“Swicy” New Combos Heat Things Up
We love this classic combination, and the flavor mashup is having a moment thanks to Gen Z—in fact, 51% of these self-proclaimed “hot sauce connoisseurs” say they use hot sauce more than once a week, with 34% attempting to outdo family and/or friends when eating spicy things.1 And according to Datassential, nearly one in every ten restaurants feature “sweet and spicy” menu items.
34% of Gen Z has tried a hot sauce challenge inspired by social media
Today’s trending “swicy” profiles bring a mix of flavors from Mexico, Thailand and Korea, and as the combos get more complex, new spices are emerging—think Gochujang, guajillo pepper, Aleppo pepper and tajin.
Our industry friends Fleur Veldhoven, VP of Marketing at Nestlé Professional Solutions, and Johnny Hughes, consultant and former Senior VP of Foodservice at Tyson Foods, joined Kevin to sample some of the latest swicy snacks: Theo Sweet & Spicy Dark Chocolate Bar with cayenne pepper and cinnamon for an extra kick, Spicy Sweet Peppers Protein Stix featuring cayenne pepper and Ass Kickin’ Carolina Reaper Pepper Honey Peppers with Carolina Reaper Pepper, which held the “world’s hottest pepper” title from 2013-2023.
Check out their hot takes!
We also compiled a list of our current favorite sweet and spicy snacks—give them a try and tag us on our socials to let us know what you think!
Limited Edition Kettle Brand “Sweet, Tangy & Spicy Chamoy”
New Release Jan 2025: Wheat Thins Spicy Sweet Chili
New Release Jan 2025: Doritos Golden Sriracha
Snak Club Tajin Chocolate Gummy Bears:
Snak Club Tajin Chocolate Mini Pretzels
1. Hot Sauce Market Trends: How Gen Z is Redefining Hot Sauce Culture