Sweet heat — also known as “swicy” — continues to be a top flavor trend across all food categories, especially in cheese.
Cheeses with bold, complex flavors offer consumers excitement and variety. In its 2025 Wisconsin Cheese Trends report, The Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) said 40% of consumers are “impressed by rich flavors that enhance their food and beverage experience.”
Citing Circana data from the 52 weeks ended Dec. 1, 2024, DFW said cheeses used in global cuisines, such as paneer, burrata and queso quesadilla, jumped in sales 34%, 32.1%, and 22.8%, respectively.
DFW said this points to an increased interest in global cuisines and sweet heat flavors, as those cheeses are often used in global recipes with that flavor combination.
“With rising interest in these diverse cheeses, consumers are eager to explore new tastes and cuisines from around the world,” the DFW report said. “Wisconsin crafts 50% of the nation’s specialty cheese and frequently highlights these international varieties, blending tradition with innovation. In 2025, we expect to see continued interest in heat and spice, with consumers using Wisconsin Cheeses to elevate recipes authentically.”
A great way for cheese manufacturers to develop new flavors is to look at the other ingredients consumers are using with plain cheeses when cooking.
In the fall of 2024, Saputo Dairy USA released a collaboration with Mike’s Hot Honey, a Hot Honey Goat Cheese in its Montchevre line. Mike Kurtz, founder of Mike’s Hot Honey, said the brand mashup was inspired by his own habit of cooking recipes using goat cheese with his hot honey. He then discovered that he wasn’t the only one who loved that combination.
“I have always loved adding a drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey to goat cheese because the combination of honey and chili peppers pairs so well with the cool creaminess of the cheese,” Kurtz said. “It made perfect sense for Montchevre to add a kick of sweet heat to their product so consumers can enjoy the delicious taste in the same bite.”
According to Grubhub’s 2024 Delivered Report, consumers are putting hot honey on everything.
“Sweet spicy, and everything nice — swicy delivered the most for diners’ taste buds,” Grubhub said. “Swicy took the nation by storm, mixing the best of both worlds — sweet and spicy — into everything from summer drinks to snacks and spirits. Why settle for one when you can have the best of both? This irresistible combo wasn’t just a trend — it was a full-blown movement. In fact, hot honey purchases surged by 30% in Grubhub grocery stores orders, proving that Americans were all in on swicy.”
Consumers who already cook with individual ingredients like hot honey and goat cheese can appreciate the convenience of having the unique flavor ready to enjoy from the package. Consumers who are less confident in their cooking skills also benefit from simplifying the ingredients required to try new recipes.
Another recent brand mashup released in 2024 was Emmi Roth’s Athenos Feta Cheese Crumbles infused with Tajin. The chili lime seasoning is often added to sweet fruits, such as mango, and feta cheese is commonly used in salads with sweet dressings like a strawberry vinaigrette. The brand collaboration makes it easy for consumers to try out new Mediterranean and Latin American flavor fusions at home.
DFW’s 2025 trends report said 64% of consumers are “eager to try new products that incorporate old-world recipes.”
“The opportunity to blend tradition with innovation is vast, as consumers continue to seek foods that connect them to the past while delivering modern flavor experiences,” DFW said. “Aged cheddar, the top-awarded Wisconsin Cheese category, exemplifies this trend, with gouda and feta also receiving significant recognition. Wisconsin cheesemakers are at the forefront, experimenting with refined aging techniques and creative flavor infusions to elevate these classics.”
The report said parmesan led specialty cheese sales in 2024, followed closely by cheddar. Those two cheeses could be a good place to focus when developing and promoting new sweet heat flavored products in 2025.
One cheese that meets this demand is Kiel, Wis.-based Henning’s Cheese’s Mango Fire Cheddar Cheese. The cheese comes in 8-ounce packages and even has usage suggestions on the label, including corn dip, nachos, tacos and chicken.
The white cheddar cheese mixed with mango and habanero peppers “starts with a smooth sweet flavor which then ignites your tastes buds with a little heat for a very pleasant experience,” Henning’s Cheese said.
Saputo also launched in 2024 a Hot Honey Cheddar in its Wensleydale line, imported from the Yorkshire Dales in England. The product is available in 5.3-ounce wedges.
“Experience an amazing burst of flavor with Wensleydale Creamery Cheddar Cheese, combined with Honey Powder and Chili Jam,” the company said. “This savory blend of sweetness and heat is infused in a firm-bodied cheese with a creamy, buttery texture. Try it melted over a burger or feature it on a cheese board.”
Real, natural ingredients to the front
Another major trend companies are tracking in 2025 is health, real ingredients, and transparency from food manufacturers.
“As the demand for added value becomes a baseline expectation, food and beverage brands are shifting focus from singular star ingredients to the holistic quality of their products.” DFW said. “In 2025, consumers prioritize freshness, health benefits, naturalness, nutritional content, price, and shelf life. Crafting a narrative around these qualities will help consumers feel more connected with the product.”
This is reflected in Président’s newest Rondelé flavor, Mango Habanero. The design on the packaging highlights the real fruit and pepper ingredients, and when consumers open the product, there are toppings that reinforce the visual of the real mangos and peppers used to flavor the cheese.
Mango and habanero continue to shine in Barron, Wis.-based Red Apple Cheese’s Mango Habanero Gouda. The company describes it as a “delightful balance of sweet and heat.” Red Apple also has a gouda product for the hot honey trend, Honey Sriracha Gouda, which is “tangy and sweet with a bit of heat.”
Red Apple said its goudas are 100% natural, certified kosher, and made in Wisconsin with rBST free milk.
“We use time-honored techniques and some new ones we’ve created like cold smoking for hours with apples and hardwoods,” the company said. “No shortcuts allowed — ever. So, you can experience the best of the classic cheeses you love and discover some new types and flavors.”
Swicy competes with swalty
Gen Z is known for moving fast and embracing new trends first. While swicy continues to be a top flavor choice for the group, a competitor has emerged: swalty. Just like swicy is sweet with spicy, swalty is sweet with salty. The flavor combination is certainly not new to the food industry, but the new term rapidly gained popularity in 2024, according to Jacksonville, Fla.-based Rubix Foods. The company’s NEXT Flavor Network — a collective of three influential taste-making social media creators with Gen Z audiences — reported that swalty is currently craved 5% more than swicy among Gen Zers.
“Understanding Gen Z is one thing, but adapting to this generation’s evolving and experimental palate is critical for restaurants to drive meaningful traffic,” said Shannon O’Shields, vice president of marketing at Rubix Foods. “On top of partaking in little treat culture and being exposed to diverse tastes, they are the generation most excited to try new food and beverage items and are quick to share what they love with social media. The goal is that this data gives restaurants the courage to innovate and try something new with their flavor offerings, ultimately meeting the demands of this influential group.”
For swicy to stay in the game, Rubix Foods says complex heat that “complements a well-rounded flavor profile rather than overwhelming it” is important to Gen Z. Some of Gen Z’s top favorite spicy ingredients include Nashville hot, chili lime, gochujang, and sriracha.
Habanero is also popular with Gen Z. While mango habanero is a classic flavor that is widely loved, 60% of Gen Z said they would like to try a peach habanero flavor. Other swicy flavors Gen Z wants to see more of are pineapple tajin, honey pepper, and sweet Thai chili.
Swicy Gen Z
- 48% would choose the spicy version of a menu item over the original
- 78% love spicy foods and flavors
- 45% love swicy flavors and 23% consume them often
- 38% crave some sort of spicy snack
- 74% prefer a mild or medium spice level
- 33% want to see more habanero flavors on menus
Source: Rubix Food
