How to Add Global Fusions to Any Menu
Today’s diners are eager to try international flavors and fusions at all types of establishments. Learn how to make them work for your menu.
International flavors’ proliferation has reached nearly every spectrum of foodservice establishments. And now, over 80% of U.S. consumers are likely to order a globally influenced appetizer, side dish or meat entrée.1 From street tacos and portable bao to fine-dining fusions, iconic global cuisine can be found almost anywhere. Mediterranean mezze, antipasto boards and sushi stations are providing engaging and dynamic spreads in the catering industry.2 Higher Ed dining reports that 58% of the top-most-desired foods on campuses are global cuisines.3 And healthcare facilities report global bowls and halal programs are top trends.4
If you’re not already menuing global cuisines, consider adding international features or fusions to meet diners’ expectations. Explore ways to bring global street foods onto your menu with unique, multicultural spins. Consider highlighting layered flavor experiences to create multidimensional bites—sweet with spicy or smoky, for example. Or blend trends into a single dish, such as wagyu beef sushi, truffle-infused rolls or ceviche Nikkei. And a global twist on hyper-local favorites can help meet diners’ growing interest in sustainable, local ingredients, too.
Here’s a closer look at the top trending global flavors and formats to help you get started:
Japanese: Ramen and udon noodle shops have spread beyond major cities and suburbia, with an increase of 3.9% each year from 2017 to 2022.5 Casual-operation chefs are serving gyoza, tempura and yakitori that feature innovative fillings or sauces, and upscale locales are fusing ingredients like truffle, foie gras and duck confit into their dishes.
Minor’s Product Spotlight: Stir Fry Sauce and Teriyaki Sauce
Recipe: Teriyaki Udon Noodle Salad
Caribbean: These fresh, vibrant, complex flavors continue to grow in popularity—think guava, pineapple, eggplant, and the sweet-heat of Jamaican jerk seasoning.6 What’s more, Caribbean food products experienced an overall growth of 34% in U.S. gourmet stores from 2023-2024.7 Consider adding a Jamaican jerk chicken or pork entrée to your menu, or the shredded, slow-cooked comfort of Cuban ropa vieja (beef with tomatoes and peppers).
Minor’s Product Spotlight: Caribbean Style Sauce
Recipe: Caribbean Seafood Salad
Latinx: Tried-and-true comfort dishes like quesadillas and tacos provide a great foundation for exciting fusion concepts like Korean BBQ tacos, Nashville Hot quesadillas and Birria burgers. Colleges and university dining services are pleasing diners with options like pork carnitas and agua fresca.8
Minor’s Product Spotlight: Pineapple Jalapeño Sauce, Fire Roasted Poblano Flavor Concentrate and Chipotle Flavor Concentrates
Recipe: Pineapple Jalapeño Flatbread
Africa: African spice-forward dishes continue to grow in popularity, from North African harissa and shakshuka9 to West African yassa, jollof rice and slow braises.10 In fact, North African food market totals are expected to grow 8.6% annually through 2030.11 While meats like beef and chicken can be used in traditional braising methods, plenty of plant-based and gluten-free options bring the same savory complexities as their meat counterparts—and they also fit nutritional needs or preferences for hospitals and health-conscious consumers.
Minor’s Product Spotlight: Harissa Sauce
Recipe: Harissa Noodle Salad
Korean: The number of U.S. fast-food chains that feature Korean food is up 10% from last year, as what was once considered exotic is trending towards being as established as sushi or hibachi.12 Sharable and large-scale dishes like bulgogi tacos, kimchi pancakes and bibimbap make creative catering options. Korean corn dogs and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) are a fun addition to university menus or commissaries.
Minor’s Product Spotlight: Sweet Chili Sauce
Recipe: Korean Rice Cakes
Greek: Street foods like gyros and souvlaki are mainstays that provide room for ingredient and flavor experimentation: gyro pizza, Greek-spiced burgers and guacamole and souvlaki bowls. Healthcare operators can feature nourishing options like grilled kebabs and comforting fakés (lentil soup) which hit the marks for health halo and flavor.
Minor’s Product Spotlight: Chicken Base, Beef Base
Vietnamese: Pho’s popularity is going strong. Beyond the variations that remain true to its origins, get inventive by incorporating additional items for irresistible and fun mashups. Adding spicy chili or bone broth brings the spice and healthfulness. Similarly, hospital dining services are putting a “comfort food twist” on chicken noodle soup with pho soups and bowls.7
Minor’s Product Spotlight: Pho Concentrate, Minor’s Beef Base
Recipe: Pho Pork and Vegetable Grain Bowl
At Minor’s, we’re your trusted flavor authority, bringing you versatile and innovative flavors. From time-saving products to fresh recipe inspiration, we’ll help you make it happen. Visit nestleprorebates.com for $10 off any MINOR’S product case while supplies last.
Sources
1 Datassential, Keynote Report on Global Flavors, July 2025 ; 2 Catersource, 2025 Trend Roundup, Jan. 2025; 3: Chartwells Higher Education, 2025 Campus Dining Index (CDI) ; 4: 5 Trends Shaping the Future of Healthcare Dining, FoodService Director, May 2023; 5 Ibis World, Ramen Restaurants in the US, 2025; 6 How Korean Cuisine Got Huge in America, seriouseats.com, March 2019 ; 7: Market Growth Reports, Carbibbean Food and Drink Market, Sept. 2025; 8 Latin Comfort Foods Wining Over Gen Z Americans, The Food Institute, Jan. 2024; 9 The Seattle Times “Forget Everything Bagel Spice Up Your Life with These 2025 Flavors – Jan. 2025; 10 Source: Get Flavor “exploring west African cuisine” Feb. 2024; 11 Statista, Market Insights North African Food, 2025; 12 Newswire, 2025 Flavor Trend Predictions