Beverages, bakery and bars: Bell launches new line of cannabis-inspired & terpene flavors

06 May 2020 --- Bell Flavors & Fragrances has released a full line of cannabis-inspired and terpene flavors and fragrances, addressing consumer curiosity for the plant. These are specifically designed to recreate the flavor and aroma of familiar terpenes, such as linalool and limonene, as well as popular cannabis strains like Blackberry Kush, Blue Dream and Pineapple Express. This line is not derived from the cannabis plant and does not contain any active ingredients, such as cannabidiol (CBD) or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The move follows Bell’s range of botancial hemp flavors and extracts from the Cannabis sativa plant last year.

“There is a constant growth for hemp or cannabis-inspired product novelties on a global scale, with high growth rates in the past six months.” Agneta Hoffmann, Team Leader Marketing Flavors at Bell, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. “The constantly rising number of new product launches that display the hemp leaf on-pack is responding to consumers’ desire to experiment with hemp.”

Creating an authentic taste profile such as hemp is definitely a challenge, especially when there are basically no market products available for benchmarking, Hoffman explains. “Therefore, we analyzed the influential components of hemp as a plant and evaluated its sensory profile, together with several tests on consumer expectations that we ran internally. After running the first initial internal tasting rounds, we gathered overall positive feedback, also via blind-testing, which made us quite confident, to run further trials in various applications.”

In addition to the new line of flavors, Bell has also engineered technologies for products that alter the taste and smell of existing cannabis components. Bell’s research discovered that while consumers have differing opinions in regards to the taste and smell of cannabis, many still want the functional benefits that the plant provides. For this reason, Bell has developed a range of flavor maskers and enhancers to neutralize or enrich the taste and smell of cannabis.

The range of natural flavors and hemp extracts comprises taste profiles for various categories such as non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, bakery products and sweet goods as well as savory products such as sauces or seasonings, notes Hoffman.

Supplements still lead new CBD launches, however "beverages" and "confectionery" are categories to watch for cannabis-derived ingredients.“Hemp is gaining popularity, especially within the beverage segment, which represents the highest NPD activity in the past 12 months. But also other categories, such as bakery products and bars, are gaining traction of this mega trend,” Hoffman adds. The characteristic herbal and floral taste profile further fits sauces and could be a highly innovative taste variety within the savory snacks category.

Growing plant possibilities
Hemp foods rely on the three convergent forces of more countries permitting legal cultivation and processing of hemp, surging investment fueling product innovation, and the scale and rising consumer interest in the plant’s healthful nutrient profile, Hoffman explains.

Cannabis’s rising popularity is partly attributed to the acclaimed health benefits obtained from its active components. Hoffman notes that hemp seeds are particularly marketed as a “superfood” due to their high omega 3 and 6 content along with highly digestible protein comprised of all essential amino acids. Meanwhile, the non-psychoactive component in cannabis, CBD, has been touted for an array of health benefits from anti-inflammation to improving antibiotic resistance.

Perhaps not surprisingly, supplements lead CBD launches, with over half of the 2019 total recorded by Innova Market Insights, but NPD is now evident across a whole range of food and drinks products, led by soft drinks and confectionery.

While health claims and safety standards are still a legal gray area, legalization on a state-level throughout the US for medical and recreational marijuana has given a boost to the cannabis market. In Canada, where cannabis became legal for recreational use nationwide in 2018, the market is also seeing fast growth in platform innovation. Since January the sale of edibles, extracts and topicals became legal in Canada, which means manufacturers have more ways than ever to present cannabis and its derivatives.

Looking forward
The versatility of the product plays a key contributing factor in the overall growth, as there are a variety of vehicles that consumers use to ingest cannabis other than smoking. The leading alternatives among US and Canadian consumers are food, supplements, cosmetics, fragrances, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, according to Bell. Significant growth projections are backed by the three major purchasing generations, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers, all supporting the legalization of marijuana throughout the US according to the company.

“We are not only looking for the next hemp, but also for creating taste solutions that are specifically aimed at product needs and are driving the food industry of the future, such as plant-based meat and dairy alternatives or high protein products. We are currently focusing on the organic segment, as this area creates some challenges based on changing EU regulations starting in January 2021. Together with a range of organic-compliant flavors, we are developing flavors that are organic certified and as such, are highly relevant for the use in beverage products or snack seasonings,” concludes Hoffman.

By Missy Green