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Patricia Manos is SVP of Marketing and Consumer Experience at Curion. Opinions are the author’s own.
“Taste trumps everything.” For many years that was the golden rule of the sensory world. Whether in the lab or on the market, the best-tasting soda, snack or dessert always wins. But not anymore.
Today’s consumers don’t ask which product tastes best. Instead, they are asking which option best suits their goals for who they want to be in that moment. Context matters.
As wellness culture shapes our everyday choices, people are willing to trade small indulgences for ingredients that promise energy, immunity, or gut health. A McKinsey survey found that more than 70% of consumers want to live a healthier lifestyle, and many of them embrace a balance of taste for health benefits.
This isn’t to say that taste isn’t important. This remains a strong predictor of success. But what ‘good taste’ means is being rewritten.
The future of taste depends on how well products deliver the promised benefits. Functional Lemonade does not compete with Sprite, but with other beverages that provide gut health or energy support.
When companies taste test their products outside of the scope of benefits, they are testing the wrong thing and the wrong product. Consumers don’t expect probiotic soda to taste like traditional cola. They expect it to be reliable, clean, and taste consistent with what it promises.
Health benefits are changing the rules
In a national study of functional sodas conducted by Curion, consumers revealed how they balance taste and health. In the functional soda category, 62% of buyers chose these drinks because they are a healthier alternative, 55% cited low sugar, and 54% said they wanted natural or clean ingredients. Shoppers welcome “less sweet,” “herbal” or “earthy” flavors as evidence of health benefits and embrace flavor balance as part of their “health halo.” When nutritional information was displayed on the packaging, taste preference and purchase intention for functional carbonated drinks increased, while for conventional carbonated drinks it decreased.
No one expects a protein bar to beat the taste of a crumble. It’s not a competition. Consumers are addressing self-regulation of protein intake, hunger control, and wellness goals. This is what consumers need protein bars to do.
If a product does the “job” it is intended to do, it predicts high purchase intent and loyalty. And these occupations have evolved to represent mood, identity, and nutrition. According to Cargill, distinct consumer types are emerging. Impulse Munchers turn to classic cookies when they need comfort or stress relief. Emotional Snackers pursues nostalgic flavors for peace of mind, but with healthier options. Guiltless Grazers actively pursues protein bars and functional chocolates. Because these options align with your wellness goals and allow you to enjoy them “no regrets.”
Consumer stories tell us that snacks are social currency with high-protein bars, nutrient-dense foods, and Instagram-worthy packaging used to promote personal health, purpose, and belonging in today’s culture.
Brands are blending nostalgia and innovation to reimagine familiar convenience foods with added nutrition, making consumers feel “cool and intentional” rather than deprived. The growing buzz of products like David Bar shows how guilt-free functional snacks satisfy both the craving for pleasure and the desire to optimize health, with shoppers celebrating their choices on social media as symbols of modern living.
“New Playbook” Conclusion
To survive in today’s market, brands need to test their products in the right context and within the right product. Indulgent taste is no longer the main driver to consider. Now the reward alignment becomes the leader. Don’t compare functional snacks to functional snacks, compare functional snacks to functional snacks. And even better, measure “why” consumers like your product, not “how much” they like it.
Those who stick to the old equation of ‘taste + low price’ will end up paying more and losing market share. Listen to what consumers say. They are telling you powerful things. “I will give up a little taste in exchange for a lot of health.”
Brands need to be able to decipher these pros and cons to connect consumers directly to their products at critical moments. Brands that understand this mindset and conduct design testing to capture it will build next-generation products that win on both fronts.
