Modern Heritage Indulgence: Tradition, Reimagined

Lunar New Year is a season where food carries meaning. Festive treats are often chosen not only for taste, but for the blessings they represent—shared with family, offered to guests, and passed from one generation to the next.

This year, we celebrate Modern Heritage Indulgence: heritage flavours reimagined for today’s festive table—where every bite can evoke nostalgia while still feeling relevant in modern formats and lifestyles.

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Three iconic treats that define the season

Across Southeast Asia, a few favourites consistently return during Lunar New Year. Pineapple tarts, black sesame treats, and nian gao each have their own symbolism and emotional resonance—anchored in tradition, yet endlessly adaptable.

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Pineapple Tarts – ‘Ong Lai’ (Prosperity Comes)

Pineapple holds special significance during Lunar New Year. In Hokkien, it is known as ‘Ong Lai’, commonly understood as ‘prosperity comes’. Serving pineapple tarts symbolises welcoming wealth, good luck, and abundance into the home. Their golden colour also reflects success and happiness, making them an auspicious treat for the season.

Beyond symbolism, pineapple tarts are loved for what they represent at the table: togetherness, hospitality, and the sweetness of a new beginning—often homemade, shared with guests, and tied to cherished family memories.
Pineapple Tarts features a bright, jammy pineapple centre with a sweet–tangy lift, wrapped in buttery pastry. The finish is warm and baked—shortbread-like, soft, and comforting.

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Black Sesame – Longevity, Vitality, and Quiet Comfort

Deep, nutty, and comforting, black sesame is traditionally associated with nourishment and vitality. In festive context, it is commonly linked to wishes for good health, inner strength, and longevity in the year ahead.

Its rich taste makes it a natural bridge between tradition and modern preferences: familiar, premium, and comforting—particularly suited to contemporary formats where consumers look for indulgence that feels balanced.

Black Sesame features a roasted sesame aroma up front, followed by a smooth, nutty paste-like depth. The finish is creamy with a gentle, cocoa-like bitterness that reads as premium rather than sweet.

Traditionally enjoyed in black sesame glutinous rice ball that represent unity and prosperity. 

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Nian Gao – Growth and Rising Fortunes

Sweet and chewy, nian gao—often called the sticky ‘year cake’—has been enjoyed for over 2,000 years as a symbol of growth, success, and rising fortunes. Its name sounds like ‘higher year’ in Chinese, expressing hopes that personal and professional achievements will rise in the year ahead.

Its sticky texture is also commonly associated with family togetherness. Sharing nian gao becomes a ritual of connection—marking new beginnings and wishing everyone a year full of progress and sweet success.

Nian Gao features a gentle caramel sweetness, warm rice/cereal notes, and a soft, comforting finish. In modern interpretations, brown sugar and toasted rice often become the bridge that makes the profile instantly recognisable in beverages and desserts.

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From Inspiration to Development

To support manufacturers planning seasonal innovation, Metarom Asia has developed flavour profiles inspired by these iconic treats—helping translate Lunar New Year heritage into practical development plans across different product categories.

• Pineapple Tart Cookie (Reduced Sugar)
• Black Sesame Oat Drinking Yogurt
• Brown Sugar Rice Milk Tea (Nian Gao Inspired)

Contact us today at sales@metarom.my  and experience our new flavour creation.

Gong Xi Fa Cai — wishing you a prosperous Lunar New Year.

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Ube: A Filipino Classic with Worldwide Appeal

Once a humble root crop from the Philippines, ube has taken the culinary world by storm. Its vivid violet hue and subtly sweet, nutty flavour have transformed it from a cherished Filipino delicacy into a global sensation, a must-have on menus and in product innovation pipelines alike. Ube’s appeal spans cultures and cuisines, captivating consumers across APAC and beyond.

More than a trend, ube blends colour, flavour, and culture, celebrating heritage and creativity while reshaping today’s flavour landscape. Curious what makes ube so special? Let’s dive into its story, science, and sweet spot.

