The Rise of Exoticism, Tradition and Fusion
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❯ DESIGN TRENDS
FLAVOR TRENDS ❯ The proliferation of Japanese cuisine,
is driving the use of yuzu – a citrus
fruit with an intense and bold profile.
Fruit Flavors:
The Rise of Exoticism,
Tradition and Fusion
Flavors innovators are mixing and matching
combinations like never before and taking fruit
flavors into non-traditional applications.
by Robin Wyers
W
hile orange and apple flavors Innova Market Insights tracked 468 prod- nological and regulatory requirements.
for soft drinks, strawberry for ice ucts with this flavor in 2014, compared with The move has also given Doehler access
cream and banana for dairy milk 202 in 2008. But despite this rise in exotic to a wide portfolio of African ingredients to
mixes may still be the preferred flavors ideas, there is also a growing interest in lo- take them into traditional markets.
for the mass market, many consumers cal and authentic flavors; while there are “African fruits such as marula, baobab,
are looking for something more exciting opportunities to combine the two. monkey orange, soursop, tamarind, mucua
and flavor suppliers are addressing this “Citrus flavors are an all-time favorite and the North African date offer huge in-
through innovation. “They want outstand- over all regions and categories. Neverthe- novation potential, especially for dairy
ing, and they want unique. Those who buy less they can be twisted by using more products, drinks and the confectionery
premium products and younger target exotic citrus tastes, such as Kaffir lime or sector,” says Hoffmann. “These fruits have
groups in particular are keen to experi- Dalandan,” says Helene Möller, Product a long tradition of use in African products,
ence new taste sensations,” notes Oliver Management Ingredients, WILD Flavors & but they have not yet entered the global
Hoffmann at Doehler. Specialty Ingredients. “Both fruits still meet mainstream.” Hoffmann notes market and
Flavors innovators are therefore mix- the demand for a well-known perception consumer insight data which shows that
ing and matching flavor combinations of taste but come along with a new aro- authentic African flavors have immense
like never before and taking fruit flavors matic flavor,” she says. growth potential, as they offer new and
into non-traditional applications. There In addition, pomegranate is one of the exciting taste experiences within the very
has been a resurgence in tropical flavors, trendiest and upcoming flavors in EMEA popular exotic flavors segment. The flow-
with the recent launch of Red Bull Yellow for all kinds of applications, she notes. It ery and fruity marula flavor, for instance, fits
Edition with tropical fruits, following a suc- is popular due to its unique, varying taste very well with traditional fruit flavors such
cessful limited edition launch in July and and triggered by the healthy image of the as cherry, but can also be combined with
August of 2014. The introduction comes fruit itself. “Flavor profiles found in bever- other exotic flavors. A marula-flavored car-
as the number of soft drinks products with ages are varying between fantasy flavors bonated soft drink will be a refreshing and
a tropical flavor continues to rise steadily. such as candy, syrup and grenadine to unusual taste experience. Monkey orange
more earthy, authentic and vegetable ver- also has exotic, fruity notes. The woody, ar-
sions. This range of pomegranate flavors omatic notes of tamarind are suitable not
offers the possibility for customers to find only for sweet applications, but can also
the optimum flavor profile for the specific be used to round off the taste of savory
application,” she explains. products. Soursop, meanwhile, has a very
complex flavor profile with tropical and
Exotic Discovery citrusy top notes, as well as creamy notes
Hoffmann at Doehler notes that authen- reminiscent of coconut or banana. Beyond
tic African flavors are a completely new offering a comprehensive range of authen-
and unestablished exotic discovery. Last tic African flavors, Doehler also has a range
year, the company formed a joint venture of Brazilian flavors, all of which can be used
with Afriplex, a producer and supplier of as single flavors or combined with others.
