Spruce up my vegetables with more vegetables? Now that’s one trend I can get behind, and your consumers will, too.
As a food writer, it’s my job to seek out the top flavors driving shopper dollars (a painful endeavor, I know). Though I no longer work under the guise of a wannabe restaurant critic due to shelter-in-place orders, I’ve seen some prominent foodie trends continue to build. Kicking up the spice across a wide array of eating experiences, harissa is one of the hottest trends of them all. My taste buds can vouch for me on this.
From adorning colorful veggie bowls to joining tried and true condiments in the pantry, harissa has taken U.S. consumers by storm. The hot chili pepper paste originates from the Middle East, with recipes varying from region to region. Primarily, harissa features roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers, serrano peppers, as well as various spices and herbs.* Though it is often compared to flavor-enhancing sauces like sriracha, harissa has historically been used as a staple ingredient in many recipes abroad.
That regular usage of the spicy chili paste has made its way Stateside as heat-seeking consumers find new ways to jazz up their recipes. Though my own diet is not so adventurous, I’m not opposed to the occasional harissa-roasted veggie side dish. The bright flavors of hot chili and peppers give way to the sweetness of carrots, creating a unique plant-forward eating experience that spices up my weekly routine.
By its very nature, harissa plays a part in encouraging plant-based diets, as well. Foodie trends tend to run parallel to each other, and many of the shoppers cutting out animal protein turn to diverse eating experiences as a result. What does this mean for the retailer? Cross-merchandising opportunities abound! That, and you can count on significant overlap between plant-based and ethnic sector sales.
While shoppers may have been hard pressed to find harissa on-shelf a few years back, the product has since garnered enough of a following to make its way onto repeat PO’s for many big-name grocers. And, as we all know well, trends in the retail sector reign supreme, so diverse foodservice applications are sure to follow.
Excuse me while I adjust my investigative shades and get back to the grind. 
