Consumers Are Willing to Pay Almost 50% More for Natural Colors and Flavors, According To Research from Lycored
18 Jul 2016 --- Consumers are happy to pay a premium of nearly 50% for food and drink formulated with natural ingredients, according to a new survey commissioned by Lycored, the global leader in carotenoids.
In the online poll, researchers asked 506 US consumers whether they would be prepared to spend more on a product if it was made with natural flavorings and colors. In total, 88% said they would.
This group of consumers was then told that the average flavored milk beverage costs US$1.50 and they were asked how much they would be willing spend on a product if it was made with natural ingredients. On average, they said they would pay up to $2.20 – 47% more.
The survey also found that the respondents preferred the appearance of natural colors even when they were not told they were natural. The researchers asked the respondents to express their visual perceptions of naturalness when presented with two flavored milk drinks formulated with Lycored’s Tomat-O-Red natural colors and another made with Red 3, an artificial colorant. They were not informed which was which, and were asked to rate them on a 10 point scale in which 0 was ‘not at all natural’ and 10 was ‘extremely natural’.
Lycored’s Tomat-O-Red RP, which is designed for use in a wide range of foods and beverages, performed best, with consumers rating it the most natural looking. It was followed by Tomat-O-Red R, which was developed for products that contain oil and fat. The artificial colorant, Red 3, was ranked third most natural looking.
Christiane Lippert, Head of Marketing (Food) at Lycored, said: “Our research delivers two key learnings. Firstly, consumers are willing to pay significantly more for the reassurance that a product contains natural colors and flavors. Secondly, they find natural colors more appealing from a visual perspective. For food and beverage manufacturers there is a clear message here: using natural ingredients in formulations will resonate with shoppers and enable you to charge more for your products, boosting sales and profits.”
Resilient reds put to the test
In tandem with its consumer research, Lycored ran a trial to establish the stability of its natural colors following UHT processing, which is commonly used in the manufacturing of flavored milks.
Lycored used two different UHT process technologies to make strawberry flavored milk drinks: direct injection and tubular. Subsequently, the beverages were subjected to accelerated shelf life tests. In each case, it was observed that the products made with Tomat-O-Red RP and Tomat-O-Red R exhibited excellent color stability, with no variation visible to the naked eye. By contrast, the color of the flavored milk made with Red 3 varied dramatically from day zero onwards.
Lycored also evaluated the performance of its natural colors in tests that replicated the harshest possible conditions during transportation, storage and while on sale in-store. The UHT strawberry milk drinks were exposed for extended periods to 24/7 light (6,000 lux), ambient temperatures of 25°C-40°C (in normal day/night light patterns), and continual incubation at 40°C (in the dark).
In all cases, the resilience of Tomat-O-Red colorings was demonstrated by little or no variation in the color of the milkshakes they were used in, while the flavored milks made with the artificial color, Red 3, displayed marked variations.
Tammi Higgins, Head of Colorants at Lycored, commented: “Color stability is a priority for food and beverage manufacturers and these tests prove that Tomat-O-Red natural colors will withstand even the most difficult conditions over an extended period. This eliminates the need for expensive chilled storage and transportation, and reduces wastage. Most importantly, it means brands can be certain that their products will be enjoyed by the end-consumer exactly as they intended.”
Lycored’s Tomat-O-Red natural red colors are certified Kosher, Halal, non-GMO and vegetarian, and are heat, light and pH stable. Visitors to IFT Expo 2016 are invited to visit the Lycored stand (4457) to learn more.
Lycored is a global leader in lycopene-based color and taste enhancing ingredients for food and beverages, from nature. Fully vertically integrated, Lycored’s colorants are proven for stability in beverages, plant based meats, UHT dairy, coated confectionery and gummies, fruit preparations for yogurts and surimi seafood. Lycoreds super stable colors (red to yellow to orange) are pH independent, taste neutral, stable to temperature, light and typical processes and are non-GMO, allergen free, vegan, kosher and halal.
Lycored – the global leader in natural carotenoids
Lycored is the global leader in natural carotenoids for food, beverage and dietary supplement products. Established in 1995, we develop and supply ingredients in four main market areas: colorings, taste & texture enhancers, active health & wellness, and nutritional premixes.
Natural colorings
Natural colorings are a must for any food and beverage manufacturer but they can be difficult to work with, since they sometimes produce inconsistent results. With our Tomat-O-Red® and Lyc-O-Beta® natural red, orange and yellow colorings, you can be confident of achieving the authentic appearance you desire in your products time after time. Tomat-O-Red® is created using tomato derived lycopene and offers a more technically sound red coloring alternative to unstable beetroot and anthocyanins, and also carmine, which is not vegetarian-friendly. Lyc-O-Beta® is sourced from Blakeslea trispora, a beta-carotene-rich, allergen-free natural fungus cultivated by Lycored. Both color ranges are available in liquid form and Lyc-O-Beta® is also available as a water-soluble powder. They are approved for use as food colorants in the EU, US, Japan and Australia. They are also certified Kosher and Halal, non-GMO, vegetarian and are heat, light and pH stable.
Taste & texture improvers
Great taste is what keeps consumers coming back for more – and it’s within easy reach with Lycored’s portfolio of ingredients for natural taste and texture improvement, all of which qualify for a simple foodstuff declaration on the label – just ‘tomato’. Within the range, SANTE offers a balanced roundness, intensity and lingering flavour in almost any food application, while our new Dry Tomato Pulp combines an authentically fresh and vibrant red color with a stable texture for red sauces (including pasta sauces), ketchups and soups. Our Lyco-Fibers are an excellent way to naturally modify pulpiness, viscosity and mouthfeel, with declarable fiber content, in sauces, soups and meat products.
Active health & wellness
For Lycored, nutrition isn’t complicated – it’s natural. It all just starts with a seed – our seed. At the heart of our business is our hero ingredient, Lyc-O-Mato®, a patented tomato extract that’s rich in lycopene and a range of other phytonutrients, including phytoene, phytofluene, beta-carotene, tocopherols and phytosterols. Scientific research has shown that the phytonutrient complex in Lyc-O-Mato™ works in synergy with the natural lycopene to offer powerful antioxidant activity and health benefits.
Nutritional pre-mixes for fortification
Lycored also offers nearly 400 fully approved active ingredients suitable for use in pre-mixes. They can enhance the nutritional profile of products and create new positioning opportunities across a range of sectors, including infant formula, dairy, bakery and other staple foods. We’ll create a bespoke pre-mix formulation for your product from our extensive portfolio of vitamins, minerals, botanicals and other functional ingredients, all of which come from trusted and traceable sources. We’ll also ensure encapsulation and delivery methods are optimised for your application, so you can be confident that your end-product will perform just as intended.
We like to play in the dirt
At Lycored we’re proud to say that we know where all of our ingredients come from. They’re carefully grown on lush farms, where our farmers let nature work its magic. After harvesting, we apply gentle processing techniques to extract the active compounds from the raw material, which we use to create our unique and natural ingredient formulations. But we don’t just supply ingredients. We also like to share our expertise and work closely with our customers to support them in using our ingredients to create great products that will really resonate with consumers.
Want to know more?
Contact us today to find out more about the fantastic potential of Lycored’s natural ingredients. Discover the World of Heart + Soil. http://www.lycored.com
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