Synergy Flavours: Navigating wellness trends in beverages amid rising demand for alcohol alternatives

30 Jul 2024 --- Consumers looking to switch to low- and no-alcohol beverages are not willing to settle for traditional soft drinks and are instead looking for options more akin to alcoholic alternatives, says Paola Bassi, marketing director Europe at Synergy Flavours. 

Speaking with Food Ingredients First, she discusses the various factors impacting the taste and texture aspects of such drinks, such as the high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) legislation in the UK, which urges manufacturers to rethink their F&B formulations. This also demands ensuring that “their products remain compliant while still appealing to consumers.”

“Manufacturers have had to find ways to reformulate products to bring them within the guidelines while retaining the taste and texture that consumers have come to expect. Reducing the ingredients responsible for fat, salt, and sugar levels cannot be done in isolation,” she says.

These ingredients are integral to a product’s taste, texture, visual appeal and shelf life, so simply removing these ingredients without considering the wider implications can result in a product that “does not meet consumer expectations.”

“Reformulating to maintain product quality, while trying to reduce ingredient quantities, is a fine balance that requires innovative ingredients and manufacturing techniques.”

Mindful consumption 
Mindful consumption drives consumer purchases, especially for products promoting health and wellness. This aligns with the global wellness market valued at US$1.8 trillion in 2024, highlights Bassi.

Consumers strongly associated fruit flavors with feelings of ‘healthfulness’, a positive for any functional product, according to Innova Flavour Survey 2023.“Consumers are making more conscious decisions about ingredients and increasingly opting for products with flavors that they associate with health and other benefits. One example of innovation in this space is Sweet Freedom’s ‘FIZZ’ range of beverages, which launched earlier this year.”

Its ‘Immunity’ beverage is available in raspberry and cranberry flavors and highlights acerola fruit as an ingredient that is rich in vitamin C to support immunity, digestion, and skin health.

She also observes a shift in consumer attitudes toward alcohol: “While innovation continues in the alcohol space, there’s increasing demand for low- and no-alcohol options.” However, authenticity is key, as consumers do not want to compromise by switching to soft drinks but instead seek substitutes that mimic conventional alcoholic drinks.

This means beverages that offer tastes and experiences similar to their alcoholic counterparts “are poised to work well — whether this is an alcohol-free spirit-based drink that mimics the taste of alcohol, or a beverage that stands in its own right as a ‘sophisticated’ soft drink.”

Capturing the alcohol “heat” 
Synergy’s taste modulation portfolio supports manufacturers in overcoming formulation challenges. This includes its sweetness solutions that can support sugar reduction by enhancing sweetness and improving texture and indulgence while “harmonizing high-intensity sweeteners by reducing inherent undesirable off-notes,” explains Bassi.

To cater to consumer demands for authenticity in alcohol alternatives, the company unveiled its range of whiskey flavors last year and then expanded it with gin and tequila flavors in April.

“These spirit flavors were developed based on consumer market research, which showed clear consumer demand for authenticity in low- and no-alcohol products. Our spirit flavors, therefore, aim to deliver the complex flavors associated with these spirits including the ‘heat’ sensation of alcohol in low- and no-alcohol beverages.”

Fine-tuning flavor
Synergy Flavours employs a range of processes and methods to achieve authenticity in flavors, Bassi tells us.

To formulate its line of gin and tequila flavors, the company uses a “multi-step process” and various analytical techniques, including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), to separate and identify chemical compounds in a sample and then identify how these compounds translate to aromas by using gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O).

Beverages that offer tastes and experiences similar to their alcoholic counterparts are poised to work well.GC-O relies on trained analysts using their “heightened sense of smell” to detect the individual flavor compounds through a nose cone and judge their intensity to determine the impact of each compound on the overall flavor profile. 

“Our flavorists can then use this information to develop authentic flavors for use in a variety of products and applications,” she details.

“Emotional links” and NPD
With health and wellness still high on consumer agendas, Bassi anticipates more innovation in products with functional ingredients as consumers experiment with flavors associated with perceived benefits. 

“A survey conducted as part of the Innova Flavour Survey 2023 asked consumers across 11 different countries to rank emotional responses to a range of flavor groups, and, generally speaking, consumers strongly associated fruit flavors with feelings of ‘healthfulness,’ which is a positive for any functional product.”

Meanwhile, citrus flavors had strong associations with refreshment and energy.

Consumers also connect floral flavors with feelings of relaxation/calm, spicy spices with feeling stimulated or energized, and warm spices with feelings of comfort or relaxation. Bassi considers this link as integral to product formulation, as new products could draw on these “emotional links.” 

For example, manufacturers could choose a citrus lemon and lime flavor for a hydration product or a floral chamomile or lavender for relaxation.

“Ultimately, taste remains king for consumers, so taste and texture should still be central to product development. While other on-pack claims will pique consumer interests, ultimately taste and texture quality will be the leading factor in consumers’ decisions to re-purchase a product,” she concludes.

By Insha Naureen