Food and beverage manufacturers continue to release spicy new products in pursuit of heat-seeking consumers.
The so-called chiliheads, whose tolerance for heat knows no bounds, continue to grow, according to Circana, while swicy snacks – a combination of sweet and spicy – are pulling in consumers by layering spice with sweet, smoky and tangy flavors.
“Consumers across global markets are evolving into epicurean snackers, gravitating toward adventurous cultural flavors and layered profiles that balance heat with sweet, smoky and tangy notes,” Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive vice president and chief advisor for consumer goods and foodservice insights at Circana, said in a recent webinar. “This appetite for experimentation is fueling notable category expansion and premiumization.”
Innova Market Insights confirms that consumers continue to seek spicy foods that offer bold flavor experiences.
Innova’s new report, Global Spicy Food Trends 2026: Hot & Spicy Flavors, shows that spicy foods are also increasingly connected to consumers’ sense of identity, culture, mood and adventure, prompting CPG companies to provide more options that amplify flavor discovery.
“Over half of global consumers say they like to look for flavors they have never tried before when they purchase food and beverage products, and sensory enjoyment plays a crucial role in offering elevated experiences,” the report noted. “Thirty percent say they look for intense or bold profiles in indulgent products, and others also seek those that linger on the palate. Spices and chili flavors are therefore a relatively underutilized area that can take this sensory experience to the next level.”
Here are some of the most recent spicy product launches to hit store shelves.
Knorr teams up with Hot Ones
Unilever’s Knorr brand, which offers bouillons, soups, seasonings, sauces and ready-made meals, is the latest in a line of food brands to partner with the popular streaming show Hot Ones, which challenges celebrities to eat progressively hotter chicken wings during an interview.
The branding partnership follows a line of similar co-branding relationships with Hot Ones, including products such as Pringles, Hot Pockets and others.
The limited-edition Knorr/Hot Ones product lineup includes Knorr Mexican Rice and Knorr Cheesy Cheddar Pasta.
“Hot Ones has built an incredible platform around the idea that great food and a little heat can spark memorable conversations. That’s something we completely agree on at Knorr, too,” said Melanie Cappella, Knorr’s chief growth officer. “Delicious food brings people together, and with this collaboration we’re bringing the rich flavor people expect from Knorr and the iconic heat Hot Ones fans love, making it easy to bring more excitement to the table.”
Mountain Dew with a kick
Drink manufacturers are also getting into the spice game, such as Mountain Dew’s partnership with gummi candy brand Trolli for a new limited-edition beverage: Mountain Dew x Trolli Mango Pineapple Punch.
PepsiCo, parent company of Mountain Dew, said the sweet and spicy combination of the classic lime-flavored drink with the Trolli Spicy Crawler gummi worms is aimed at Mountain Dew fans looking for “a kick of heat.”
It’s the second team-up between the two companies, following 2025’s collaboration with Trolli Cherry Lemon.
“Last year’s Mountain Dew and Trolli collaboration showed just how much excitement there is when two iconic brands come together in an unexpected way,” said Michael Smith, VP of marketing, Mountain Dew, PepsiCo Beverages US. “This year, we’re taking that idea even further with a sweet-and-spicy flavor twist that taps into a growing consumer trend while delivering the bold, one-of-a-kind experience fans expect from both brands.”
Canned heat
The most recent spicy food offering comes from Hormel Food Corporation’s classic meat product, Spam.
The Hot Honey Spam joins the company’s lineup of more than 10 varieties of canned meat. Parent company Hormel is also partnering with Brooklyn, New York-based Taiwanese restaurant Win Son Bakery, which is offering Spam Hot Honey breakfast sandwiches and a Taiwanese sticky rice roll through Sept. 20.
“Spam Hot Honey taps into one of today’s fastest-growing flavor trends, giving longtime fans and new audiences alike another reason to reach for the iconic blue can,” said Stephanie Swift, brand manager of the Spam brand. “The Spam brand has an enduring, decades-long connection with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and cuisine, and partnering with Win Son Bakery to introduce this flavor felt like a natural, authentic way to get out of the can and into the kitchen.”
