Forget hot honey — a new sweet and spicy condiment is about to take over. The 'swicy' trend has dominated for years, but food experts say chamoy is the next big thing. This Mexican sauce, made from pickled apricot, plum, or mango mixed with chili, lime, and salt, offers a complex blend of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.
What Is Chamoy?
Chamoy is a Mexican condiment available as a liquid sauce or paste. It has been a staple of Mexican street food for generations. According to Vhari Russell, founder of The Food Marketing Experts, it features 'one of the most complex and addictive flavour profiles you’ll ever encounter.' She describes it as 'deeply, deeply moreish.'
Why It's the Next Big Thing
Vhari predicts chamoy will be the 'condiment of 2026' as it crosses into the UK mainstream. 'The sweet and spicy flavour combination is now firmly mainstream in the UK,' she says. 'Chamoy is the next evolution: more complex, more culturally rooted, and with a loyal global fanbase.' Consumers who loved hot honey, gochujang, and spicy margaritas are ready for something richer.
Its versatility also drives popularity — it works in snacks, beverages, confectionery, and street food. Gen Z is already experimenting, with 'chamoy pickle kits' going viral on TikTok. These kits cover dill pickles in chamoy, candy, and crisps like Takis for an extreme sweet-sour-spicy experience.
'UK consumers, particularly younger ones, have grown up eating from every cuisine,' Vhari adds. 'They are genuinely globally curious and actively seeking products that reflect the world they live in.'
Where to Get Chamoy in the UK
Currently, chamoy is scarce on UK supermarket shelves, but brands are expected to fill the gap. Ocado sells Tajin Chamoy Liquid at £3.95 for a 455g bottle, with sales rising 22% in the past two weeks. In London, Mango Twist café has four locations offering chamoy drinks and fruit bowls. Their Volcano slushie is a mango-chili drink inspired by the classic Mexican chamoyada, and the Pine Pop is a pineapple lolly coated in homemade chamoy.
On TikTok, Brits are ordering chamoy from Chamoy Guys UK, which stocks chamoy-covered sweets and pickle kits (listed as a burrito kit) for £14.95. Reviews call chamoy 'amazing,' 'so addictive,' 'delicious,' and 'mouthwatering.'
