Why the new sensory driver isn't on the tongue (and how to measure it)
For years, taste has reigned as the primary driver of enjoyment in food products. Is it sweet? Does it taste intense? Does I like it or not?
But something is changing - and fast.
Recent research shows that texture has overtaken flavor as the main driver of pleasure. What we feel when we bite, break, chew, or melt a product now weighs more in repurchase decisions than its flavor profile.
This not only impacts marketing or innovation. It deeply impacts R&D, quality, and sensory analysis teams.
And it opens up a key question:
Are we measuring what really matters to consumers today?
The data that changes the game
According to the specialized media Bakery & Snacks, 71% of consumers say texture is the key factor in how much they enjoy a snack or baked good.
This is not anecdotal — it reflects a deeper trend: multisensory experience.
While flavor is picked up by the tongue, texture activates the mouth, ears, hands, and even memory.
It’s immediate pleasure. An instinctive response.
And it’s where we’re seeing the most innovation.
Why texture hooks us?
Because it's not just a technical attribute. It is a full experience:
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A crunch creates audible satisfaction.
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An airy cream feels more indulgent.
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A springy cookie triggers curiosity in younger consumers
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A snack that melts unexpectedly offers surprise and excitement.
And here's the key: texture communicates brand, category, freshness and value.
In other words: it is not only felt. It is interpreted.
Brands are already taking action
Several leading companies are already putting texture at the core of their innovation strategy:
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Mars Wrigley (M&M's) has launched a freeze-dried version of its candies with an airy texture and explosive crunch. The goal isn’t taste, but tactile and auditory surprise.
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PepsiCo (Frito-Lay) has experimented with 3D textured snacks: crunchy outside + lighter inside, a strategy that aims at multisensory pleasure.
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And Nestlé continues to develop different formats of sweets and desserts prepared with crunch, airy or more variations.
Texture is no longer a supporting role: it's the message.
And how do we measure a texture that makes you fall in love?
Here's the critical point: many companies innovate with texture, but continue to evaluate only taste, or rely on unstructured internal tastings.
To truly measure texture, you need to combine two approaches:
a) Human Sensory Evaluation.
- Descriptive testing with trained panels: to characterize attributes like hardness, stickiness, crunchiness, smoothness, etc.
- Acceptance tests with real consumers: Do they like it? Do they notice it? Do they remember it?
- Shelf-life sensory tests: Does the texture change after 3 weeks? Does it still feel right?
b) Instrumental Evaluation (Technical Support)
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Texturometers, compression, shear, or cohesion tests can validate technical consistency, but they are insufficient if not connected with human perception.
The key is to connect the technical data to real consumer experience.
Because what people enjoy, needs to be measured.
Conclusion: if your innovation can't be felt, it can't be loved.
In the new consumer landscape, texture is not a nice-to-have. It's a competitive advantage. And you can't improve what you can't measure.
At Sensesbit , we help companies validate the full sensory experience of their products - not just their taste - with rigorous, fast, actionable data-driven sensory testing.
🔍 Are you measuring how your product feels?
It's time to do it, because the new taste, you touch.
Note from the Sensesbit team: That "wow" reaction is not unique to food. Automotive teams measure the same kind of sensory response in cabin materials. See how one team validated automotive interior perceived quality with a trained panel. Book a demo to see the method.