WILD Develops Refreshing Flavor Combinations Featuring Citrus

22 Sep 2015 --- WILD Flavors & Specialty Ingredients (WILD) is presenting unusual and refreshing combinations that feature citrus. The Flavor Expert is responding to the newest trend in fruit flavors by offering a range of different raspberry options. Last but not least, pomegranate and popcorn are both making major contributions to greater product diversification.

Nowadays many industries are dealing with the topic of an increase in individualization. More and more, consumers want “customized” products. This poses certain challenges for the food and beverage industry, such as when it comes to flavor compositions. It is a two-pronged issue: popular flavors such as citrus have to be modified on a regular basis so they remain attractive in the eyes of consumers. At the same time, consumers also regularly expect something surprising. Aromatic innovations offer retailers a way to promote valuable impulse purchases that complement their main business.

WILD is presenting many new options for product developers. Their diversified flavors give highly nuanced notes to many different foods and drinks, notes that can pep up flavors with unexpected fruit combinations or create brand-new compositions.

There is no way around citrus when it comes to offering a refreshing kind of fruitiness, especially in the beverage sector. More than half of all newly launched soft drinks in Europe taste of different citrus (55.9%). This means that these tropical fruits still are and remain the number-one flavor for beverages across all segments. But even classics have to change with the times and satisfy consumers demand for something novel. And WILD’s new natural flavor creations illustrate exactly how this can happen in a very interesting way. The portfolio brightens up classic citrus with a touch of trend fruits, such as grapefruit with pomegranate. It also does the reverse, taking something like the exotic kaffir lime and blending it with domestic black currants. In each case, WILD’s citrus range creates fresh and fruity new sensations based on familiar flavors but with a full note of red fruits.

Everyone knows them and almost everyone loves them: raspberries are often linked to memories of childhood, in part because they play a solid part in the food sector – as a fresh fruit, in dairy and ice-cream products, and in confectionery. But this charming little berry is also gaining a greater foothold in the world of beverages. No matter whether it is a syrup, flavored beer, near water or carbonated soft drink, the multi-facetted raspberry is a perfect match with any concept. This is only true, however, if the right kind of raspberry flavor has been specifically generated for each application and target market. WILD product developers have created flavors for different categories: some play up the fresh-fruit flavor while others offer a note that is reminiscent of jam, flowers or candy. The wide range of WILD’s application-specific natural flavors makes it possible to create target group-specific products while also satisfying different regional preferences. Another advantage is that raspberry is ideal both as a stand-alone flavor note and as part of a blend. There is no limit to the ways it can be combined.

If we take a look at functional foods and drinks, the topic of pomegranates comes up quickly. It is the flavor most in demand among products which are advertised as having a nutritional added value. But what does pomegranate really taste like? As is the case with bananas, the flavor of the ripe-harvested fruit is much different from what one expects from the flavoring of a finished product. Consumer expectations vary dramatically from one region to the next. The transitions are very fluid and have to be captured with great nuance. The options range from "woody" to "green" and from "berry-like" all the way to "grenadine," and WILD's portfolio of flavors reflects this diversity. Using their extensive fruit expertise and broad knowledge of applications as a foundation, WILD food technologists have created a wide-ranging palette of pomegranate flavors which make it possible to select exactly the perfect note for each different application.

Quite a few things make their way from the US to Europe and generate new trends. These days there is a clear-cut preference for popular sweet flavors: American food is in, no matter whether it's cookies ’n’ cream, brownies or muffins. But popcorn in particular is an ideal flavor platform: it has long been a favorite snack food, and now it can be combined in many different ways and applied to other product categories. It harmonizes well with brown flavors and goes with anything buttery and creamy. As a result, popcorn is ideal for new chocolate products, among other things. It also blends beautifully with fruit flavors such as strawberry, creating delicious compositions and stirring up an appetite for new sweets. WILD's "Movie Stars Range" comes in the flavors popcorn-strawberry, popcorn-latte macchiato, popcorn-chocolate and popcorn-salty caramel.