From The Winter 2005 Issue of Natural Grocery Buyer

Americans Sweet on Heat

Laurie Budgar

Consumers have been red-hot for salsa for many years. In 1997, salsa sales surpassed those of ketchup, the (formerly) all-American condiment. But something has shifted. Maybe it’s the uncertain times we live in, or maybe it’s backlash from the low-carb craze. But one thing is certain: Shoppers now want something a little sweet with their heat.

“One needs only to look at U.S. immigration patterns, which have been a major influence on sweet heat’s growth and continued prosperity,” says Marc Halperin, culinary director at the Center for Culinary Development in San Francisco. Thirteen percent of the U.S. population is now Hispanic, according to the 2000 U.S. census. “This cultural diversity has also led to younger generations being raised on ethnic cuisines and expecting authentic and bold flavors from their food,” Halperin adds.

Sweet heat is the natural evolution of Latin food, with a little Asian, Caribbean and Creole fusion food thrown in. One of the most popular sweet and hot combinations is fruit with peppers. Like jalapenos? Try ’em in a sweet citrus vinaigrette. Like fruit sauces with your seafood? Add a little hot red pepper for sizzle. For dessert, how about a little chipotle chocolate? After all, that’s the authentic manner that the Mexicans learned from the Aztecs for savoring dulces.

Virtually every chain restaurant and cooking magazine features some rendition of sweet heat. Applebee’s offers up Grilled Tilapia with Mango Salsa. Chili’s does a Citrus Fire Chicken & Shrimp. In its October 2004 issue, Bon Appetit featured Sweet and Spicy Chipotle-Glazed Ribs, using a combination of canned chipotle chiles, red currant jelly and pomegranate molasses. The magazine in September had a recipe for Sweet and Spicy Rosemary Hazelnuts (the sweet came from dark brown sugar; the spicy from hot pepper sauce).

But this trend is backed by more than just anecdotal observations. Packaged Facts and the Center for Culinary Development conducted research earlier this year and reported that about 50 percent of consumers have tried a “sweet heat” food, and at least 76 percent of those who tried it, liked it. More than 80 percent said they would try it again.

Somewhat surprisingly, more consumers in the East and Central parts of the country have heard of and tried sweet heat than in the West, with little variation across age groups. “Baby boomers are also looking for more flavor in their food due to aging taste buds,” Halperin says.

The flavor has spread beyond restaurants and foodie magazines, however. In gourmet, ethnic and specialty food stores, adventurous consumers can sample the following:

• Good Humor’s Tamarind Ice Cream Bar with Chili
• Blue Bell’s Chimichanga Cheesecake
• Toad Sweat spicy dessert sauces in Key Lime, Cranberry, Chocolate Orange or Lemon Vanilla flavors, from Cary, N.C.-based Peppered Palette Inc.

Grocery products that are, admittedly, more aligned with the average consumer’s palate are prevalent across categories, from condiments to snacks and candy. Some flavor combinations include:

• Thai Kitchen’s Lemongrass & Chili Stir Fry
• Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s Mojito Marinade (with “bold herbs and spices all infused with bright citrus juices”)
• Newman’s Own Pineapple Salsa
• Spicy Lime Tequila Truffle Bars from Moscow, Idaho-based Cowgirl Chocolates, made with all natural ingredients and European chocolate

Marilyn Lysohir, owner and “head cowgirl” at Cowgirl Chocolates, says this is the year for infusions into chocolate—especially spicy infusions. “When we first started [in 1997] it was not easy to sell the sweet heat,” but as chefs began to give it a try, they found that they liked it very much. Chocolate is a perfect foil for a spice like cayenne pepper, she says. “It gives you a delayed reaction to the heat.” She also cites cayenne’s health benefits, such as improved circulation and immunity, for fueling the trend’s fire.

The flavor’s popularity picked up more steam, says Lysohir, when the movie Chocolat was released. “The woman in the film put chile peppers into the chocolate … and people saw the romance of that. It gave us a little bit of a boost.”

Even Tabasco, the company that manufactures the fiery sauce of the same name that’s used in everything from Bloody Marys to Bayou shrimp dishes, ran a contest last year—with a grand prize of $10,000—for professional chefs to develop recipes for foods that incorporate “bold, aromatic spice paired with the sweetness of fruit.” The winning recipe was a chicken breast stuffed with sautéed vegetables with garlic and ginger, and topped with tropical fruit and fish barbecue sauce.

“Americans are traveling less but still want to experience ethnic flavors at home, a phenomenon we call ‘The Global Table,’” Halperin says. “And, it’s not just in major cities, but across the U.S.”

These signposts can only point to one thing: Consumers will be looking for sweet heat in your store very soon.