Mouthfeel—the sensory experience of how food feels in the mouth—has grown increasingly important for consumers, now rivaling flavor in influence, according to industry experts. This shift has led to the creation of new products designed to deliver unique oral sensations, such as Starbucks' Aerocano (a whipped coffee drink with a crunchy base), PowerCrunch (a crunchy cereal bar), and Trolli Gummi Popz (chewy gummies filled with fizzy candy). The trend is not limited to one region; for example, China has introduced stretchy yogurt, while Swedish company Cloetta offers "Sprinkled Foamies," a soft, foamy confection. In Paris, bakers are experimenting with hybrid pastries like the "crookie," which combines a crispy croissant with a gooey chocolate chip cookie inside. Texture has transitioned from a secondary characteristic to a central element in defining food quality, according to Puratos, a Belgian company that supplies ingredients for baked goods and chocolate. Market research from Mintel shows that consumers are increasingly seeking specific textural experiences, such as chewy, soft, gooey, or melt-in-the-mouth. This trend is not new; historical examples include Japanese mochi, which has a soft, pillowy texture, and Turkish ice cream, known for its stretchy consistency. The rise of bubble tea with chewy tapioca pearls in the 1980s and the popularity of the Cronut—a hybrid of a croissant and a doughnut—also marked a growing fascination with food textures. The global pandemic heightened interest in texture, as many people temporarily lost their sense of smell and taste. In response, food companies began emphasizing texture to compensate. For instance, Ferrara, a Chicago-based candy company, introduced Nerds Gummy Clusters in 2020—sweet, round gummies coated in crunchy Nerds candy. This innovation inspired other texture-focused products, such as crispy freeze-dried Skittles. Recently, Trolli Gummi Popz, chewy squares filled with fizzy candy, have also become available, continuing the trend of layered textural experiences. As consumers increasingly rely on delivered meals and seek healthier options, the importance of texture is expected to remain strong. McDonald's, for example, updated its McCrispy chicken strips in 2025 after customers found the original version not crispy enough. Ingredion, a food ingredient company, has developed a potato starch-based coating that keeps french fries crispy for up to 30 minutes, with plans to extend that time to 45 minutes. These innovations aim to maintain familiar textures while improving health profiles or reducing costs. According to Mintel, future developments may focus on meeting the texture preferences of different age groups, such as older adults, and creating even more complex, layered snack experiences. Despite the growing consumer interest in texture, Mintel found that 59% of new packaged foods introduced in the U.S. this year did not make any textural claims on their labels. This suggests a gap between what consumers are looking for and what is currently being marketed. As companies continue to explore new ways to enhance the sensory experience of food, the role of texture is likely to remain a key driver of innovation in the food industry.