Now they’re canceling ranch dressing.
A new demographic report on the food preferences for young 20-somethings shows a massive shift in their palates — including the rejection of America’s second favorite condiment.
Ranch, runner-up to mayonnaise, was called “overrated” by Gen Zers, according to the data analyzed by Rubix Foods.
A new report shows what’s next on the menu for Gen Z. Hispanolistic
Although 21% say they’re “over” ranch dressing, period, about 43% said that unique flavor twists on the classic condiment could make it go down easier.
Coincidentally, the numbers show that searches for new ranch flavors have also exploded by 250% on Google since last November.
Plain ranch dressing is falling out flavor favor with Gen Z. Seen is Rachel Mendoza is dunked in ranch dressing during the Bobbing for Wings competition at the Big Kahuna Wing Festival on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024 in Knoxville, Tenn. Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
Chipotle ranch flavor is most desired in New York and the Northeast; garlic ranch is on the minds of mid-Atlantic coasters; buffalo ranch rules in the western parts of the US; and pizza ranch is supreme both on the Pacific coast and in the Midwest, per the research.
In the south, Jalapeno ranch is at the top of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
That’s not the only quirk that Gen Z feeds off of, though. Their fixation with pickles and condiments is crossing over as about one in five young’ins insist on introducing pickle sauces.
Brands are dill-iberately leaning toward the fad as the numbers show only 14% of Gen Z don’t already relish the deli favorite. Pickle brand Grillo recently collaborated not only with a pickle cream cheese with Pop-Up Bagels but even launched a pickle-flavored toothpaste as well.
Gen Z has an obsession with pickles that continues to grow. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
However, as much as their tastes crave the new and zany, Gen Z is also rolling back to a classic snack flavor combo — sweet and salty, or “swalty” as it is being nicknamed.
The match made in heaven could edge out the apparently so-last-year sweet and spicy, or “swicy” trend that has consumed menus of late with the explosion of items like hot honey. The zeitgeist-friendly flavor combo wasn’t exclusive to foods, either.
Coca-Cola launched spiced soda flavors to compete with Dr. Pepper; the latter is bizarrely desired by some surveyed Gen Zers to be converted into a sauce.
Gen Z has a 5% higher craving for “swalty” over “swicy,” and that number is expected to extrapolate by 32% in the next three years.
One example is how 70% of surveyed individuals said they would go to Carl’s Jr. — but only for one of the fast food chain’s salted pretzel caramel shakes.
“Swicy” is projected to grow by just 10% in that timeframe.
The new report highlights the flavor quirks of Gen Z. Rubix Foods
August data from the International Food Information Council found that across all ages, 59% and 58% of snackers go for sweet and salty, respectively.
As for the rise (or return) of “swalty,” Amanda Topper, a food analyst at Mintel, has some ideas.
“Consumption of salty snacks is largely driven by emotion, including stress and boredom,” she told Supermarket News in 2017.
