Futuristic, Asian cuisines and cocktail-inspired flavors spearhead innovation amid supply chain challenges

10 Jan 2024 --- F&B companies are expected to intensify efforts to secure secondary and tertiary suppliers for ingredients like key flavors as a strategic response to economic uncertainties and inflation rates. As food manufacturers and ingredient suppliers navigate supply chain disruptions, significant shifts will likely be geared toward ingredient replacements using flavors, while innovation in taste remains crucial.

We speak to experts from Lucta Flavors & Fragrances, Bell Flavors & Fragrances and Gold Coast Ingredients, who share their insights on what’s in store for 2024.

According to Jorge Castrillon, general manager at Lucta, based in the US, continued raw material constraints will drive flavor creation teams to increase vertical integration efforts and reliable sourcing. 

“With flavor being the number one purchase intent driver in the F&B industry, the focus on innovation will center around delivering consistent, cost-effective and diverse flavor solutions that align with consumer expectations for distinctive and appealing taste experiences.” 

Supply chain disruptions 
As customers navigate supply chain disruptions, Lucta says it is witnessing a pivot toward ingredient replacements using flavors rather than a strong demand for new and emerging ingredients. 

“Notably, we’re experiencing increased requests for bell pepper and tomato flavors, driven by adverse weather conditions affecting crop yields and causing price fluctuations,” says Peter Ryan, flavor director, Lucta US. 

He underscores that the cumin supply is anticipated to dwindle, and egg prices are volatile due to Avian flu outbreaks. 

“In response, we closely monitor market conditions for various food ingredients. Utilizing flavors for ingredient replacements addresses these challenges and helps sustainably hedge our customers’ products, ensuring they meet consumer taste expectations amid the volatility in supply and prices of agricultural food ingredients,” Ryan notes. 

Imaginative flavors take hold 
Meanwhile, in the dynamic realm of taste combinations, consumers today “expect the unexpected,” says Kamila Gierut, Lucta US flavor marketing specialist. 

“Beyond the sweet and spicy trend, anticipate an infusion of elevated, nuanced twists — think smoky, caramelized or toasted notes paired with classic and familiar profiles. Picture the rich complexity of caramelized mushrooms, elevating dishes with an intensely flavorful twist, or the comforting essence of toasted marshmallows, transforming common flavors into taste experiences.”

Megan Byrnes, marketing manager at Gold Coast Ingredients, notes that 2024 is the year for new imaginative flavors in the sci-fi and futuristic categories. 

“As consumers seek new imaginative flavors like unicorn and rainbow, companies are always bringing out the next colorful, bold and creative flavors for innovation and new tastes,” she details. 

“We predict more galaxy and space-themed products in the market with colorful, fruity flavor combinations like red raspberry, dark cherry, blackberry and blue raspberry. These flavors will appear in beverages, nutraceutical products, confectionery, baked goods and ice cream,” Byrnes predicts. 

Consumer spending habits reflect a holistic approach to their health and wellness routines, continuing to prioritize their emotional and mental health.Jill Mulder, Lucta’s marketing director, highlights the “newstalgia” trend, where consumers worldwide seek immersive experiences blending contemporary innovation with nostalgic familiarity. 

“This transcendent trend spans generations, as each brings unique expectations, revealing that we’ve only scratched the surface of this evolving global landscape. Take, for example, a curry-infused chicken pot pie empanada — a fusion that transforms a beloved dish and showcases how ‘newstalgia’ can seamlessly fuse popular flavors from around the globe.”

Renewed interest in Asian flavors
Meanwhile, David Banks, senior marketing director at Bell Flavors & Fragrances, remarks that global cuisines continue to take center stage, especially with younger adult consumers craving unique fusions, spicy flavors and a way to travel via culinary adventures. 

“As humans, we have a basic desire for exploration, and we often use our tongues as a passport to the world of flavors. We’re seeing renewed interest in Asian flavors, specifically unique profiles derived from various regions and provinces of China.”

Examples include Sichuan (Szechuan) cuisine, which is known for its bold and spicy flavors, and hua jiao, which provides citrusy, medicinal overtones and produces a tongue-numbing/tingling sensation. 

“In combination with ginger, chili peppers, garlic and doubanjiang (spicy bean paste), these fusions are sure to be crowd-pleasers, he adds. 

“Hunan cuisine is often praised for its fiery, spicy and complex flavor profiles; incorporates chili peppers as well as shallots and pickled vegetables. Whole peppers pickled in salt, also known as coarsely chopped duo jiao, are a common component of Hunan dishes and may be consumed in whole form rather than utilized solely as a flavor for cooking.”

And then there is also Guizhou cuisine, which blends sour and spicy flavors and broths, similar to Hunan and Sichuan cuisines — but at a higher level of complexity — and contains sour elements like bamboo shoots as well as pickled vegetables and varietal chili peppers like the bright red Tiaojiao and the cone-shaped, heat-packed Chaotian pepper, notes Banks. 

“Notably, limited edition, nuanced and global flavors will continue to grow as consumers seek out those that ignite their tastebuds in new ways, such as sweet heat to spicy sour,” he explains. “We’re seeing complex flavor blends, like Chinese five spice, togarashi and tandoori, and curry varieties such as madras and massaman, become more mainstream as consumers venture out of their comfort zones.”

“If consumers can achieve ‘flavor Zen,’ an opportunity to combine a blend of tastes in an ‘Instagrammable’ moment to share with friends — it’s a big win. This aligns with Kokumi, or the ‘sixth sense,’ that amplifies flavors for longer-lasting, full-bodied harmony and deliciousness.”

Harnessing inspiration from cocktails
Gold Coast’s Byrnes predicts that new mocktail flavors will enter the F&B market in the months ahead. 

“Cocktail-inspired flavors have aided innovation with flavors such as mango margarita, watermelon mojito and strawberry daiquiri coming to light. We foresee new mocktail blends with alternative fruits and fusion flavors like passion fruit pina colada, raspberry mojito and blood orange mule,” she discloses. 

Byrnes believes the sweet heat trend will persevere, so “keep your eyes open for innovative chili and fruit pairings.”Consumers are searching for multisensorial experiences, authenticity and variety in the products and flavors they consume.

“Mango chili, watermelon chili, and pineapple chili have proven successful in the marketplace and new contenders are likely to be grapefruit chili, kiwi chili, and strawberry chili.”

Nutrition and health 
Finally, as consumers prioritize relaxation and seek peace, calmness, and tranquility, additional mood-support products will enter the food and beverage industries. Gold Coast Ingredients expects to to see more flavors like lavender, chamomile and passionflower, often paired with vanilla, peach, berry and citrus flavors.

“The nutraceutical and alcoholic beverage industries play vital roles in developing new flavors. We follow trends in applications such as protein powders, pre-workout beverages, energy drinks, nutritional bars, cocktails, hard seltzers and other alcoholic beverages. 

Gold Coast Ingredients is innovating with new fruit fusion blends, mocktail flavors, seasonal and exotic fruits, superfruits, ethnic flavors, botanical flavors, and new calming flavors for mood-support products.

“When it comes to flavors, consumers generally go one of two ways,” notes Byrnes. “They want a tried and true flavor or an innovative flavor. Tried and true flavors are those such as vanilla, chocolate and strawberry that consumers know to be safe and they are confident they will like it. Innovative flavors are new, exciting and familiar, yet different or adventurous,” she concludes. 

By Elizabeth Green