings of indulgence and sensory benefits. Brands are merging brown flavors with global influences in flavors and products, such as French brûlée and Italian tiramisu and cannoli, and especially in premium desserts with authentic flavors and sensory profiles. Consider opportunities for using globally influenced, authentic brown flavors in restaurant-quality products designed for speed-scratch preparation and enjoyment at home. The shift toward food preparation and dining at home ramped up during the COVID-19 pandemic and shows no signs of slowing down.
Sensory Stars
It’s impossible to discuss the marriage of flavor and texture without mentioning Dubai chocolate, a runaway hit featuring chocolate, pistachio, and Middle Eastern flavors with indulgent texture contrasts. Since its emergence in the U.S. in late 2024, Dubai chocolate has experienced explosive growth with expansion from chocolate bars into nut butters, dips, spreads, and even beer. Its combination of luxury chocolate, crispy knafeh (phyllo), pistachios, pistachio cream, and vibrant colors contribute to its once-in-a-decade stardom. Consumers seek out the indulgent Dubai chocolate experience of smooth, velvety, and crunchy textures. Some brands feature additional inclusions, fillings, and other textured ingredients for an even richer, more-premium experience.
We are not surprised by the Dubai chocolate boom. Nearly half of U.S. consumers we surveyed report a desire to try interesting texture combinations in new food and drink products. Texture combinations deliver the type of varied and novel sensory experience that consumers seek in indulgent products.
Consumer associations with indulgence differ depending on the type of product. For example, many prefer crispy or crunchy textures in indulgent snacks. That is why flavor and texture innovation are key, especially for younger generations who seek out global flavors and authenticity, cross-category collaboration and inspiration, and unique flavor, texture, and ingredient combinations.
In addition to providing emotional comfort, chocolate is convenient and indulgent. Nearly half of U.S. consumers surveyed report that they prefer to eat chocolate while snacking. Bite-size chocolates, resealable formats, sharable packaging, and limited editions offer consumers the emotional comfort they seek from chocolate in a convenient, snack-size format. We’ve been tracking the expansion of Dubai chocolate into smaller formats to create opportunities for affordable snacking pleasure.
Another change we are monitoring is driven by health awareness and prioritization. Indulgent trends reveal that U.S. consumers are increasingly seeking chocolates made with natural, high-quality ingredients like real fruit.