The kitchen is the new front line where consumers are boldly trying different combinations, creating new flavor profiles. Package design can empower them with a ‘fun factor.’

Pair up two things that don’t seem to go together, and you just might be onto something. That has been evident recently in color palettes and in fashion, and now there’s evidence that this “misfits approach” is growing in appeal as a way to success in the kitchen—and more sales for product marketers.

One trend that bears watching in 2010 is the move to match up foods that at first glance seem mismatched. Consumers want to experience new tastes, and they’re becoming bolder in experimenting with food combinations, according to an article in The Star Press (Muncie, IN).

For starters, check out McCormick’s flavor forecast within the article for some intriguing food pairings.

This trend may have legs, and packaging certainly can play an important marketing role in it. The fun factor of different flavor combinations presents myriad options for color and graphic combinations that can play to the adventurous nature of today’s cooks and enable them as do-it-yourselfers in the kitchen.