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A Taste of Filipino Heritage

More than just a vibrant purple ingredient, ube (Dioscorea alata) is a symbol of the Philippines’ deep agricultural roots and evolving culinary identity. Once cultivated by early communities across the islands, it has journeyed from humble farmlands to festive tables. And now, to global menus.

Through centuries of tradition, migration, and innovation, ube has come to represent the Filipino spirit of creativity, resilience, and joy in sharing food. Its story connects the past and present, from ancient fields and ritual offerings to the modern reinvention of Filipino flavours celebrated around the world.

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Not All Purple Roots Are the Same

Though they often share the same eye-catching purple hue, ube, taro and purple sweet potato each have their own distinct origins, flavours and culinary uses, three unique ingredients often mistaken for one another but celebrated for their individual textures and taste profiles.

Root Crop	Origin	Flavour Profile	Texture	Common Uses	Colour
Ube	Philippines	Sweet, nutty, vanilla-like	Dense, slightly sticky	Desserts, jams, ice cream	Deep violet
Taro	Southeast Asia	Earthly, less sweet	Starchy, fibrous	Milk teas, steamed snacks	Pale lavender
Purple Sweet Potato	Japan/China	Dense, mildly sweet	Dry, mealy	Baked goods, chips	Magenta purple

Ube stands out for its naturally vibrant violet hue and distinctive creamy-sweet profile. Its colour remains vivid through processing, while its aroma offers a complex blend of sweet, creamy and subtly caramelised-coconut notes. Highly versatile across formats, from paste to powder to extract, ube also carries a deep emotional and cultural resonance in Asia-Pacific markets, adding both sensory appeal and storytelling value to any creation.

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Ube Craze Goes Global

Instagram loves purple, and so do brands. From Starbucks Japan’s Ube Frappuccino to Zus Coffee Philippines’ and Malaysia’s Ube Series, and McDonald’s Ube Pie in Southeast Asia, ube has become a global flavour icon. Its rise reflects not just its striking colour, but also a growing appetite for authentic, story-driven ingredient.

Ube is rapidly emerging as a hero flavour in modern Asian-inspired desserts, joining the ranks of matcha, pandan and black sesame. Recognised in North America and Europe as a “global discovery flavour”, an exotic ingredient with strong mainstream crossover potential, ube has seen remarkable growth across the Asia-Pacific region.

Over the past three years, mentions of ube in new product launches have surged, fueled by the popularity of Filipino and Japanese dessert trends. According to Mintel, it is increasingly featured in categories ranging from ice cream to bakery products across markets such as Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and even the USA. This expansion highlights ube’s evolution from a niche ingredient to an innovative, trendy flavour with broad appeal. Overall, ube’s position across global and APAC markets reflects steady growth, creative adoption, and strong momentum, signalling significant yet untapped potential.

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Ube is more than a flavour, it’s a story in purple. A link to heritage, a symbol of creativity, and a bold colour statement that continues to reshape global palates. For flavour houses, it represents a bridge between cultural authenticity and trend-driven innovation, a hue and taste that truly stands out.

At Metarom Asia, we capture every nuance of this iconic ingredient through tailored flavour profiles that transform the familiar into the unforgettable. Whether you seek to recreate tradition or spark the next global dessert sensation, our expertise helps bring your vision to life.

Connect with us at sales@metarom.my and join us in shaping the next purple sensation together.

Strawberry: One Flavour, Infinite Expressions

Few flavours are as universally loved or as effortlessly versatile as strawberry. Strawberry has long captured the hearts and taste buds of people across the globe. Its juicy sweetness, vibrant red hue, and delicate aroma evoke feelings of joy, comfort, and indulgence. More than just fruit, strawberry represents a sensory experience, nostalgic for some, refreshing for others, but familiar to nearly everyone. And behind this everyday favourite lies a fascinating story of evolution, diversity, and innovation.  

So, what makes strawberry such a powerful flavour in product development?

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From Wild Fields to World Fame

Strawberries have been cherished by humans for centuries, long before they became the globally cultivated fruit we know today. The earliest records of wild strawberry consumption trace back to Ancient Rome, where the fruit was celebrated not just for its sweet, tangy taste but also for its medicinal benefits. Roman writers noted its use in treating everything from melancholy to fever, a testament to its early value in both cuisine and wellness. 

