Olam Cocoa: COVID-19 accelerates plant-based, health expected to be top of mind in 2021

22 Dec 2020 --- 2020 has been a year of nostalgia as the COVID-19 pandemic led consumers to seek comfort in familiar foods. Flavors have been at the forefront of NPD, and Olam Cocoa expects this to be a key driver for future innovation over the next 12 months.

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Wouter Stomph, North American head of product development and innovation at Olam Cocoa, says: “Health has understandably been a focus for consumers throughout 2020, and we expect this will continue into 2021.”

He also flags growing interest in cocoa’s health benefits, which are forecast to continue into the new year. “Cocoa is a great way of adding rich flavor and a sense of indulgence to products without the need for excess sugar, flavorings or colorants.”

Health-conscious consumers want to understand the foods they consume, so developing products with a shortened and recognizable ingredients list without artificial flavors or colorings are vital for success in 2021, explains Stomph.

According to Olam Cocoa, while uncertainty continues, industry can expect the trend for nostalgic snacking to remain a focus as consumers look for indulgent and healthy snacking options.

Wouter Stomph, North American head of product development and innovation at Olam Cocoa.Adventurous flavors will return
Many of its customers choose to expand their product lines and flavors into more formats, rather than taking risks on new and adventurous flavors. 

This makes powders like deZaan D11S, which adds intense flavor and rich color to a broad range of applications, perfect for creating the classic chocolate flavors consumers are craving right now, the company notes.

“But as restrictions are lifted, and COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out, we expect more adventurous and experimental flavors to return,” stresses Stomph. 

“We’ll see more spice and botanical flavors move into the mainstream as confidence builds and consumers experiment with a bolder flavor palette. We’re already watching this trend play out in Asia, where consumers are increasingly opting for chocolate bars with mood or energy-boosting benefits made from miso or matcha. Wasabi-based desserts are also popular.”

More plant-based innovation
Plant-based will continue its meteoric rise – particularly in Asia, where there’s been an explosion in plant-based snacks this year, notes Olam Cocoa.

In the UK, Olam Cocoa research found an increase in consumers seeking out plant-based food during lockdowns as they became more health-conscious. 

“Far from putting the brakes on the shift to plant-based, COVID-19 has accelerated the trend,” Stomph reveals. 

Plant-based desserts is an area of growth Olam Cocoa is exploring. 

“The challenge with creating dairy-free ice cream is ensuring that consumers are not missing out on the creamy, indulgent texture of an ice cream made with dairy,” he continues. 

“Cocoa ingredients can play a vital role here. Our innovation team have been working closely with certain customers to replicate some of the taste and texture consumers enjoy, using cocoa powders to add flavor and cocoa butters to add creaminess to plant-based ice creams.” The pandemic has put a growing focus on health and the role our diets can play in supporting well-being.

We’ve been working on solutions for our customers to help meet this growing trend, including a tool that helps categorize alternative milks by their flavor attributes to find the perfect cocoa powder to match them,” Stomph details. 

Authenticity and transparency more important than ever
Consumers are focusing on products more holistically. Throughout 2020, Olam Cocoa has seen a consumer trend toward simpler snacks using a few select ingredients with a strong story to tell, which it expects to see grow further into 2021.

The notion of clean label has expanded from a simple, recognizable ingredients list to encompass the product as a whole. 

“This puts greater focus on the origin of a product, its sourcing and its environmental and social credentials, which is why we developed our deZaan D11MG single origin cocoa powder, created purely from Ghanaian cocoa beans,” Stomph concludes. 

By Elizabeth Green