Near water opportunity

Wild has added papaya, litchi lychee, and Concord grape to its range of natural flavors, citing growth rates in the near water field.

Wild cite growth rates over the past year reflecting the current trend toward flavorful, low-calorie near water beverages as part of a healthy diet, as central to the company’s launch of new natural, exotic flavors for this growth category. According to GfK, in 2004, near water beverages were the fastest growing product in the non-alcoholic beverage market, demonstrating a tremendous growth rate of 185 percent and achieving a total market volume of around 70 million liters. Wild has added papaya, litchi lychee, and Concord grape to its range of natural flavors.

While Wild stress that exotic fruits do have a health benefit, it cannot be found in the flavors any more. Exotic flavors are still interesting for the near water segment, as the consumers like the taste.

Papayas have a fruity, sweet flavor and contain the protein-digesting enzyme papain, which aids digestion. The litchi lychee comes from an entirely different region. This "queen of the fruits" was already being grown in southern China more than 4.000 years ago. Over time, litchi cultivation also spread to surrounding areas in Southeast Asia as well as various islands in the region. Today, litchis lychees are cultivated throughout tropical and subtropical Asia. Their flavor is a pleasant combination of sweet and sour.

The Concord grape is a special strain from New England. Concord grapes escape the severe frosts often experienced in the northeastern corner of the US in the fall. At the same time, they have a full-bodied flavor. The flavonoids contained in Concord grapes are of particular interest to scientists. Their antioxidant effect and positive influence on the cardiovascular system are the subject of numerous studies.

Consumers are increasingly drawn to exotic flavors as a way of bringing a touch of summer sunshine to their workaday workday world, say Wild. The company provides customers with flavors from almost every known fruit. Along with classics such as banana, pineapple, passion fruit and mango, Wild offers unusual varieties such as guava, melon, blood orange, and pink grapefruit.

Wild says that the current growth trend in the near water category is expected to continue. Consumers are open to innovations and are ready to try out new flavor directions. Wild maintains customized formulas for product positioning that include wellness, beauty and fitness. Many valuable opportunities are available for further exploiting the growth potential of the near water range.

www.wild.de