The modern strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa, didn’t appear until the 18th century. It was born in France through the accidental hybridisation of two wild species: Fragaria virginiana, native to North America and prized for its flavour, and Fragaria chiloensis, a South American variety known for its size and vibrant colour. This botanical pairing produced a breakthrough, larger, juicier berries with a richer flavour and better shelf stability, ideal for both fresh consumption and culinary use. The hybrid quickly gained favour across Europe, laying the foundation for the commercial strawberry varieties we enjoy today. 

Today, strawberries are cultivated on nearly every continent. Regions have developed specialised cultivars to suit local climates and consumer preferences, from intensely sweet Japanese varieties to robust American field strawberries.  These subtle differences bring unique nuances to the flavour and aroma, creating a wide palette for flavourists and food innovators to capture the essence of strawberry across different applications. 

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Strawberry Season in Malaysia: A Highland Harvest 

Although strawberries are often associated with cool, temperate climates, Malaysia has carved out a niche for its own strawberry production, high above sea level in the misty hills of Cameron Highlands, Pahang. Thanks to its unique elevation and climate, this region supports strawberry cultivation all year round, offering a tropical twist on this beloved fruit.

Malaysian strawberries are often smaller in size but intensely aromatic and flavourful, with a vibrant balance of tanginess and concentrated sweetness. Compared to their larger, juicier counterparts from temperate countries, these highland berries offer a bold, localised profile that appeals to Southeast Asian palates.

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Inside the Strawberry’s Complex Character 

What makes the strawberry flavour so irresistible?  

The secret lies in its extraordinary chemical complexity. A ripe strawberry contains over 360 volatile compounds that work together to create its distinctive aroma and flavour. These compounds vary in concentration depending on ripeness, variety, and growing conditions, giving rise to the nuanced profiles we associate with different strawberry experiences. 

Key contributors include:

This blend results in a flavour that’s both familiar and multidimensional, sweet, slightly tart, with a fresh and juicy top note. The ripeness, cultivar, and growing conditions can significantly influence the final flavour profile, which is why creating authentic strawberry flavour is both an art and a science. 

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The Berry Best, Year After Year 

Strawberry consistently ranks among the topmost loved flavours worldwide, a status it has maintained for decades. And its popularity goes far beyond just taste. 

According to Mintel, strawberries resonate deeply with consumers for a multitude of reasons: 

From a flavour psychological perspective, strawberries tap into emotions of happiness, warmth, and youthful optimism.  It communicates freshness and comfort, making it not just a consumer favourite, but also an asset in brand storytelling and product development.

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The Strawberry Spectrum: From Wild to Gourmet 

Strawberries don’t come in just one flavour. Instead, they span a diverse and dynamic spectrum. And that’s exactly what makes strawberries so fascinating for flavour creation as they offer endless room for exploration.

To better capture this complexity, we’ve developed a strawberry flavour wheel built around eight key descriptors, each representing a different facet of the fruit’s personality: 

Each descriptor can be dialed up, blended, or balanced, giving the flexibility to create everything.

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At Metarom Asia, we help brands create strawberry flavour systems that go beyond just taste, they evoke emotion. From nostalgic creamy notes to vibrant, juicy bursts, our customised strawberry profiles are designed to deliver indulgence, refreshment, or seasonal appeal across a wide range of applications.

Whether you’re crafting a dairy dessert, a sugar-free gummy, or a bold beverage concept, our flavour expertise ensures your strawberry creation stands out with both character and performance.

Get in touch with us at sales@metarom.my to explore tailored strawberry solutions that bring your product ideas to life.

Coconut Water: Pure Refreshment, Straight from Nature

Light, refreshing, and naturally sweet. Coconut water has gone from tropical tradition to global health staple, driven by its clean-label appeal and hydrating benefits. But behind its rising popularity lies an opportunity: the ability to replicate, elevate, and innovate using flavour solutions that meet both sensory and technical demands.