wellness product solutions from source
to shelf. Their common goal is to deliver Global Cuisines
❯ There has been a resurgence in tropical integrated ingredient solutions that are Brazilian flavors were on the menu at
flavors, with the recent launch of Red Bull tailored to the needs of Southern African the 2014 World Cup, but will remain there
Yellow Edition with tropical fruits (right). markets in terms of taste preferences, tech- through the 2016 Olympics, which are
36 THE WORLD OF FOOD INGREDIENTS APRIL/MAY 2015
FruitFlavorTrends.indd 36 16-4-2015 11:49:18
slated to take place in Rio de as fresh from the garden,” she to use FTNF flavors (from the Flavor Pairings
Janeiro. “We expect the spot- explains. named fruit). They fully meet Fruit flavors are typically in-
light to remain firmly on Bra- Another reason for this the consumer demand for au- corporated into sweet applica-
zilian cuisine over the coming quest for authenticity is the role thentic food but put rather high tions, but there is a whole new
twelve months, particularly in for keeping naturalness on the requirements on certain condi- area to address in flavor fusions
anticipation of the 2016 Olym- agenda when formulating with tions concerning harvesting, or “mash ups,” where new and
pics,” says Hugh Evans, market- fruit flavors. Möller notes that sourcing and manufacturing exciting flavors are fused with
ing manager at Synergy. “Our consumers are increasingly processes,” she says. traditional cuisines. As a result,
research has revealed that the demanding a natural flavoring, “Finally, a reliable beverage Evans says that manufacturers
Brazilian trend is a prelude to a because the acceptance of syn- concept naturally includes the are looking for ways to meet
greater interest in South Amer- thetic ingredients in food is fall- appropriate color. The product these requirements by success-
ica as a whole. Indigenous Bra- ing steadily. must be consistent. Besides the fully blurring the boundaries
zilian flavors, such as passion “The most natural way – and use of a natural flavor, the color and creating exciting new fla-
fruit, have become a key ele- especially appropriate for pre- should also be derived from vor combinations. Sweet and
ment in dishes at prestigious mium products – would be natural sources,” she adds. savory flavors, for example, are
restaurants across the UK, fea-
turing in several courses from
appetizers to desserts. Linked
to this, passion fruit flavors are
making their way onto super-
market shelves too, with new
product launches including
passion fruit flavored tea, soft
drinks, dressings and desserts.”
Evans also notes that with
growing consumer interest
in global cuisine, there is an
increasing demand for more
esoteric and unusual flavors.
The proliferation of Japanese
cuisine, for example, is driv-
ing the incorporation of the
Japanese flavor – yuzu – a citrus
fruit with an intense and bold
profile. “From alcoholic drinks
and cocktails, to juices, energy
drinks, sauces and desserts,
yuzu brings the acidity of other
citrus fruits like grapefruit and
tangerines, combined with a
fragrant aroma and refreshing
flavor that’s less tart than its cit-
rus counterparts,” he says.
Local Appeal
But we should not lose sight
of flavors that are drawn from
a more local origin, which is
in line with the trend towards
traceability and sustainability.
Möller at Wild notes that fruits
such as rhubarb, blackcur-
rant and pear have for many
generations been known as
local fruits in Central Europe,
and often consumed as fresh
fruit. “Currently, as flavors they
are becoming more impor-
tant, because consumers put
more and more emphasis on
a regional focus and tradition-
ally perceived flavors – also in
processed foods. They are ex-
pected to taste fruity and ripe
APRIL/MAY 2015 THE WORLD OF FOOD INGREDIENTS 37
FruitFlavorTrends.indd 37 16-4-2015 11:49:47
❯ DESIGN TRENDS
increasingly being fused to- examples of how food manu- “Sour Energy will not only win highlighted by Innova Market
gether to cater to the more ad- facturers continue to push the over people who love tangy Insights relates to alcohol fla-
venturous consumer’s needs. boundaries and experiment in tastes: it will also draw in con- vors that are appearing in high-
“Bold pairings such as pear new application areas,” notes sumers who are looking for ly diverse new application areas
& blue cheese, mango & chili Evans. alternatives to classic energy that go far beyond the obvious.
and strawberry & black pep- One example of how WILD drinks but still want an invigor- New tracked products with tra-
per, can help manufacturers has taken up the fusion trend is ating boost,” says Möller. ditional alcohol flavors can be
to diversify their offering and by blending energy drinks with as diverse as Pina Colada in
make their product stand out other segments from the food Flavor Diversification soup, vodka in marmalade and
on the supermarket shelf. Co- and beverage market. This has The cross category trend is wine in salt. For example, Supp
conut infused popcorn and ap- resulted in energy products not only a question of fruit fla- Kultur Pina Colada Style Curry
ple flavored crisps are further with tart notes, such as apple. vors. A fun example recently Soup (Germany) is made with
coconut milk, pineapple and
rum, in a 390ml easy-to-open
❯ Meeting Consumer Demand for Quality Fruit Products aluminum can. Artisan Kitchen
Lemon and Vanilla Vodka Mar-
The demand for healthier, more authentic-look- malade (UK) fuses fresh leafy
ing foods is thriving in today’s society. The food lemons, sugar and fresh vanilla
and beverage industry has responded to the rising seeds, which is all finished with
consumer awareness in recent years, by bringing a splash of vanilla vodka.
