Give Guests More Fall Flavor to Savor

Fall serves up a cornucopia of menu possibilities and promotional opportunities. As the temperature drops, occasions for transitioning to tastes associated with the season rise, from back-to-school and football season to Oktoberfest, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. 

With the approach of fall, consumers await the reemergence of season-defining flavors like pumpkin spice, apple pie, and brown butter. They also look forward to innovative and limited-edition items that feature exciting new flavors, formats, and collaborations.

Datassential found that 46% of consumers buy fall-flavored food and beverage products,¹ and that 1,321 fall menu items and limited-time offers were launched last year²—a clear indication of the level of culinary ingenuity applied to meet consumer expectations and the demands of the seasonal menu calendar.

Savor the Celebrations

Fall is rich in holidays and events—and the season has the flavors to match. “Classic Thanksgiving flavors dominate the fall palate as operators adopt the well-loved flavors of pumpkin spice, apple, pecan, and cinnamon,” reported Datassential.⁴ “On the savory side, aged cheeses, mustards (Oktoberfest), and gravies provide the comforting feeling of home.”³

For Halloween, serve up a fun twist on an old favorite. Dress up Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato Soup by adding minced onions, celery, horseradish, Worcestershire, and lemon juice to give guests a frightfully flavorful Spicy Tomato Soup. For an added flair, top it with some pumpkin-shaped croutons or a bit of grated cheese. 

Seasonal events like pro football are also closely associated with fall flavors. Chicken wings top the list as the most popular game-day food, scoring a 25% increase in average order volume at restaurants on Sundays compared to Sundays during the off-season.⁵  Soups and stews are next (+23%), followed by noodles and ramen (+17%).⁴

Satisfy hearty game-day appetites with Campbell’s^® Culinary Reserve Frozen Ready-to-Eat Fully Loaded Baked Potato and Cheddar Soup. Made with Campbell’s^® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, fully loaded Fundido Nachos are the perfect snack for fans during the game or for kids after school. For something even more turnkey, offer Cape Cod^® Original Kettle Cooked Potato Chips as a side to any sandwich, salad, or soup.

Explore a Wide World of Fall Flavors

Given that 82% of consumers are drawn to hot and spicy flavors,⁵ it makes sense to pump up international flair when we start to enter the cooler months. “Globalization continues to bring different cuisines and flavors from around the world and [has] led to more sophisticated taste buds and interest in exotic and unique flavors,” FMCG Gurus reported.⁵

Consider swapping traditional herbs and spices for those with a bit of worldly flavor, boosting taste without adding to the kitchen prep. Instead of chili powder, try gochugaru, a smoky, slightly sweet Korean spice. Or swap paprika for Aleppo pepper to add a fruity, mild heat popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. 

Speed-scratch recipes like Sante Fe Chicken Sauté add flavorful heat to the menu and warm up customers on chilly days. Additionally, guests can get a taste of North Africa (where harissa originates from) with Campbell’s^® Culinary Reserve Spicy Harissa White Bean Soup, which takes the prep work out of creating a delicious bowl of goodness. 

How Fall Flavors Can Work for Your Menu

Perennial fall favorite pumpkin spice has seen steady growth over the years. But while sales of pumpkin-spice-flavored products increased 47% from 2017 to 2022 to hit $236 million, other emerging fall flavors—including s’mores, donut, maple, and squash—have been gaining traction in the U.S. market.⁶ Consider an autumnal drink like the Portland Maple Bar Oat Latte, made with espresso, brown sugar, maple syrup, a dash of vanilla, and Pacific Foods^® Barista Series^TM Oat.

According to Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovation and insight at Mintel Consulting, pumpkin (sans spice), maple, and squash stand out as trending fall flavors. Squash has seen a “big uptick in soups,” she said, and cranberry, a popular seasonal flavor linked to the Thanksgiving holiday, “is appearing across more categories.”⁶

Fall’s bounty encompasses a wide range of produce, from butternut squash and cabbage to beets and Brussels sprouts. Consider mouthwatering, produce-rich dishes that capture the cozy spirit of fall, like Butternut Squash Pot Pie crafted with Campbell’s^® Culinary Reserve Harvest Butternut Squash Soup. 

For a side dish with a healthy twist that doesn’t sacrifice flavor, try Cream Spinach made with Campbell’s^® Condensed Healthy Request^® Cream of Chicken Soup.

Create fall menus with Campbell’s Foodservice. Our diverse portfolio of brands provides labor-saving products and on-trend flavors that can boost guest satisfaction year-round.

1 Flavor Report, 2022 Menu Innovation Report, Datassential, 2023

2 Seasonal Flavor Lookback: Trends of Fall, Datassential, 2024

3 Seasonality Report, Datassential, 2023

4 Guinn, Justin, “Most Popular Game Day Food and Drinks in NFL Cities This Season,” 2023

5 Flavor, Color, Texture Trends Report, FMCG Gurus, March 2023

6 French, April, “Fall Flavor Trends: Pumpkin Spice and Up-and-Coming Seasonal Flavors,” Food & Beverage Insider, October 5, 2023