IFT FIRST is always a chance to share new flavor ideas. It is also a chance to listen.
This year, many of the most useful conversations at the Pacific Spice booth were not only about what something tasted like. They were about how flavor ideas move into real food products, how teams evaluate a supplier and what kind of support they need after the show.
Across our booth conversations, a few themes came up again and again: U.S. manufacturing, custom blends, R&D support, application fit and the practical details that matter when a seasoning or spice product moves toward production.
Here are a few takeaways from IFT FIRST 2026.
U.S. Manufacturing Was a Strong Conversation Starter
One of the clearest takeaways from the show was how strongly visitors responded to Pacific Spice’s U.S. manufacturing message.
Several attendees stopped at the booth after seeing that Pacific Spice is a U.S. manufacturer. For food teams evaluating spice and seasoning suppliers, that detail can matter because it connects directly to conversations around processing control, communication, consistency, lead times and documentation.
Pacific Spice sources globally and manufactures domestically, with in-house capabilities that include cleaning, sorting, milling, blending, custom formulation and packaging.
For customers, the value is not only where the work happens. It is the ability to work with a team that understands the product from raw material through finished seasoning or blend.
Custom Blends and R&D Support Came Up Often
Custom blending was another recurring topic at the booth.
Visitors were not only asking about individual spices. Many conversations moved quickly into applications, samples, product ideas and how Pacific Spice can support development beyond simply supplying an ingredient.
That is where R&D support becomes important.
A seasoning may need to work in a snack, sauce, marinade, prepared meal, protein application or foodservice format. Each application creates different questions around flavor impact, color, texture, usage rate, preparation method and packaging.
For food teams, a useful supplier conversation often starts with:
- What is the application?
- How will the seasoning be used?
- What problem does the current product need to solve?
- Is there a benchmark or existing formula?
- What does the finished product need to taste, look and perform like?
- What format does the operation need?
Those questions help move a flavor idea from a sample conversation into a more useful development conversation.
Mala Became the Application Story
Mala is a Sichuan-inspired flavor profile known for its combination of chili heat and the signature tingling sensation of Sichuan pepper, layered with savory aromatics. It is bold, complex and especially useful in applications where a customer wants more than one-dimensional heat.
At the booth, Pacific Spice sampled Mala Seasoning in two applications: chilled Mala cucumber bites and cold Mala sesame noodles.
The cucumber bites were the brighter, more refreshing sample. They gave the seasoning a clean, cold base and let the chili heat, Sichuan-style tingle and aromatics come through quickly.
The cold Mala sesame noodles showed a deeper, more savory side of the same seasoning. The format gave the flavor more room to build and helped visitors imagine the profile in more substantial foodservice or prepared-food applications.
That contrast became the larger story.
Same seasoning. Two applications. Two different ways to think about where the flavor could go next.
For food teams, that matters because a seasoning is rarely evaluated on flavor alone. The real question is how it performs in the application. Could it work in a chilled prepared food? A noodle bowl? A snack seasoning? A sauce? A marinade? A foodservice limited-time offer? A custom blend for a specific customer?
Mala was not just a flavor to taste. It became a way to talk about versatility, application fit and how Pacific Spice can help move a seasoning idea into a real product conversation.
A Show Built Around Application
That application-first approach also reflected the broader energy of IFT FIRST 2026.
This year, IFT brought scientific programming directly into the expo hall, making it easier for attendees to move between technical discussions, ingredient solutions and real-world product ideas. For Pacific Spice, that connection is important.
A seasoning is not only judged by its flavor profile. It is judged by how it works in a finished product, how it supports the customer’s process and how easily it can move from idea to application.
From Booth Interest to Product Development
The best conversations at IFT FIRST did not stop at “this tastes good.”
They moved into practical questions:
- Can this flavor be adapted for my application?
- Can Pacific Spice develop or match a custom blend?
- What packaging format would make sense?
- What documentation or certifications are needed?
- How does the seasoning perform in the finished product?
- What changes when the product moves from sample to production?
Those are the questions that matter most when a food team is evaluating a seasoning partner.
A flavor idea has to work beyond the tasting cup. It has to fit the customer’s product, process, packaging, timeline and operational needs.
That is where Pacific Spice can support the conversation.
Continuing the Conversation
Pacific Spice works with food manufacturers, foodservice teams, distributors and product developers that need herbs, spices, seasonings and custom blends to perform in real applications.
Whether the project begins with a finished sample, a formula to match, a new flavor idea or a production challenge, the next step is understanding how the product needs to work.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Pacific Spice booth at IFT FIRST 2026. If we spoke with you at the show, our team would be happy to continue the conversation.
Have a seasoning idea, application or formula you would like to discuss? Contact Pacific Spice to talk with our team.
