Tamarind unveiled as McCormick & Company’s 2024 flavor

Since 2000, McCormick & Company has been predicting “the flavor of the year,” and this year, the American food manufacturer has chosen a spice native to Africa, India and the Middle East.

Tamarind is known for its sweet and tangy flavor, the report said, and is common in Latin, South Asian, Caribbean and Mexican cuisines.

Last year, McCormick predicted that Vietnamese & Cajun flavors would dominate food trends and restaurant menus, with the consumption of spicy food driving their growth in popularity, according to a report from Food Market Insights. 

Tamarind grows on a tree and produces dense pods with a sweet, tangy flavor. The flavor is commonly added to ice cream, coffee and potato chips. One of the most commonly known uses for tamarind is in Pad Thai and curries.

Brands like Pure Indian Foods and Asian Kitchen sell the flavor in a paste form, which can be added to recipes. McCormick is partnering with Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer locations to feature the ingredient in limited edition menu items, including the chicken burger, fries, and a milkshake.

“Given Black Tap’s global footprint, we try to be truly thoughtful in leveraging global recipes, spices, and techniques to ensure we continually bring innovation to our craft each and every day,” said Stephen Parker, corporate executive chef at Black Tap.

Besides unveiling tamarind as its flavor pick of 2024, McCormick’s report also predicted that acidity will remain a popular sensation in cooking through the use of sour flavors. “Sour is proving it’s not ‘just another ingredient;’ it’s revolutionizing menus, delivering layer on layer of exciting flavor,” the report said.

Reinventing regional traditional cooking will be another food trend carried into 2024, according to McCormick as well as redefining indulgent foods. 

“From time of day to season, flavor sensations link to emotions, memories, and all lived experiences,” the report said. McCormick expects this trend to take two forms — what they call “Newstalgic,” restaurants reintroducing childhood favorites with a gourmet twist, for example and “Food maximalism,” or the layering of flavors and textures in creative ways to create a new flavor.