Taste Balancing
Mar 2023Taste and flavor are some of the most influencing reasons for consumers to choose a particular product. New product launches show brands emphasizing different taste combinations to create both a balanced taste but also give indulgence in novel flavors.
Esselunga Top Sugo Tomato Sauce from Sicilian Tomato (Italy)
- Tomato sauce with Pachino tomatoes, in a 300g glass jar.
- Handpicked. 100% Italian tomato. FSC certified. Recyclable packaging.
- Taliano tondo liscio, costoluto, plum and miniplum, and finally it is a tomato that is divided into four types: ciliegino.
- Its pulp is firm and tasty, with a perfectly balanced taste between acids and sugars.
Botanicals
Mar 2023Botanical ingredient application in food and beverages is expanding across all categories, but the leading category is sauces and seasonings. Meanwhile, plant-based products and meat substitutes are the fastest-growing categories, especially poultry substitutes with botanical components. Spice dominates as the leading ingredient, but new product launches show that innovative ingredients are on the rise for botanicals, especially algae species and fungi.
Dairy Solutions
Feb 2023The dairy category is constantly evolving, with brands searching to add value to the products with indulgent taste and texture, health benefits, and ethical claims which respond to the core values of the consumers. Palm oil free claim is driving the innovation with an annual growth of +36% (Global, CAGR Q4/2017-Q3/2022). Plant-based claims are also on the rise, pushing brands to explore innovation in dairy alternatives.
Functional Flavors
Feb 2023When choosing food and beverages consumers are traditionally driven by flavor options. Functional foods provide not only health benefits, but also sensory experiences. Even though traditional and well-liked flavors such as milk chocolate, strawberry, and red apple are in the lead, flavors such as elderberry, candy, dragon fruit, and rose are on the growth path for functional food with different health claims.
Coloring Foods
Jan 2023Coloring ingredients are frequently used in food and beverages. Sometimes such ingredients can be artificial, but more recent innovations are steering toward more natural-based alternatives such as juice concentrate. The top food and beverage subcategories which use food colorings are Gummies/Jellies (15%), Juices & Nectars (14%), and Dairy Based Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt (13%).
Sustainable Vanilla
Jan 2023Vanilla is a well-known flavor ingredient that consumers associate with bakery, confectionery, desserts, and other food and beverage categories. With sustainable farming practices being one of the driving forces of NPD in 2023, product claims emphasize sustainable vanilla sourcing with Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certifications and using organic and ethical claims.
Top Ten Trends 2023
Dec 2022According to Innova Top Ten Trends 2023, consumers are becoming more cost aware. This pushes brands to turn the focus to provide an additional value consumers are willing to compromise on. Sustainability still plays a key role for this compromise. Creativity is also well valued as consumers are willing to pay more for indulgent and limited-edition products. Generational influences and digital age are also impacting choices of the buyers.