The Independent: Hot honey trend

The Independent newspaper interviewed us about the unstoppable rise in hot honey innovation.

Google Trends reveals that searches for “hot honey” are the highest they’ve ever been in the UK, with interest in the term steadily climbing over the past five years. However we explained that its current popularity is rooted in the wider cultural landscape:

“Unexpected flavour combinations are especially popular at the moment, as consumers are seeking playful taste sensations as a form of escapism,” says Lisa Harris. “The cost-of-living crisis means consumers want affordable ways to make everyday ingredients feel more exciting. It also taps into the personalisation trend – consumers want simple ways to personalise food and ‘make it mine’.”

We looked at how social media can make these trends spread at lightening speed, but they’re also at risk of feeling over amplified in the echo chamber. Although it might feel like a combination of marketing and alchemy that made 2024 the year that hot honey exploded into the mainstream, it’s actually more like a snowball effect:

“Combining chilli with sweet ingredients is an ancient practice, but the trend has taken off in contemporary culture because a challenger brand like Mike’s has been putting in the hard work for a long time. It catches the eye of the right person, hits a cultural zeitgeist and bigger consumer drivers (like personalisation, taste escapism, elevated at-home experiences), bounces onto social media, and then snowballs from there.”

Read the full article on The Independent, and get in touch if you’d like an expert opinion on this or other rising trends.