McCormick For Chefs has announced the Flavor Forecast 25th Edition, its annual report on the latest culinary trends, shaping the way people prepare and enjoy food worldwide. With this year's report, McCormick is unveiling its 2025 Flavor of the Year: Aji Amarillo, a pepper native to South America featuring fruity, tropical notes with moderate heat. McCormick is offering a taste of this standout flavor with its new Aji Amarillo Seasoning, coming soon for professional chefs. In celebration of the milestone Flavor Forecast 25th Edition, McCormick will also host its first-ever Flavor Night Market in Miami, FL, and is inviting guests to step into an immersive flavor experience inspired by the Flavor of the Year.

The McCormick 2025 Flavor of the Year

The McCormick 2025 Flavor of the Year, Aji Amarillo, which translates to "yellow chile pepper" in English, is a pepper grown in Peru and native to South America that is a staple ingredient in Peruvian cuisine. Despite its name, the yellow pepper turns orange when fully mature. The vibrant pepper reportedly has fruity, tropical notes, reminiscent of passion fruit and mango, with a moderate heat ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Today, Aji Amarillo is trending beyond Peruvian cuisine, showing up as a key ingredient in appetizers, drinks, entrees and more, with an anticipated 59% menu growth over the next four years.

The McCormick Flavor Forecast 25th Edition

Established in 2000, the McCormick Flavor Forecast is the company’s annual global trend report, which has predicted flavors like pumpkin pie spice, chipotle, Korean BBQ, Ube, Swicy and more. The report explores what is shaping the future of flavor at home, restaurants, and grocery stores. It’s crafted through a blend of primary and secondary qualitative and quantitative research, including on-the-ground research across the globe, as well as social listening insights, SEO trends, and more. It encompasses flavor, culinary trends and stories, cooking techniques and applications, exploring trends on the cusp of adoption around the world.

Flavor predictions and trends identified in the Flavor Forecast 25th Edition include:

• Tropical vibes: In this trend, taste buds travel through warm-weather flavors and cuisines to taste tropical fruits, seafood, and island and beach cuisines.
• Charred and smoked: These culinary techniques underline and emphasize the natural characteristics of a dish or ingredient. Smoky, charred, roasted and ultra-caramelized notes come through in unique ways and a variety of applications.
• Deliciously unexpected: This trend is all about reimagined familiar ingredients and deliciously unexpected combinations, evoking curiosity and cravings. Early evidence of this includes the chili cucumber salad trend that has amassed nearly 23 million views on TikTok.

"For nearly 25 years, McCormick has defined flavor and influenced flavor trends through the Flavor Forecast, inspiring discovery and innovation in everyday foods and beverages. From chipotle to chai, matcha, and tamarind—these are all flavors we’ve predicted that have cemented themselves in global cuisine,” says Tabata Gomez, chief marketing officer at McCormick. “As a global leader in flavor, we are champions of bold flavor. We continue to see younger generations explore creative ways to spice up their foods so we love that this year’s Flavor of the Year, Aji Amarillo, is providing the perfect gateway for consumers to explore and expand their palate.”

“Our Flavor of the Year, Aji Amarillo, is the true embodiment of flavors that pack a punch,” says Hadar Cohen Aviram, executive chef and senior manager, culinary development, U.S. Consumer at McCormick. “Its versatility lends itself to diverse applications, amplifying both sweet and tangy flavors and adds dimension to smoked or charred items. The Aji Amarillo Seasoning is a delicious, sweet, and spicy blend that enhances any dish including seafood, poultry, sauces, salsas, and more.”

The Flavor Night Market by McCormick

To celebrate the milestone of the Flavor Forecast, McCormick is making this year’s rollout bigger than ever by hosting its first-ever Flavor Night Market in Miami, FL. In partnership with Smorgasburg, the Flavor Night Market will bring the vibrant flavors of Aji Amarillo and this year’s three trends to life at Miami’s favorite open-air food market, open Friday, February 21 from 4 pm – 11 pm and Saturday, February 22 from 2 pm – 10 pm ET. The event is free to attend and will feature more than 30 food vendors serving up creative Aji-Amarillo inspired food and beverages. Attendees can also enjoy games, music and a McCormick pop-up store where the new Aji Amarillo Seasoning and other merchandise will be available for purchase.

Related: McCormick reveals Flavor Forecast 24th Edition and 2024 Flavor of the Year