Why do people love the sweet-and-salty combo so much? Just consider the chocolate industry. Chocolate was already delicious, but the possibility of creating new combinations with the world’s most popular dessert flavor hadn’t been explored until relatively recently. Once people began playing with combinations, there was no looking back. Next thing you knew, chefs were adding everything from ginger to chili powder to bacon - yes, bacon - to make the flavor pop even more. And just like that, a whole industry of snack foods was transformed, seemingly overnight.

No ingredient was more impactful than sea salt. This wasn’t just some random coincidence. Salt has the ability to enhance the sweetness of chocolate, caramel, and other beloved dessert flavors. In doing so, it helps reduce the bitterness of cocoa and enhances the overall eating experience. 

The Power of the Sugar/Salt Combo in Snack Food

Food does more than enable you to survive. It has the power to impact the human psyche in ways you’re not necessarily aware of, even as you bite into a melty chocolate - a power that only intensifies when the food item was an unexpected gift. Don’t believe us? Think of it from a purely personal standpoint. How does receiving a surprise present affect you emotionally? The positive impact of gourmet popcorn drizzled in sea salt caramel or chocolate pretzels with peanut butter cups on your tongue creates a psychological effect that has the power to build gratitude and trust, along with filling your belly.

As we explored in a previous blog, taste and smell are closely linked to the creation of memories in the human mind. Because of the way the nose and mouth are connected, that morsel of chocolate is tasted and smelled at the same time. While your tongue is in charge of sensing sweet, salty, sour and bitter flavors, your sense of smell enables you to detect more subtle flavors for a powerful emotional experience. 

Just like with a hamburger or french fries, salt is added to enhance the food we eat, not necessarily to make it taste salty. This combination of flavors likely predates the invention of caramel corn. Believe it or not, there are specific receptors on the human tongues that activate when tasting the combination of sugar and salt. While we crave sweet snacks because they are high in energy - as well as delicious - we gravitate toward sodium because it is a natural mineral that the body needs to survive.

Funky Chunky Helps Companies Send Sweet & Salty Gifts

In the world of corporate gifting, business and nonprofit leaders alike are always looking for cost-effective gestures to boost their brands, create deals, retain employees and open donor wallets. But people’s taste buds and eating habits vary wildly, which is why snack food is such a clear choice for any organization's gifting program. Rather than inventing the wheel or trying to guess what your workers will like, go with something that is guaranteed to please just about everyone. 

Humans are hard-wired to not only enjoy, but crave food that contains that magical sweet-and-salty combination. There’s a reason Snickers candy bars and chocolate peanut butter cups have remained so popular all these years. However, your gifts should be visually appealing, as well, which is why it’s important to work with a trusted and experienced service provider like Funky Chunky, which produces a large variety of small-batch gourmet snack items. 

Another Great Combo: Customize Your Gourmet Snack Gifts 

A service such as Funky Chunky provides all types of organizations an easy, convenient and delicious way to ensure your name stays in people’s minds - through upscale edible gifts. It helps to partner with a service that will ensure your message is presented beautifully as part of the packaging. 

You want a presentation that says you care and Here are some of the details you can expect to choose from: 

• Custom logo labels and ribbons 
• Attractive color options
• Complimentary notecards 
• Message of your choice

Check out Funky Chunky’s countless sweet and savory snack products that can be incorporated into a gift for any occasion. Just send us the names and addresses of where the products will go, and we’ll handle the rest. Contact us today to get started!