Authenticity and experiences touted as key themes for craft F&B, Symrise initiative reveals

14 Nov 2018 --- Symrise has launched a new Craft eBook focusing on US craft food and beverages. Details on this initiative – including consumer research, interviews with experts, trend analysis, category interrogations and concept creations – are now available to food and beverage manufacturers globally. According to the initiative´s findings, millennials value authenticity and experiences, which often leads them toward artisan and craft food products.

The craft scene is expanding into categories, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic as well as different food categories. Cold-brewed coffee, tea and baby food have all shown steady growth for craft launches and now big companies are turning to craft and this is evidenced in NPD.

According to data from Innova Market Insights, there has been a 40 percent increase in CAGR in craft food and beverage launches tracked from big companies (2011-2016). There has also been a 22 percent increase in CAGR craft food and beverage launches tracked from small/medium-sized companies (2011-2016).

To establish a better understanding of its meaning, Symrise identified the key drivers of the craft concept in foods and beverages. The company also examined the relevance and perception of craft across a spectrum of food and beverage categories, all of which have helped uncover numerous opportunities for innovation, reports Symrise.

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Dylan Thompson, Marketing & Consumer Insight Manager at Symrise says: “We see the craft trend continuing to grow and expand into new categories as millennial consumers continue to push for more crafted, authentic food and beverage products.”

“The biggest opportunity is for larger national and international brands to take cues from the craft world and incorporate them into their products in an authentic and meaningful way. That is exactly the goal of our craft initiative with our clients,” he comments.

“The reaction for the Craft eBook has been great so far,” he claims. “Our clients have been working with us to discover new and exciting concepts, ingredients and flavors that connect to the craft/artisan movement.”

“All of the data in our initiative is US-based, but might be able to be applied to other markets,” Laroche adds.

One insight that was seen throughout the research was that consumers and experts have differing views on how to define “craft.” Moreover, craft foods and beverages also encompass themes around tradition, innovation, personality and intentionality. They also satisfy three dimensions of personal needs: physical, emotional and psychological. 

The emotional needs addressed by craft appear to be especially pertinent, Symrise reports. Consumers expressed the emotions of craft in three distinct ways: the thrill and risk of discoveries; the joy they experience when tasting something unique or hand-made; and the feeling of comfort they get when given a moment of attention that they can cherish.

Symrise used a range of techniques and tools, including consumer engagement through with blogs, online forums and visual books, to enhance its understanding of the craft market. Their first step was an in-depth examination of millennials across the US. One significant finding was that in the minds of many consumers, craft products have specific attributes, says Symrise. They feature natural and fresh ingredients, use bold flavors that are more intense than the mainstream, they are manufactured with a handmade process and have a provenance that establishes their authenticity as “craft.”

Symrise’s Craft eBook contains several articles detailing the learning that came from experiencing firsthand how craft is being expressed in “real life.” This meant witnessing craft companies and their customers up-close and in-person while “Craft Trekking Through New York.” These treks validated the findings and demonstrated the emotional, personal and physical dimensions of individual needs that are met when experiencing craft products.

One of the trek stops was Brooklyn’s Blue Bottle Coffee, where baristas learn the ins and outs of the store’s carefully chosen beans, but also the process and equipment that will do those beans justice in drawing out the richest, boldest and unique flavors.

When Symrise began its examination of the craft movement, its objective was to “fully understand what craft means so that we could develop the best possible flavors and ingredient solutions to support this important movement.” The study of craft has revealed many market opportunities for food and beverage product development and marketing teams, which are all presented in the Craft eBook, reports Symrise.

By Elizabeth Green