Cotton Candy Grows From Nostalgic Treat To Menu Trend

Cotton candy has grown from a fairground novelty to a rising menu flavor, turning up in ice cream, cake, and drinks.

Across menus, the flavor has grown roughly 15% over the past four years, according to Datassential Menu Trends data, and it’s expected to rise another 27% over the next four. But it’s expected to see even stronger growth on dessert and beverage menus specifically, with expected four-year growth of 54% and 49%, respectively. 

Datassential recently highlighted cotton candy during its Midyear Trends Event webinar, with Datassential Trendologist and Senior Publications Manager Renee Lee Wege noting that new menu introductions featuring cotton candy have skyrocketed 541% from 2022. 

Nostalgia appears to be a core driver, with Wege pointing to 7 Brew’s pairing of cotton candy and lemonade in its Cotton Candy Cream Lemonade as “very nostalgic.” 

Operators are applying the flavor across formats. Burger King’s Frozen Cotton Candy beverage and Dairy Queen’s Cotton Candy Blizzard bring it into frozen treats and drinks, while Rita’s Ice took a more novel approach with its limited-time Bear-Y Sweet Gelati Sundae, pairing cotton candy with gummy bears and sprinkles. Cinnabon launched four separate cotton candy items last month alone, tying the flavor to the broader little treat culture trend.

Additionally, frozen beverage brand ICEE recently launched an automated cotton candy machine that’s being rolled out in malls and convenience stores, among other venues. 

Consumer affinity for cotton candy skews younger: 60% of millennials say they love or like it, followed by 59% of Gen Z and 57% of Gen X. Just 38% of boomers feel the same, according to Datassential Consumer Preferences data.

Social conversation has followed suit. Mentions of cotton candy have steadily climbed in recent months and reached an annual high in June, according to Datassential Social Listening data.