Dawn Foods launches vegan-friendly “visually appealing” fruity flavored fudge icings

12 Jan 2022 --- Dawn Foods has expanded its range of fudge icings with two vegan-suitable fudge icings, both made with natural fruit flavors and colors, blackcurrant and banana.

“The creation of the new blackcurrant and banana fudge icings was sparked by consumer demand for bakery items with natural ingredients and fruit flavors due to perceived health benefits and a trend for fruit to complement indulgent flavors such as chocolate and caramel,” Jacqui Passmore, marketing manager UK and Ireland at Dawn Foods, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

Blackcurrant health halo
The new fruit fudges sport vibrant hues of purple and yellow. The blackcurrant fudge icing has a deep fruity flavor which pairs well with chocolate, vanilla and citrus flavors. It can also be combined with sweeter fruits such as apple and plum. 

Blackcurrant is a popular “on trend” flavor across bakery and desserts due to its superfruit status, high vitamin C content and slightly tart taste profile which appeals to health-conscious consumers. 

Dawn Foods has fudge icings in chocolate, coffee, lemon and strawberry but has created this line to appeal to social media requirements in the segment. “There is a big demand for bright, vibrant colors as part of the importance we now place on social media,” says Passmore.

Banana and its shelf-life appealVibrant colors are trending in the bakery and dessert categories.
In addition to the bright color of the banana fudge icing, it can maintain a long shelf-life and can be paired with popular dessert flavors such as sticky toffee and caramel and speculoos biscuit. 

Banana pairs well with blueberry, cherry, nuts, ginger and honey. Dawn Foods recommends its banana fudge be used in banana and caramel cupcakes or pecan and banana cookies.

Banana is an “in vogue” fruit favorite because it gives a subtle sweetness. “While some consumers like the feeling of nostalgia that banana evokes, they are also keen to try it in new combinations too,” elaborates Passmore.

Instagram consciousness at all time high
Visual impact is particularly important for cakes being served in the bakery and away-from-home sector. Consumers pounce on cakes that are visually stunning and indulgent.

“Consumers want to be tempted to purchase and then share their experiences on social media. The more ‘instagrammable’ the better,” explains Passmore. 

Both the blackcurrant and banana fudge icings are ready-to-use from a 10kg pail. It needs to be warmed to 40-50°C for easy topping, filling, drizzling and piping across various applications including large whole cakes to traybakes, muffins, cookies and cupcakes. The temperature flexibility reduces baking time for bakers and helps them maintain consistency of both color and texture across all their products. 

In 2019 Dawn Foods revitalized its entire product portfolio, categorizing products to make it easier for customers to select the correct solution for individual applications. 

By Inga de Jong