to the fold a whole new range of food and health “In the whole food and bev-
products containing fruit and vegetables. erages industry, the boundaries
With a larger range of products to choose from, between the individual mar-
consumers are more selective than ever about ket segments are increasingly
what they want from the healthy options on of- disappearing. More and more
fer. They have strong expectations with regards to products with a typical flavor
color, firmness and mouthfeel. In fruit yogurt, for from one category are appear-
instance, a strawberry should always look and taste ing in a completely different
like a strawberry and not have a mushy texture. In quick freezing (IQF) or by adding calcium salt. food category,” says Hoffmann
piccalilli, one must be able to tell a raisin from a cur- However, greater improvements can be realized at Doehler. He notes that ex-
rant. Fruit processors need to meet these demands through the application of enzymes. amples of these cross-category
and are constantly looking for ways to further opti- DSM offers Rapidase enzymes for the fruit transfers include currywurst-fla-
mize the use of their raw materials. processing industry. These include pectin methyl vored crisps, apple strudel ice
Most industrially processed fruit and vegetables esterase enzymes, which create a strong network cream and strawberry cheese-
get damaged by mechanical and thermal treat- from the fruit’s natural pectin. The fruit firming ef- cake chocolate.
ment. Freezing and pasteurization have negative fect is achieved by reinforcing the structure of the For Hoffmann, as an ex-
effects on the fruit texture, leading to a fluffy ap- plant cell and thus helping to overcome the nega- isting “sweet” category, soft
pearance and an excessively soft mouthfeel. Fruit tive effects of mechanical and thermal treatment and energy drinks are par-
processors try to overcome these production chal- during food production. ticularly suitable for flavors
lenges and create products that contain fruit and These enzymes can be added to a variety of that are reminiscent of sweets
vegetables in a way that meets consumer expec- fruits and vegetables, such as strawberry, car- and cakes. In response to this
tations of what fruit in a product should look and rot and tomato in a fresh, frozen or thawed state. trend, Doehler has developed
taste like. At the same time, effort is put into reduc- Firmness, texture, viscosity and mouthfeel are im- “candy and cake” flavors for
ing waste and optimizing product yields. proved in fruit and vegetable preparations, jams, beverages. “As a pure flavor
Fruit preparations which are added to dairy sauces, cubes or slices. incorporated into a recipe or
products or pastry filling should ideally contain Besides the aforementioned improvements in as a compound, they allow in-
special characteristics such as fruit integrity, firm- texture, the Rapidase enzymes can also improve novative beverages that appeal
ness and stability. This can be partially obtained the taste of the fruit and vegetable preparation. to a younger, innovative target
by applying processing techniques like individual For instance, in the case of tomatoes, processed group who are keen to try new
tomatoes are usually treated with calcium chloride things – whether it is a soft drink
for firmness and as a result have a metallic after- in apple ring fruit gum flavor, a
taste. The pectin methyl esterase enzymes enable candy-floss-flavored lemonade
a three-fold reduction in calcium salt usage, allow- or even a beverage with a hint
ing for a product that tastes better and which is of cheesecake,” he concludes.
healthier for consumers. Whether through using fruit
Enzymes enable superior taste and tex- flavors in traditionally sweet
ture providing healthy and authentic-looking applications, such as confec-
products, which ultimately helps fruit proces- tionery or soft drinks, or taking
sors to optimize the use of their raw materi- them into entirely new flavor
als and meet today’s consumer demands.t fusion spaces, innovators will
be keen to identify the next
The author Marten Paasman is Marketing Manager winning fruit flavor to tempt
at DSM Food Specialties. the trendy consumers’ eye
and palate.t
38 THE WORLD OF FOOD INGREDIENTS APRIL/MAY 2015
FruitFlavorTrends.indd 38 16-4-2015 11:51:50
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