Is time travel possible?
This might sound more like science fiction than food science, but we promise you it’s not.
What if we told you, time travel’s not only possible, but we do it every day—through flavor.
Flavor is a portal with the power to take you back to Saturday mornings in grandma’s kitchen, the endless days of a sun-soaked summer, or your first time experiencing a faraway culture where the only language you have in common is… taste.
While nostalgia is not unique to food and beverages, Silvia Schnicker, Director of Marketing at Edlong, believes that there’s something special about how they connect us to the past, “Each generation loves having the opportunity to experience their own nostalgia, whether it’s through fashion, tv shows and movies, tech, etc. There’s a reason why reconnecting people with the memories of their youth is such a powerful marketing tool. However, nothing can tell a story or offer emotional resonance the way food can.”
Consumers seem to agree, with 71% of saying that they enjoy things that remind them of their past, such as childhood memories.
In recent years, “newstalgia” has gone from a rising trend to an industry staple. Tapping into the comfort of the past works, but it can no longer be the same.
This leads Schnicker to ask, “We know that food lets us transport back in time, new or ‘nowstalgia’ is relevant today, but along with that familiar comfort consumers want to start getting a taste of the future. That’s why we think it’s time to start creating ‘NEXTalgia’ taste technology and flavor experiences that will leave their mark for years to come.”
Ready or not, this evolution of nostalgia from past to present, and now future, is already underway.
NEXTalgia – The Next Evolution of Nostalgia
While “newstalgia” or “nowstalgia”, as a concept, is easy enough to wrap one’s head around, “nextalgia” is unlike anything we’ve really seen before.
“‘Newstalgia’ has become so popular because it’s piggybacking on what’s already been successful before,” explains Schnicker. “This current trend is about taking the comfort of experiences, tastes, and flavors, whatever and adapting them to where those consumers are today.”
She continues, “However, with the curiosity and desire for culinary experimentation of younger generations, nostalgia is showing the ability to be a vehicle for innovation.”
Yutian Xu, Digital Marketing Analyst at Edlong, agrees that this is the direction nostalgia appears to be going across the board.
“Nostalgia is evolving from looking back to blending worlds. Millennials are rediscovering heritage recipes, traditional hobbies, and the resourceful cooking wisdom shared by older generations, then reimagining them through a modern lens.”
She adds, “Across food, fashion, and culture, the past is not returning unchanged. It is being refreshed with global inspiration, new textures, and better-for-you upgrades.”
As nostalgia continues to evolve, it is moving from a trend in and of itself into a canvas for innovation, experimentation, and above all, a trend intersection.
This means NEXTalgia is more than rehashing old favorites. It’s about reinventing and drawing inspiration from traditions to address what consumers want today… and tomorrow.
Nothing illustrates this better than the impact of combining nostalgic comfort with international flavors and formats.
A Passport to the Future: NEXTalgia and International Tastes
It may seem surprising, but over 60% of Americans consider themselves adventurous eaters.
This number might seem like an outlier, but it’s not.
In fact, a survey found that nearly 3 in 4 consumers seek bold flavors and new cuisines, with another finding that 62% of consumers will try a flavor they have never had before.
In younger generations, the numbers become even more pronounced, with over 90% of Gen Z and Millennials seeking out new food and beverage flavors, with the majority saying ‘the wilder the better.
Where are people turning for inspiration in their quest for new and exciting taste experiences?
With 70% using social platforms to explore food, we already know the answer.
“Social media has accelerated this exchange, allowing heritage flavors to travel faster than ever and helping classic comfort foods feel new, relevant, and ready for today’s lifestyles,” says Xu.
“Online globalization has fundamentally changed exposure. Once people start seeing videos and getting comfortable with creators from other countries, it makes them eager to taste, and experience different flavors and try international foods they never knew about before.”
This growing desire for globalized flavors is being felt across all market categories. US consumers, specifically, are most willing to try global flavors in bakery items (49%), fresh meat/poultry/seafood (46%), produce (43%), snacks/confectionery (42%), and spices (39%).
