Curious about flavors? Feel the bizarreness inside those tastes!

As the primary consumer demographic, Generation Z is known for their adventurous tastes and curiosity about unconventional flavors. In recent years, "bizarre" flavors have become the latest trend in the food and beverage industry.

In February of this year, Coca-Cola launched a new product, "Coca-Cola Spiced," which combines raspberry with spicy notes. According to CBS News, the drink is available in both regular and sugar-free versions. Coca-Cola described the flavor as their boldest innovation to date.

However, just six months after its debut, the product faces discontinuation. In a statement, the company said it is "always looking at what our customers like and adjusting" its flavors. "As part of this strategy, we're planning to phase out Coca-Cola Spiced to introduce an exciting new flavor in 2025," a spokesperson said.

Beyond "Coca-Cola Spiced", several other unusual flavors have recently gone viral.

On Aug. 26, Haihe Dairy began pre-sales of its "Jianbing Guozi" flavored milk. Jianbing Guozi is a traditional Chinese breakfast from Tianjin. It consists of a thin pancake, eggs, scallions, cilantro, sweet bean sauce, chili sauce, and crispy fried dough sticks. Sometimes other ingredients such as sausages, lettuce, or pickled vegetables are added.

"Jianbing Guozi" flavored milk uses mung bean and millet flour to replicate the aroma of grains, with fermented bean curd and Tianjin-style sweet sauce added to enhance its savory taste.

On Sept. 4, Jinan-based dairy company Jiabao launched "Bazi Rou" flavored yogurt. The product sold out almost as soon as it was released, becoming a viral sensation on social media. This innovative yogurt flavor is inspired by the traditional Shandong dish, Bazi Rou, which is some kind of pork stew.

According to Jiabao's research and development team, during the production of this yogurt, pork is chopped and ground into a powder before being added to the yogurt, which gives the product a rich texture and full-bodied flavor.

On Sept. 10, snack brand Qiaqia announced the launch of a limited-edition range of sunflower seeds, including flavors like Luosifen (rice noodles soaked in a spicy soup base topped with local ingredients such as pickled bamboo shoots, sour beans, and fried beancurd), durian, and horseradish.

The Luosifen-flavored seeds incorporate broth from the popular noodle dish, the durian variety is made with 100% Musang King durian powder, and the horseradish version highlights the distinctive spiciness of northeastern Chinese horseradish.

Industry experts note that the motivation behind launching such "bizarre flavors" is to capture the curiosity and taste preferences of younger consumers. By breaking away from traditional offerings, brands can inject vitality into their image and attract more attention in the market. At the same time, these unconventional flavors serve as a way for brands to differentiate themselves and expand their market share in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Would you dare to try these curious flavors?

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