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It is often said that we eat with our eyes when referring to the appearance of a dish, but the sense of smell also has a strong power to whet our appetite or even transport us to a specific gastronomic moment. There are even brands that are creating home fragrances with aromas that evoke food dishes as varied as croissants, tomatoes, garlic, pasta water or coffees. And it has become a growing trend that already permeates many homes from scented candles or air fresheners.
It is a business that is experiencing a considerable increase in sales, especially of scented candles scented with different dishes. In the United States, for example, this trend proliferated in the wake of the pandemic. Many people started buying these products to make their homes much cosier.
Brands took the opportunity to create new scents to evoke all the moments they were missing, from restaurant outings to breakfast in a patisserie or a slice of street pizza. Fragrances of pizzas, croissants or ice cream caused the sale of high-end scented candles to multiply by 51% from 2019 to 2020, while in 2021 it continued to grow by 21%, reaching its peak in the holiday season, according to the NPD group published in various studies.
Aromas of beetroot or Pan au chocolat, among other flavours
It seems that, when it comes to air fresheners, scented candles or incense, scents as characteristic of the home as citrus, floral, vanilla or wood are giving way to other launches that are reminiscent of foods as particular as tomato or beetroot, such as the line of scented candles that Zara Home sold a few months ago. Or the one recently launched by Loewe Perfumes, by its perfumer Nuria Cruelles -also an oenologist- with aromas of tomato leaves, beetroot, cucumber, oregano or marijuana.
Drawing on emotion and tradition, the Govalis brand markets a candle with the title of Grandma’s Kitchen, which recalls the aroma of your grandmother’s baking, with notes such as butter, custard, cloves, cinnamon, biscuit or vanilla. And turning to sweets, Overrose offers a bakery line with aromas of Pain au chocolat, croissant, cinnamon roll or pistachio macaron, among other flavours.
In the United States, one of the most successful brands in this area is Joya Studio. In fact, it often collaborates with different professionals to create specific scents. It currently has a line created together with chef Mark Iacono, owner of the iconic Lucali pizzeria in Brooklyn. They have launched candles scented with Oven, Caffé o Garlic. The latter was the brand’s best seller throughout 2022.
A perfect scent is key in the business world
This trend is also used in the business world, including in the gastronomic sector. This is known as scent marketing. Companies like Dejavu Brands are dedicated to this type of marketing, offering services such as scenting of spaces, product development, perfume consultancy and events and marketing actions to businesses such as restaurants, hotels or shops, which use the sense of smell to connect with their customers on an emotional level based on memory.
The brain is capable of remembering 35% of the fragrances it perceives and of retaining approximately 10,000 smells. Therefore, this aspect is key to use olfactory marketing as a tool capable of provoking emotions by transporting you to a table while you taste your favourite dishes.
As Beatriz Acosta, Marketing Director of Dejavu Brands, comments, “in olfactory marketing we talk about a considerable increase in customer loyalty, visits to an establishment (and the permanence in it), as well as sales up to 70%. But in the HORECA sector -Hospitality, Catering, Cafeteria-, we can also talk about a high percentage of impulse purchases. Smelling such appetising olfactory notes generates a desire to buy and an immediate need. The percentage of sales varies greatly depending on the type of business. Some clients have seen a 50% increase in sales since the service was introduced,” he concludes.
And what are the most popular fragrances in this type of establishment? The most popular fragrances are brioche, chocolate, cookie, vanilla, lemon muffin, tomato and barbecue, with very good results.
Major fast food brands have also joined this trend by making candles that recall the aroma of a Quarter Pounder, in the case of McDonald’s. To do so, it created a line of 6 candles with each of the ingredients of that burger. For its part, KFC also launched a candle with the aroma of fried food and another with the scent of its Gravy sauce.