Fragrant Breakfast: the new quiet luxury of Foodservice

Key Topics

• The rise of the fragrant breakfast in luxury foodservice

• Global hotel F&B growth and sensory market drivers

• Aromatic ingredients and 2025 flavour trends

• Quiet luxury and breakfast menu design in hospitality

• Multisensory experiences and global case studies

• Fragrance as a strategic branding tool in breakfast service

The rise of fragrant breakfast: when aroma meets strategy 

In the evolving landscape of foodservice, breakfast is no longer just about nourishment: it's becoming an immersive experience. Among the most refined trends of 2025, the fragrant breakfast stands out as a powerful expression of quiet luxury: an understated elegance built on sensory depth, ingredient authenticity and narrative value. 

Unlike loud visuals or theatrical service, this movement leans into fragrance to shape perception. A croissant perfumed with jasmine, a verbena-infused tea, a moment of calm in a boutique hotel or an elegant resort: this is how breakfast becomes ritual. 

It speaks to a contemporary mindset: slow pleasures, regional roots, and memories worth sharing. 

Market growth: the hotel F&B renaissance 

The global hotel food and beverage market is entering a new phase of expansion. It was valued at USD 226.7 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow at a 6.1% compound annual rate through 2033 (Dataintelo, 2024). 
This upward trend reflects the evolving expectations of modern guests, who increasingly seek experiences that engage multiple senses and create emotional connections. 

Within this evolution, breakfast stands out as a strategic opportunity. Luxury and lifestyle hotels are redefining the morning meal as a sensory ritual that combines aroma, texture and storytelling, perfectly aligned with the rise of quiet luxury in hospitality. 

As reported by Hotel Dive (2025), leading hotel groups are investing in multisensory dining concepts, using fragrance, presentation and environmental design to enhance guest satisfaction and brand loyalty. 
Breakfast, by its nature, offers the ideal setting for this transformation: intimate, personal and rich in emotional resonance. 

Aromatic ingredients that elevate the morning experience 

The success of the fragrant breakfast trend is built on ingredients that engage the senses, particularly smell. From delicate floral notes to complex herbal infusions, these components are transforming the traditional morning offering into something both memorable and marketable. 

According to recent flavor and breakfast trend reports from Tastewise, Glanbia Nutritionals, IFF and GourmetPro, the following ingredients are shaping the new breakfast landscape: 

• Lavender, elderflower and jasmine, used in pastries, glazes or teas 

• Citrus-forward botanicals like yuzu, calamansi and meyer lemon, which add freshness and a premium touch 

• Infused dairy and plant-based milks with chamomile, vanilla or rose 

• Spiced breads featuring cardamom, star anise, fennel or saffron 

• Matcha, adaptogenic mushrooms and other wellness-led inclusions that combine flavour with functional benefits 

These ingredients aren’t just added for taste. They are selected for their olfactory profile, their ability to connect with cultural memory, and their visual appeal. In many high-end cafés and hotel settings, they also enable menu storytelling giving chefs and brand managers a narrative around terroir, health and craftsmanship. 

The sensory appeal of these elements also aligns well with social media behavior, particularly on platforms like Instagram and TikTok: a croissant glazed with hibiscus or a latte steeped in rose petals does more than taste good, it becomes an experience worth sharing. 

Quiet luxury on the table: branding and menu design 

In premium hospitality, breakfast is increasingly seen as a space for expressing quiet luxury: a form of refined simplicity built on sensory details. Rather than excess, it’s the subtle aroma of jasmine, the presence of local herbs or a floral glaze that signals care and exclusivity. 

This aesthetic is reflected in menu design as well. Many venues now introduce aromatic cues into their descriptions, terms like lavender-infused or citrus-forward guide the experience and reinforce brand voice. The goal is to create a coherent sensory identity, where fragrance, plating and storytelling work together. 

In this context, breakfast becomes more than a meal. It’s a branded ritual, designed to leave a lasting, elegant impression. 

Floating Breakfast in Bali 

A visual example of how breakfast can become a sensory ritual comes from the luxury resorts of Bali, where the floating breakfast has become a hallmark of experiential hospitality. Served on handcrafted trays that glide across private pools or spa lagoons, these breakfasts combine presentation, landscape and atmosphere to create a sense of quiet indulgence. 

Though primarily visual, the experience aligns closely with the principles of fragrant breakfast: it engages the senses beyond taste, using the environment itself, the scent of tropical air, fresh fruit, and botanical infusions, as part of the brand narrative. 

The floating breakfast has evolved from a social media phenomenon into a luxury touchpoint that redefines morning dining. Its success illustrates how aesthetic and sensory storytelling can elevate the simplest meal into a signature brand moment. 

Portico Rosso B&B (Italy) and Loison pastries 

A compelling example of fragrant breakfast innovation comes from Portico Rosso, a boutique B&B in northern Italy. Collaborating with the artisanal bakery brand Loison, the venue offers a breakfast experience based on aromatic storytelling. 

Guests are welcomed with a selection of Loison’s fragrant cookies, featuring flavours such as amarena cherry, ginger, liquorice and lemon. These are paired with locally sourced teas, herbal infusions and fresh fruit extracts , all selected to enhance the olfactory dimension of the morning. 

The choice of ingredients is not random. The B&B highlights the territorial provenance of its aromas, linking scent and place in a way that resonates with visitors seeking an authentic and curated stay. This also enhances brand value: a thoughtful breakfast becomes a touchpoint for memory and recommendation. 

Holiday Inn Express 

Fragrance is increasingly becoming part of brand identity in foodservice, not only through food but through innovative cross-sensory experiences. 

Holiday Inn Express launched a limited-edition scent-powered alarm clock as part of its 2025 breakfast campaign. Designed to release the aroma of the brand's most popular morning items, including cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee, the device aimed to reinforce the emotional memory of breakfast, even before the guest reached the table. This initiative brought fragrance into the wake-up ritual, positioning breakfast as a moment of comfort and recognition. 

Fragrance as differentiator in foodservice branding 

As the breakfast segment continues to grow and evolve, fragrance is emerging as a key differentiator for operators seeking to build emotional, memorable and premium experiences. 

From boutique B&Bs to global hotel chains and creative cafés: scent can shape perception, reinforce identity and elevate the morning ritual into a curated moment of quiet luxury. 

For professionals in hospitality, foodservice and brand experience, this opens up new creative and commercial opportunities. Whether through menu design, ambient scenting, infused ingredients or olfactory marketing tools, fragrant breakfast is more than a trend: it’s a strategic lens for interpreting consumer desires in 2025. 

This direction is also reflected in industry platforms like SIGEP WORLD, which dedicates an entire area to the evolution of luxury foodservice.  

The new initiative Luxury Hotel Food Experience connects hotel chains with curated buffet concepts, showcasing how premium breakfast can become a driver of both brand value and business partnerships: "a curated space connecting hotel chains with exhibitors, featuring high-end buffet displays, talks with hospitality leaders, and a dedicated area for brands and sponsors."