Ah, food trends. Marketing’s way of keeping things fresh and also beating a flavor to death so we never want to taste it again.
The latest trend, emerging seemingly out of nowhere to join pickles and pistachio at the top of the charts, is coming in hot for fall. Banana-flavored foods are everywhere. And they’re surprisingly hard to resist.
It wasn’t until I stopped by the beverage cooler during a recent shopping trip that I realized just how big banana was becoming. Sure, I’d seen a banana-flavored item here and there, but I wasn’t expecting one to pop up during my post-grocery-shopping prebiotic soda ritual.
That bright yellow can of Banana Cream Olipop immediately stood out to me.
My first thought was, What is this heinous invention?!
The next thing I knew, I was making a beeline for the checkout with that banana soda in hand.
It turns out I should have gone with my gut.
I must be in the minority because the soda has nothing but glowing reviews online. But to me, it was less of the soft and sweet “banana cream pie in a can” I was promised and more Runts banana candy. Which is fine, if you’re into that sort of thing. I personally haven’t been since I was 8.
Still, the experience didn’t stop me from ordering a banana chai from my neighborhood coffee shop or scarfing down a package of banana pudding Oreo cookies, both of which were absolutely delicious. And banana ice cream? Don’t even get me started.
But that’s the thing about this flavor, right? Not everybody likes banana. Especially artificial banana. At least not in every form. Even as a kid, I would only eat a banana Laffy Taffy if it was the only source of sugar around. But a banana muffin? I’d eat one daily if my figure would allow.
At the end of the day, banana is a risky order. Especially if you’re still scarred from the banana-flavored popsicles of yesteryear that should have just been the lemon you thought they were in the first place.
Yet, here I am. Drinking my fourth banana bread latte.
This shit is bananas. Literally.
So, what gives?
Why Are We So Bananas About Bananas?
The banana boom hit the U.S. sometime around the end of 2025 and quickly exploded into a billion-dollar market, according to In-Sight. The beverage industry seems to have embraced the trend the most, with banana-themed lattes, matchas, milkshakes, and even craft cocktails popping up everywhere.
And unlike many viral blips, it’s not going away anytime soon. In fact, In-Sight estimates the North American market for these products will double by 2033. This is a matcha-caliber craze, people. And we’re just getting started
Cool, cool, but how did the fruit I’ve been eating in my breakfast cereal since childhood suddenly become the hottest flavor around? Because let’s be honest, besides its, well, shape, there’s nothing particularly sexy or interesting about a banana.
The trend is widely being traced back to South Korea, where banana milk has been a staple since the ’70s. When videos of people using it to make banana milk lattes went viral on TikTok last year, brands started paying attention.
And now? We have banana-flavored chocolate, ice cream, protein bars, and even banana water.
Yes, you read that right.
But I’m not convinced that’s the whole story. After all, what hasn’t had its moment in the social media sun at this point?
What is it about banana, specifically? Isn’t it a little basic to have everyone this excited?
Graham Welter, CEO of the Pixel Theory marketing agency, suggests the boringness of bananas is the very thing driving their popularity.
Although novelty is a big reason many trending foods take off, unique flavors, take yuzu, for example, are subject to what he calls an “education tax.” In other words, brands have to teach consumers about the product before they’ll buy it.
While adventurous eaters like myself are eager to try weird new flavors the minute they hit the shelf, others prefer to play it safe and stick to what they know.
And what’s safer than a banana?
It’s a theory that makes sense to me. But I think there’s another factor at play.
In today’s chaotic, expensive, oftentimes scary world, many of us are feeling nostalgic for a simpler time. We don’t necessarily want something new. We’re drawn to familiar flavors that make us feel safe and remind us of childhood.
Artificial banana has never really been my thing. But one taste can still transport me back to trick-or-treating, ice cream trucks at the park, and backyard birthday parties.
I can feel my cortisol levels dropping just thinking about it.
And corporate America’s promo senses are tingling.
Peeling Back The Branding Bandwagon
It’s no secret that social media is one of the primary drivers of trends these days, food included. But I genuinely think many of these trends would come and go much faster if brands didn’t jump on board and go for complete overkill.
They really have no concept of too much of a good thing, do they?
The banana latte was a hit, so why not banana slushies? Banana beer? Banana Snapple? Starbucks introduced the banana bread matcha, so Dunkin’ had to respond with an entire lineup of banana-themed drinks, right?
What are we doing here?
It helps to understand that limited-time offers are a trend all their own. We’ve gotten so used to them that we’ve forgotten marketing didn’t always work like this.
In-Sight reports that the number of limited-time offers on menus has grown by more than 130% in the past five years, and they’re showing no signs of stopping.
And why should they?
It works. We’ve got FOMO.
It’s new, it’s different, and we’d better get it before it’s gone.
But in their effort to snag our dollars while our ever-shortening attention spans are fixated on something, brands tend to market the hell out of it until it stops being fun.
Take this banana thing, for instance. They’re calling it “the new pumpkin spice.”
As if.
They’re overselling it. And, in my opinion, dramatically cheapening the experience.
But it’s still working.
There’s a 100% chance you’ll catch me perusing Target with an iced banana bread latte from Starbucks in hand again. Probably more than once. I’m not even sorry.
I know it’s a marketing tactic. I know banana will eventually be replaced by some other trendy flavor I never thought to pair with coffee. So I’m just going to ride this wave while it lasts and see what other banana-flavored creations pop up along the way.
Still, if banana thinks it’s going to take on pumpkin spice, it’s got another thing coming.