“Gastronationalism” and Bold Flavors Among 2017 Flavor Trends to Watch, Claims Synergy Exec

14 Dec 2016 --- The rise of “gastronationalism” as well as the ongoing interest in bold, experimental and wacky flavors will be two key flavor trends to watch in 2017, notes Hugh Evans, Marketing Manager, Europe & Asia at Synergy Flavours Ltd. Evans, who works at the UK based flavors supplier notes that the aftermath of the Brexit vote has led to a rise in “buying British” and “British flavors.” In North America, which has also become more inward looking on the back of electing Donald Trump as president, a similar trend of pride in local fare is also at play.

“I think there is a real pride in what they have over there. It is almost as if in the past people would look further afield and wanted to be exports in food from around the globe, but in America, that authentic Americana is seeping through here,” says Evans. 

Evans stresses that it is too early to conclude whether the changes on the political front are going to influence people and their flavor development. But while the recent geopolitical changes have been very swift and could not already have been adopted into NPD in a significant way, they do point to an overarching trend of pride in local cuisine.

He notes that a lot of American colleagues are asking for “Native American” flavors. “America is such a vast country, that when you move from one state to the other you get a whole host of different cuisines and flavors on offer. There is a real demand for authentic ‘Americana’ flavors, with real thick flavors that are indulgent and have an American backing to them,” he notes.

This trend is particularly pronounced in the savory space, but it can even be felt in areas such as sports nutrition, which is of course a key platform for Synergy [part of the Carbery Group]. “It is about an inward looking feel, but also because you have some great ideas right here. There is a lot of inward looking going on, particularly on a large continent like America. We are certainly looking at flavors, both from a nutrition and a savory side. It is like a great American roadmap,” he says.

Evans notes that in sports nutrition there has been a real aspirational trend towards American concepts such as snickerdoodle, which is a really loud flavor that was originally developed as a concept for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream about 15 years ago, but has actually become some sort of part of American folklore. “That flavor has taken off to the extent that it is even appearing in mainstream sports nutrition products. Authentic American flavors like Key Lime Pie from Florida are really finding their way into mainstream markets.” 

On the other hand, Evans points out that we are also seeing a lot of experimentation with bold flavors – with companies now really willing to take wild flavor combinations on board. “It is almost a blueprint for development to really be wild and wacky,” says Evans. “On the yogurt side, for example, we see a lot of savory blends coming through. So in the past you may have seen a carrot and an apple, we are now seeing a lot of savory yogurts, such as beetroot and something else,” he notes. 

He outlines a developing crossover between sweet and savory products, blurring the lines between the two areas. “Already within the market place, we are seeing crisps flavored with honey and orange and even a pumpkin and apricot gazpacho. Likewise, we are seeing sweet flavors move into other areas such as cider, condiment sauces and fruit vinegars. This trend, a consequence of consumer boldness and sense of adventure is set to continue in 2017,” he notes.

In terms of other flavor trends to follow, Evans notes that we are still seeing a lot of noise around coconut. “Everything that we hear so far suggests that coconut will still be the top flavor. Coconut is obviously a really interesting trend. There are a lot of health connotations, but also the flavor on its own or in combination is really on the rise,” he notes. 

R&D and innovation piece is incredibly important to support Synergy’s strategy on what is happening in the marketplace. At the recent HiE in Frankfurt, the company presented its branched chain amino acid (BCAAs) flavor & masker, which would work well at masking the inherent off-notes of BCAAs. 

Visitors to the joint Carbery/Synergy stand were able to sample a wide variety of food and beverages that demonstrate the applications and formulation expertise that are available. In line with growing market trends for high protein diets, Carbery showcased the latest in its dairy protein technology with beverages and snacks enriched with its hydrolyzed whey protein, Optipep. In combination with Synergy’s bitterness masking expertise, manufacturers could see how to optimize the nutritional content of beverages, while also offering an exceptional taste experience. Synergy demonstrated its bitterness masking capabilities with a range of flavors that are effective in disguising bitter off-notes in a range of protein-based products. In addition, Synergy presented its range of natural essences and extracts, Synergy Pure, which include tea, coffee, fruit and vegetables, botanicals and vanilla profiles. 

Sarah Schultz of Synergy discussed an innovative line of flavored concepts with Optipep at the show. “More and more consumers want convenient products that they can drink on the go. They also want something that tastes really good. Hydrolysed protein can taste really bitter, but we have developed a hydrolysed whey protein that is suitable for RTD beverages that tastes great protein that is not nearly as bitter as it used to be. The degree of hydrolysis is quite low in this product and it is also stable in neutral pH applications, which is quite rare for a hydrolysed protein,” she noted in a video interview. 

In terms of other trends that the company is addressing, sugar reduction is very topical and is something that the company is looking at across categories. Evans pointed out that 60% of UK consumers now consider sugar content when making a purchase decision, more so than fat content and any other health factors. With the UK government increasing pressure on manufacturers, the company have used their taste and flavor expertise at Synergy to develop a versatile solution that will help clients achieve sugar reduction targets. “We have done extensive work on Bakery and Dairy applications and we are able to build back flavor as the level of sugar is reduced,” he says. “We are able to deliver the same great taste and indulgent mouthfeel that consumers would expect. We are able to help anyone challenged with reducing the sugar content in their products and provide a complete solution,” he adds. 

“We can work with clients that are looking at reducing the amount of sugar in their products, but without compromising on taste. We are particularly looking at the bakery category at the moment and this is something that we want to look at for all our food & beverage categories,” he says. Despite the sugar tax discussion now particularly focusing on soft drinks, Evans believes that the discussion will be relevant to all food categories moving forward. 

There is a rise in alternative proteins and this is something that despite the growth of the nutrition category as a whole, this is something that one needs to be aware of and be prepared to work with. He notes the rise of the flexitarian diet – a plant-based diet with the occasional addition of meat. Consumer motivations for a flexitarian diet can be wide and varied based on health, religion and culture, animal welfare and the environment. “Vegan bars is one particular area of market growth that targets flexitarians and one that is expected to develop further as the nutrition sector becomes more mainstream. As the market expands, attracting a lot of new product development, it will be important for manufacturers to develop products that stand out and are different,” he says. “So while this is an opportunity for new and different flavor combinations, the role of flavor takes on greater importance as it needs to also mask the taste of the protein and other nutrients used in the development of the bars,” he notes.

Working with these proteins presents its own challenges. “You are always going to be working with a different base, which in itself presents a lot of different opportunities and challenges for flavor companies. With whey protein, the challenges around flavor are different from those for BCAAs. From a technical perspective, we have that expertise to meet those challenges,” he explains.

Moving forward, as a UK-based company Synergy will have to adjust to the Brexit challenge, but the long term future is unclear for now. “Nobody really expected it and you can see this in what’s happening in the amount that has to be done. The impact still really has to be felt in terms of what it means and equates to. It is an unknown quantity,” he notes.

But it is an exciting time to be in the food and flavor business and to see how the mega-trends will develop and be addressed. “One of the questions will be whether the globalization trend now goes more towards localization? Will buying local really become a big trend on the back of the changes on the political stage? The challenge as a flavor or food company is to ensure that we are responding to the new opportunities that each trend creates,” he concludes.

By Robin Wyers