At Metarom Asia, we don’t just see coconut water as a trend; We develop flavour that capture its essence and unlock its potential across multiple applications. Whether used to reinforce its natural profile or to create bold new combinations, our Coconut Water Flavour is designed to help brands stand out in the wellness, refreshment, and indulgence spaces. 

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What’s Inside Coconut Water?

Coconut water is the clear, nutrient-rich liquid found inside young green coconuts, typically harvested at 6 to 7 months. Grown in tropical regions like Southeast Asia, India, the Caribbean, and Latin America, it has long been valued in traditional cultures, not just to quench thirst, but in medicine and rituals as well.

Unlike coconut milk, which comes from the flesh of mature coconuts, coconut water is naturally sterile, low in calories, and minimally processed. Often mistaken for a sugary tropical juice, it’s a clean, light, and functional beverage with a distinct nutritional profile.

Here’s what makes coconut water stand out:

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Beyond the Water, Into the Depths

Coconut water is far more than just a trendy drink, it’s steeped in history, healing, and spirituality. Across centuries and cultures, it has served as a sacred offering, a traditional remedy, and a trusted source of natural hydration.

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A Growing Global Trend: From Village Palms to Global Shelves 

Once a humble village harvest, coconut water has become a global health phenomenon. Over the past two decades, rising demand for clean-label drinks has propelled it from Southeast Asian markets to shelves in cities like New York, London, and Tokyo. Its popularity reflects the shift toward natural hydration, plant-based living, and eco-conscious choices, making it a favorite among athletes, wellness enthusiasts, and green-minded shoppers.

Both global brands and startups have embraced coconut water for its appeal as a:

In places like the US, UK, and Australia, it’s now a staple in smoothie bars, yoga studios, and wellness cafés. Popular varieties include sparkling, fruit-infused, and cold-pressed options to retain nutrients.

The trend also thrives on storytelling; consumers value ethical sourcing, fair-trade practices, and smallholder partnerships. Social media has amplified this, with hashtags like #CoconutWater and #NaturalHydration turning it into a lifestyle symbol: fresh, wholesome, and global.

Though modern in branding, coconut water’s rise is a return to tradition, evolving from ritual and remedy to gym bag essential, one sip at a time.

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Coconut Water as a Flavour Canvas 

Coconut water has a light, slightly nutty-sweet base with mild acidity, which makes it ideal for carrying a wide variety of flavour profiles. 

Here are a few flavour pairings that shine with coconut water:

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Creations That Flow with Coconut Water 

Let the light, hydrating character of coconut water inspire your next flavour launch. From refreshing RTD to tropical ice cream, here are flavour-forward concepts riding the wave of clean-label and naturally refreshing trends: 

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At Metarom Asia, we help brands develop flavour systems that enhance the natural character of coconut water or build bold, exciting profiles for functional, indulgent, or seasonal launches. Whether you’re creating a tropical RTD, a refreshing ice cream, or a flavourful coffee beverage, our flavour solutions are designed to deliver both taste and performance. 

Get in touch with us at sales@metarom.my to explore flavour pairings, market trends, or ready-to-customise flavour systems that bring your brand vision to life.

Dubai Chocolate Craze: The Trend That’s Sweetening the World

In the fast-moving world of flavour trends, few have captured global attention quite like Dubai chocolate. What began as an aesthetic dessert style is now a full-on movement in cafés, bakeries, and food brands worldwide. This indulgent trend fuses luxury, Middle Eastern flavour heritage, and social media virality. Currently, its growth shows no signs of slowing down.

Let’s dive deep into what makes Dubai chocolate a must-watch trend, how brands are capitalising on it, and how you can craft your next standout product inspired by this sweet sensation.

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The Global Rise of Dubai-Inspired Chocolate

Created by Sarah Hamouda in 2021, “Dubai chocolate” began in high-end boutiques and quickly became a global sensation. Thanks to TikTok influencers unboxing gold-tipped milk chocolate bar filled with silky pistachio cream, earthy tahini and crunchy shards of knafeh pastry, “Dubai chocolate” has evolved into a cultural export.

