‘Swelicious’ Flavors Fuel Restaurant Growth and Customer Excitement

Beyoncé singing about having “hot sauce in my bag” may or may not have inspired a new generation of food enthusiasts. According to a survey conducted by NCSolutions, which focused on 1,000 Americans about their hot sauce habits and preferences, out of the 34% self-proclaimed “hot sauce connoisseurs,” more than half (51%) were Gen Zers classifying themselves as one.¹

But all “hot” all the time without any nuances is a little bit too one note for many foodservice operators, which is why many started leaning into the “swicy” (or what we like to call 'swelicious') trend a few years ago. Swicy, a globally inspired flavor combination of “sweet” and “spicy,” was first written about in The New York Times in 2022.² It owes its unique flavor profiles to a melting pot of Pan Asian, Indian, Latin and West African cuisines.

Fast forward to summer 2024 and the trend exploded on foodservice menus across the country, with The Food Institute declaring it “the summer of swicy.” Jordan Wiklund wrote, “Americans want spice, they want flavor, they want exciting food and texture combinations in their appetizers, their main courses, and their drinks. And swicy is here to give it to them.”³

Swicy, of course, shows no signs of slowing down. Consumers continue to show they love sweet and spicy pairings, with 64% of consumers surveyed by Datassential reporting that they “love/like it.” The statistic may be categorized by generation as well with 67% of Gen Xers and Millennials the dominant forces, then Gen Z (65%) and finally, Baby Boomers (58%). For those who “love” sweet and spicy pairings, 28% of consumers surveyed “loved it,” with Gen Z at 38%, followed by Millennials (32%), Gen X (27%) and Baby Boomers (18%).⁴

Here are additional insights:

Operators, of course, have been taking advantage of these unconventional flavor combinations to drive interest. For example, “sweet and spicy” has shown an 8.6% menu penetration at foodservice operations with a four-year growth of 2%, according to Datassential.⁵ Additional insights:

Swicy menu inspiration straight from Simplot

Of course, we’ve covered swicy’s impact in all its variations throughout the years in our Trend Feast® features. Variety is literally the spice of life when it comes to taking classic dishes to new heights.

“Sweet and spicy pairings create a dynamic balance and complexity that add layers of flavor to recipes,” Chef Zachary Greatting, Culinary Content Chef, for Simplot, said. “Today, more and more chefs are taking ‘swelicious’ to new levels with unexpected combinations that generate buzz and drive traffic.”

Adding a new signature sauce is one stress-free way operators can dip their toes into the trend without committing to changing the menu. According to Datassential, 81% of foodservice operators say that having the right sauces and dressings is essential to creating craveable dishes that their customers love.⁶ That means that swicy may extend to offerings like aiolis (aji amarillo, gochujang maple lime), and chutneys and glazes (mango curry or maple syrup and wasabi).

For those operators feeling a little bolder, test swicy on a secret menu. Datassential reports that 60% of consumers say they would go out of their way to try a restaurant’s secret menu item, and nearly one in four consumers say they've ordered from a secret menu.⁷ The key to executing a successful secret menu is not to try too hard: It shouldn’t cost an operator more money to make and it most certainly should not put stress on the staff.

One way of getting carnivores to eat more veggies is to prepare them full of flavor. Datassential says that 11% of consumers are more likely to order them when they’re globally focused, such as Korean Spiced Roasted Sweet Potatoes.⁸ A combination of gochujang, or Korean red pepper paste, and honey is infused in the roasted sweet potatoes as well as used as a dipping sauce.

Here are some additional Simplot recipes created to inspire your team:

Swicy inspiration from other foodservice operators

With nearly a tenth of U.S. foodservice operators offering swicy menu items, according to Datassential, the trend has infiltrated all restaurant types, from QSRs to fine-dining establishments.⁵ At Rhode Island-based Chaska, a modern Indian eatery, guests may order the popular sweet and spicy Chili Cauliflower appetizer that’s ideal for sharing.

Also, last summer, Burger King introduced an all-new “fiery” menu that included Fiery Strawberry & Sprite, Fiery Chicken Fries and a Fiery Bacon Whopper.⁹

“Guests can easily and accessibly try a ‘swicy’ beverage offering and work their way up the spice scale with other food items, if they so choose,” Pat O’Toole, Burger King North America’s chief marketing officer, said to CNBC.¹⁰

And Chipotle and Panera tested the waters with Chipotle Honey Chicken¹¹ and Spicy Fiesta Chicken Sandwich,¹² respectively.

"We are continuing to transform our menu in line with guest preferences and are excited to offer even more delicious reasons to visit Panera," Alicia Mowder, SVP of Product Strategy & Insights, Panera Bread, said in a release.¹³ "Our guests visit Panera for the sweet, the spicy and even the 'swicy,’ and our goal is to provide a wider range of options, flavors and variety to satisfy any craving."