This is where Angie Lantman, Manager – NA Applications at Edlong, says we’re already seeing developers take notice of this unique opportunity, “Nextalgia is showing up in the market as combining these two macro trends together. We are mixing the nostalgia of our childhood favorites with the global inspiration of what is trending today. Blending the traditional flavors we love with new ones that aren’t quite as familiar.”
“As a product developer I like to think of using the familiar/nostalgic flavor as the backbone of the product, and then we can layer this modern twist/international flavor on top. This allows the consumer to be comfortable purchasing a product they know and be adventurous enough to try something that’s different.”
This approachability is key. Especially when we consider that, 70% of consumers think familiarity with ingredients is important when encountering unfamiliar foods.
Think combinations made with Sweet Brown profiles like cinnamon churro milkshakes, ube cheesecake, protein RTDs, miso caramel snack coatings, the list goes on.
In today’s marketing, fusing comfort with curiosity is a recipe for success. One that we’re already seeing takeover menus and store shelves, worldwide.
International NEXTalgia on the Menu
Take the growing trend of Korean-Mexican fusion products and restaurants, or LTO Korean-infused menu items at major burger chains as prime examples.
This cultural exchange goes both ways.
Spicy Korean ramen brands are integrating global nostalgia appeal with fusion flavors like creamy carbonara, curry, tom yum, and spicy habanero lime, to name a few.
NEXTalgia provides the connection to comforting memories while opening consumers up to the flavors of the world. It also opens up a world of flavor opportunities for developers.
As illustrated with the ramen example, any nostalgic dish can be a flavor. Likewise, any flavor can enhance a nostalgic dish.
Mac and cheese is the perfect example of this new flavor fluidity. Whether it’s memories of grandma’s crispy-topped holiday side dish or busy nights where mom only had time to make the blue box, mac and cheese carries an enormous amount of emotional equity.
This equity is now helping it extend well beyond the bowl into chips, popcorn seasonings, and more. It’s being elevated with smoked cheeses, global spice blends, and new premium sophistication. Recipes featuring shwarma , tikka masala, or truffled lobster are showing how people can feed both their inner child and their refined palettes.
NEXTalgia isn’t looking to replace these ties to our pasts, but in a truly globalized world, it acknowledges that they are a moving target.
NEXTalgia Across Borders
The nostalgia that resonated with each generation used to have a strong regional association, but, as Xu explains, this is also starting to change.
“Younger generations are forming nostalgic memories across cultures. I didn’t grow up in the U.S., so roasting marshmallows and making s’mores wasn’t part of my childhood. But after experiencing it here, that flavor now carries its own winter memories for me. Similarly, boba was deeply nostalgic during my years in Southern China, but today it can evoke the same sense of familiarity for consumers who grew up with it on entirely different continents.”
In other words, nostalgia is no longer static. It’s fluid and dynamic. It’s not only adapting to different generations; it’s crossing borders.
With all that said, NEXTalgia isn’t just about pairing international inspiration with familiar flavors.
NEXTalgia: A New Frontier for Product Development
From redefining indulgence to taking sensory experiences to new heights or even making functional and better-for-you products better than ever, this new era of nostalgic developments is more than an opportunity for innovation; it’s a whole new approach.
This is where NEXTalgia becomes commercially meaningful.
As Xu reiterates, “For product developers, nostalgia is now an innovation platform.”
“We expect NEXTalgia to accelerate particularly in dairy-based RTDs, snack seasonings like spicy cheesy combo, and desserts.”
Xu stresses that simply identifying the pefect NEXTalgic profile or product format isn’t enough to guarantee success.
The nostalgic base of a formulation must manage to deliver authenticity in taste, texture, aroma and mouthfeel, while the modern layer needs to integrate without overwhelming. Achieving that balance demands precision in flavor layering, modulation, while still meeting consumer’s emotion expectations.
The brands that succeed will be the ones who understand how to preserve the emotional core and authentic storytelling while evolving the experience, and above all deliver a delicious product”
Simply put, NEXTalgia is more than a trend; it’s an invitation to start making what’s next, now. Discover how our taste technologies can help you do that.