In the last year, we’ve seen a surge in global search trends for terms like “pistachio chocolate,” “gold chocolate,” and “tahini sweets”. On TikTok alone, the hashtag #PistachioChocolate has amassed over 200 million views, with creators praising its indulgent textures, unique ingredient combinations, and luxurious presentation.

Why it’s blooming:

This trend reflects a broader macro-shift in consumer behaviour:

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What Makes Dubai Chocolate So Special?

Dubai chocolate stands out not only for its unique flavours but for its sensory experience. The combination of diverse ingredients creates a distinct balance of sweetness, savoury richness, and luxurious presentation.

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How Brands Are Capitalising on the Craze

Major brands and innovative boutique chocolatiers are already leveraging the Dubai chocolate trend to expand their portfolios and meet the rising consumer demand for luxurious, culturally inspired desserts.

Lindt: Launched a pistachio-centred truffle line across Europe, targeting the growing market of premium indulgence consumers

Costco: Offering pistachio gelato, tahini spreads, and flavour samplers, signalling mass-market interest in Middle Eastern profiles

Boutique Chocolatiers: In France, Germany, and the U.S., limited-edition collections are incorporating rose-infused ganache, date-paste centres, and gold detailing to create exclusive, premium offerings

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Across Asia, brands are tapping into this trend and transforming it into consumer favourites:

Malaysia: Artisanal bakeries in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor are selling out of pistachio cream croissants and chocolate cakes topped with edible gold. Some boutique chocolatiers are offering Dubai-style bonbons as festive gifts

Thailand: Upscale dessert bars in Bangkok are embracing the Dubai chocolate trend with pistachio-filled crepes, tahini-infused lava cakes, and rose-saffron chocolate mousse. These offerings blend Thai creativity with Middle Eastern luxury, catering to a growing market of dessert lovers seeking globally inspired indulgence

Japan: High-end patisseries in Tokyo are introducing Dubai-style mochi. They are soft, chewy rice cakes filled with pistachio ganache, tahini cream, or rose-saffron-infused chocolate. These mochi reinterpret a familiar Japanese format with rich Middle Eastern flavours and gold-dusted finishes, catering to both local consumers and global tourists seeking elevated gifting experiences

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Flavours and Formats That Ride the Dubai Wave

Looking to tap into the Dubai chocolate trend? Here are some flavour concepts developed with expert market insights, ready to be customised for your next product launch:

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At Metarom Asia, we don’t just follow trends. We help you translate them into successful, scalable products. With deep expertise in flavour development and a passion for innovation, we collaborate with brands to turn insights like Dubai chocolate into products that stand out in today’s competitive market.

Whether you’re launching a new dessert line, upgrading your beverage offering, or rolling out a seasonal SKU, we’re here to help bring bold, globally inspired flavours to your brand.

Contact us today at sales@metarom.my and let’s work together to create your next best-selling product.

Ramadan-Inspired Flavours: A Celebration of Tradition and Taste

Ramadan is a month of fasting, reflection, and spiritual renewal observed by millions of Muslims worldwide. During this sacred time, fasting from dawn until sunset is a core practice, and the evening meal to break the fast, known as Iftar, is a time for community, family, and the enjoyment of special foods and drinks. The foods consumed during Iftar are not only nourishing but are also deeply tied to cultural traditions, creating a rich tapestry of flavours that hold both symbolic and sensory meaning. This month, we explore three standout flavours that have become synonymous with Ramadan.

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Featured Ramadan Flavours

Date – The Tradition Iftar Staple

Pistachio – A Nutty Delight Flavour

Rose Lime – A Refreshing Iftar Classic

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Applications Ideas

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Flavour-Boosting Recipes

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These three flavors—Date, Pistachio, and Rose Lime—are not just delicious but deeply embedded in the traditions of Ramadan. Whether you’re creating new recipes or adding a festive touch to your existing lineup, our premium flavour solutions are here to inspire.

Contact us today at sales@metarom.my to explore our full range of flavours and innovative solutions for the food & beverage industry.