Culture and tech: Ofi leverages AI to predict burgeoning global cocoa trends

05 Sep 2023 --- Using the power of AI, Olam food ingredients (ofi) is creating bold cocoa pairings based on its prediction of Eastern and Western flavor fusion in confectionery, bakery, beverages and snacks. The company’s recent research combined regional knowledge from innovation experts and AI to identify the next big flavor trends set to hit the stores in the future.

The research leveraged AI and predictive analytics to scan online recipes, restaurant menus and e-commerce sites for burgeoning trends before they hit the mainstream.

The study’s findings show that Asian flavors like dragon fruit, sesame, yuzu, lychee and matcha are picking up in the US and Europe, while Western flavors like butterscotch, marshmallow, salted caramel and cookies & cream are taking off in South Asian countries, such as Indonesia and India.

For Edward Norder, head of EMENA Innovation at ofi, increasing globalization means flavor trends are crossing borders faster than ever. 

“We have created new cocoa pairings and innovative concepts inspired by the ‘East meets West’ trend. From chocolate-coated dragon fruit ice cream and a yuzu-infused chocolate panna cotta for the US, to a chipotle chili, lime and passionfruit dessert for Germany and a black forest and cocoa flavored frappe-style drink for Indonesia,” he reveals.

“Consumers are keen to discover and experience unusual flavors from across the world and are becoming more adventurous with their flavor choices.”Talia Profet, European chef lead at ofi, tells Food Ingredients First: “It is crucial to get the development stage right and find the perfect pairings to translate emerging trends into great-tasting products successfully. Using AI, we could collate and process substantial data on emerging flavors across specific regions and categories.”

According to Profet, the critical part was “combining this data with our innovation experts’ real-world insights and experience.”

The result, she notes, is a set of predictions on the future cocoa flavors about to hit the mainstream and some creative ideas for how to turn them into exciting concepts.

Picking the right cocoa powder
Profet flags that understanding the characteristics of different cocoa powders and how they respond to various applications is essential.

According to her, the right cocoa powder has the power to enhance other flavors, whether that’s "bringing out specific flavor notes" or adding a "rich and indulgent taste" that removes the need for other flavor additives or sweeteners.

Norder concurs: “Choosing the right cocoa powder is a powerful tool for helping manufacturers win on taste. So, we hope what we’re sharing will inspire our customers to look again at cocoa as a pairing for fresh, on-trend flavor combinations and applications that will surprise and delight consumers around the globe.”

Profet also highlights that ofi’s ingredient brand deZaan’s natural cocoa powders give a “great flavor profile” to meet the fruity and exotic top flavor trends like dragon fruit. 

“Our low-fat cocoa powder deZaan N11N absorbs less moisture, helping to give pastries a crispy texture. However, due to its high-fat content, our deZaan N21N cocoa powder is better in a plant-based fruity cocoa ice cream or sorbet,” she underscores.

She tells us that with the latest findings, ofi hopes to “provide our customers with inspiration for how the right cocoa powder can be a powerful tool in bringing to life fresh, on-trend flavor combinations and applications that will surprise and delight consumers around the globe.”

Creating options for formulators
Consumers are keen on striking a balance between taste and nutrition and often choose snacks they perceive as healthier, such as snacks with high protein claims and plant-based ingredient.

“Understanding the characteristics of different cocoa powders and how they respond to various applications is essential.”Ofi’s deZaan cocoa powder range gives manufacturers various options to meet different needs, flags Profet.

“With the growing demand for plant-based alternatives, manufacturers can incorporate high-fat cocoa powders, like our deZaan D21A and D23DL, to help reduce off-flavors produced when using certain plant-based milk alternatives.”

To formulate gluten-free products, she recommends using “mung bean to replace flour.”

“This pulse,” according to her, “has a strong flavor but can be blended with a more intense cocoa powder, like our deZaan D11S, to give a deeper and more well-rounded chocolate taste." She adds that the possibilities to create new and inspirational cocoa applications are endless.

Meanwhile, consumers are increasingly getting conscious of their sugar intake, which impacts their food choices and drives formulators to focus on low-sugar alternatives.

To this, Profet says: “Cocoa’s rich flavor makes it a perfect ingredient for bringing consumers an indulgent product that can have less sugar and help manufacturers tap into health and sustainability trends.”

She explains: “Natural cocoa powders provide a perceived sweeter taste in specific applications, allowing manufacturers to reconfigure sugar content in products without sacrificing taste. A great example would be pairing dragon fruit with our deZaan N21N cocoa powder in ice cream or sorbet.”

The flavor combination, as she puts it, “brings out a punch of acidity” and slight notes of caramel in the cocoa powder that can help balance the sugar content in the application.

Diversity in cocoa pairings fuels indulgence
Ofi’s latest research has divided top flavor trends in cocoa pairings based on geography. 

For Europe, dragon fruit is trending in the UK bakery space with application in pastries and ice cream. In France, sesame and matcha are rising in bakery applications, along with mung bean in confectionery applications. Meanwhile, Germany is witnessing a rise in chili flavors in chocolate bars. Tropical spices in the UK also offer an opportunity for a twist on desserts.

The research shows that cookies & cream flavors hold potential in Indian confectionery (Image credit: ofi).As for the US in the bakery space, lychee and yuzu are gaining popularity in pastry fillings and panna cotta while miso trends in confectionery products like chocolate fudge.

In Asia, marshmallow flavors in nougat and black forest in beverages are rising in Indonesia. Meanwhile, cookies & cream flavors hold potential in Indian confectionery.

According to Profet, this chimes with a “wider consumer trend we’ve seen – the resurgence in bolder flavors post-pandemic, with many consumers keen to discover and experience unusual flavors from across the world and becoming more adventurous with their flavor choices.”

She also points out that indulgence is another vital market driver and ofi’s ice cream concept infused with spices like cinnamon, ginger and cardamom hits both the flavor and indulgence trend.

The spices' warmth is reportedly balanced with an intense chocolatey and creamy flavor from a cocoa powder like deZaan D23ZR. 

“It excites the taste buds, while the powder’s high-fat content helps create an indulgent flavor experience and delivers a longer-lasting mouthfeel,” she underscores.

In Europe and the US, ofi sees an opportunity for brands to harness the power of these bold, tropical flavors for a “twist on traditional desserts” that are lower in sugar but still packed with flavor.

Meanwhile, ofi recently spoke to Food Ingredients First about using AI and satellite monitoring solutions to advance supply chain transparency in the wake of the new EU Deforestation Regulation.

By Insha Naureen