A new luxury in an era of price hikes: "One-Spoon Premium" seasonings.

Dentsu Inc.'s "Food Lifestyle Lab" (hereafter Food Lab) tracks trends in Japanese eating habits and considers their future. This series explores emerging food trends based on Food Lab research and other survey data.

This installment focuses on "premium seasonings" that elevate the satisfaction of dishes with just a little. They are quietly gaining presence on dining tables these days. While I don't have absoluteこだわり about ingredients themselves, I do choose butter and soy sauce for seasoning that are made withこだわり methods or use high-quality ingredients.

This "slightly better spoonful" that brings a taste of the extraordinary to home dining is becoming a new luxury in an era of rising prices. We focused on this trend.

50.7% of consumers want to spend more on "seasonings like salt, soy sauce, and miso"!

Even as food prices rise, the number of people citing "seasonings = the key to flavor" as items they want to spend "more than before" or "about the same as before" increased by 5.2 percentage points compared to the previous year.

Source: Dentsu Inc. "2024 Consumer Survey on Food Habits"

The symbol of this trend is "premium seasonings," which enhance the overall satisfaction of a dish with just a small amount. As the pandemic led to more time spent cooking at home, consumers began exploring various seasonings, causing the seasoning market to expand.

Although priced higher, manufacturers and brands are continuously launching uniquely developed blended seasonings, dressings, and similar products. For example, barrel-aged soy sauce, truffle oil, and oriental spice blends allow consumers to easily enjoy restaurant-quality depth and rich, international flavors at home with just a single addition. The value of "premium seasonings" lies in their ability to "elevate" everyday dishes.

At the 2025 FOODEX JAPAN (International Food and Beverage Exhibition), "premium seasonings" were also a key trend. Beyond taste, the bottles and jars themselves are designed to be "Instagrammable," leading to a surge of posts on social media featuring people's "favorite seasonings."

Even inexpensive ingredients can become delicious with the right seasoning

Data also supports the consumer mindset balancing frugality and satisfaction. According to a survey by SnapDish, which develops and operates a recipe photo-sharing app, when cooking with cost-saving in mind, 62.3% of people cited "taste" and 57.1% cited "nutritional balance" as non-negotiable points. This reveals that many people want to save money without compromising the quality of their meals.

Source: Survey by SnapDish, a recipe photo-sharing app https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000140.000007310.html

Furthermore, the survey found that 85.3% of respondents agreed that "even inexpensive ingredients can taste delicious with the right seasonings." In other words, even if the main ingredient is modest, people allocate money and attention to seasonings—the unsung heroes. This is the new mindset for the era of rising prices: the "one spoon premium."

Source: Survey by SnapDish, a recipe photo-sharing app https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000140.000007310.html

For example, instead of seasoning chicken with the usual soy sauce and sake before frying, mix in spices for an ethnic twist. Swap regular mayonnaise for smoked mayonnaise in potato salad. Changing just one seasoning can add a touch of the extraordinary to everyday meals, creating a fun experience. Consumers seem willing to make small investments for this.

Performance transformed with just one spoonful

Why does the "one-spoon premium" capture consumers' hearts? Looking at the background, one key factor is the further fragmentation of what was once considered a "little luxury" – that special feeling in everyday life. People are holding back on expensive entertainment and large purchases, yet still want to feel satisfying "luxury" within their reach. Seasonings, by expanding the enjoyment of food, might be where people loosen their purse strings more than for other forms of entertainment.

Furthermore, the fact that adding just a spoonful or a sprinkle doesn't drastically alter the usual cooking process, yet instantly "sets the flavor = delivers results," aligns perfectly with the current "performance era" demand for time-saving (TPA) and quality-saving (QPA) solutions. This is a major selling point. Premium seasonings fulfill the desire to "avoid hassle but never compromise on taste" in a single step.

For companies and brands to respond to this trend, packaging and store displays that tell a "story in a spoonful" are essential. Visualizing the origin, the artisan's dedication, and recommended ingredients or recipes is crucial. This communicates value not just as an "expensive seasoning," but as an "investment in an experience."

"Premium by the Spoonful" is a concept with significant growth potential, simultaneously fulfilling "luxury," "time-saving," and "experiential value" even amid rising prices. This deliberate choice to indulge in a spoonful of luxury, despite higher costs, significantly boosts consumers' happiness—truly defining today's food trend.

※TPA: Time Performance (time-to-effect), PPA: Process Performance (process-to-effect)
 

【2024 Consumer Survey on Food Habits: Survey Overview】
・Purpose: To understand consumers' awareness, actual practices, satisfaction levels, and trends regarding Japanese dietary habits
・Target Area: Nationwide
・Subject Criteria: Ages 15–79
・Sample Size: 1,300
・Survey Method: Online survey
・Survey Period: August 23–26, 2024
・Survey Agency: Dentsu Macromill Insight, Inc.