Synergy Flavors: New flavor and functionality across RTD and nutrition beverages
19 Jan 2024 | Synergy Flavors
Vicky Berry, senior European business development manager and Chris Whiting, European business development manager for nutrition delve into the key trends that are shaping beverages and performance nutrition. The company is harnessing taste modulation to answer trends in sugar reduction and flavor masking.
This is Elizabeth Green from Food Ingredients First.
I'm joined today by Vicky Berry, who's the senior European Business Development Manager at Synergy Flavors, and Chris Whiting, European Business Development Manager for nutrition at the company.
So thank you to Chris and Vicky for joining me, a warm welcome to you both from us here at CNS Media, and from our listeners.
Now, at the end of last year, the company launched a natural whiskey flavor range designed for both alcoholic and low and no alcohol RTD beverages.
The company says the range was created with manufacturers in mind.
So Vicky, I'll come to you first.
Maybe you can expand a bit on some of the key trends you are seeing in the low and no alcohol space.
Yeah, absolutely.
I think even at the start of this year we've seen a really strong focus on ready to drink non-alcoholic cocktails.
And I think this comes off the back of what we've seen within alcohol.
There's been a really strong growth when it comes to ready to drink cocktails.
And I think people want the same when it comes to the non-alk space.
So I think already the retailers have been jumping on this.
We've seen some really interesting launches already in January.
And I think again, having a look at what's happening in the entree, Erede is taking this really seriously, and there's some really fantastic menus out there with non-alcoholic cocktails and mocktails.
Mhm.
Fantastic.
So as we've mentioned, spirit flavors like whiskey are becoming more popular.
Maybe you can go into a bit more of the specifics about what are the flavors you are seeing a demand for.
Yeah, I think there's a few different areas here.
We know tropicals are always popular and I think if you have a look at mango and passion fruit, and this is a cross category, you know, they've become core profiles.
And I think people really want to know what's next.
So we're seeing lots of requests for things like dragon fruit, yuzu, I think kiwis going to become really popular this year.
I think as , if you have a look at the Pantone color of the Year, it focuses on peach.
And again, we know that flavor and color is really linked closely together, so we expect to see lots of peach launches this year.
OK, fantastic, really interesting.
So what about, what can you tell us about taste modulation in these applications and how does Synergy's expertise in this area play into the innovation of taste modulation?
Taste modulation is a really, really important area and again this crosses different area.
I think specifically if you're looking at non-alcoholic cocktails, you know, you really need to understand the motivation behind why someone's choosing not to drink.
So if someone's choosing not to drink for health reasons, they don't then want a really sugary beverage.
So in this area, you know, really making sure manufacturers are creating good choices for consumers.
So things with lower sugar content.
But you know, we know that taste is fundamental and consumers won't compromise on taste.
So they don't want like a lower sugar beverage if it doesn't taste as good.
So, you know, really focusing in on that area, we've developed a range of taste modulation solutions that help manufacturers lower their sugar content.
I think, you know, there's, there's other areas as , you know, if you have a look at functionality as , and again, I'm sure this is something that Chris will touch on.
But you know, if you have a look at functional beverages, there's a lot within those that perhaps need modulating.
We see different ingredients coming through in the market.
So just really understanding how to modulate those, how to mask those, and really understanding different bases.
OK, interesting.
So are there any new innovations in the pipeline that you can discuss as a result of synergy developing these taste modulation offerings?
Yeah, we're always innovating, which is great.
So I think specifically on sweetness, you know, really looking at how we can help those manufacturers reduce those sugar contents.
Big thing we've seen is focus on naturality.
So I think, you know, consumers aren't necessarily wanting to see all those non-natural sweeteners, which were really in the press in 2023.
So for us, it's, you know, kind of creating these natural solutions that help manufacturers reduce sugar content.
Another big area for us, you know, on taste modulation is looking at these different ingredients.
There's new ingredients coming to the market all the time.
So if you look at something like clear proteins, understanding how to work with these clear proteins, how to mask some of these clear proteins, it's really important.
And there's never one solution fits all.
So for us when it comes to innovation at synergy, you know, it's about working with our customers, working on the basis and actually innovating and finding the right solution for them.
Mhm.
OK, perfect.
Thank you, Vicky, really interesting.
So we'll move on to you, Chris, and more on the nutrition side of things.
Maybe you can start by sharing some key trends for nutrition focused beverages and what you're kind of seeing, seeing in that area.
Sure, so one of the biggest trends that we're seeing in nutrition at the moment is definitely functionality, specifically products which are combining functionalities to address multiple need states.
So if you take an example of perhaps a protein beverage with gut health properties or a recovery drink that might have added cognitive benefits.
Right.
From a flavor perspective, we're also seeing a bit of a push for flavor improvement, so brands are trying to be a bit more considered of the.
Consumption occasions associated with their products.
We're starting to see a bit more of a move towards true to fruit style profiles with a bit more of a cleaner taste rather than perhaps traditionally you might have seen really, really high sweetener levels in confectionary style profiles.
So Vicky talked a bit about taste modulation, that's something that plays a really pivotal role in the nutritional space as to create a slightly more neutral taste that you can then build a bit more of a true to fruit flavor with.
OK, really interesting, thank you.
Vicky also mentioned clear proteins, so demand is obviously, it is clearly picking up pace for clear proteins.
Now how is Synergy optimizing its offerings in this specific space?
Yeah, so clear proteins is a really interesting space at the moment because it's very, very different in terms of consumption occasion when you compare it to something like a traditional protein shake, so we actually conducted some primary research which showed that the most common times to be using clear proteins was either mid-morning or in the afternoon and typically people were using them to boost their daily protein intake, so.
Compared to say a traditional whey protein concentrate shake, people might be drinking those very shortly after a workout, whereas something like a clear protein, you're probably more likely to find people sitting at their desks at work, sipping a clear protein throughout the day, so this opens the category up to some really interesting flavor choices, so.
We're trying to look to inspiration in categories like the mocktail category to create something that's a bit more of a, a drinking occasion, so we're putting a slightly more adult flavor twist on the products and the concepts that we're developing, so we're looking at flavor profiles like blueberry and hibiscus, mojito or ginger, lime and mint.
And we're also looking at how we tailor flavors depending on whether we're working with a clear whey or a clear vegan.
So if you've tried those products, you'll probably have picked up that when you're tasting a clear whey, you might get some of the dairy notes coming through.
These can be a little bit astringent perhaps, so something like a mango iced tea would work very, very with a, a clear.
Whey base, whereas the clear vegan products you might get more of the vegetable notes, so you might look to kind of green profile, so something like a cucumber and lime or a watermelon would, would work very in those bases.
OK, some really nice flavors and flavor innovation going on there.
What about the functionalities of those, those flavors, are you also bringing that in as to formulations?
Yeah, so, functional ingredients are, another interesting area, they're a great way of adding a premium proposition to products.
Again, we've, we've conducted research in this space and we found that 28% of UK consumers said that functional ingredients were worth paying.
More for whilst 20% also said that they would pay more for specific branded functional ingredients, so, that's a real area of innovation that we're seeing.
Within functional ingredients, we're seeing hydration as an, a really fast growing, fast paced space.
85% of US water users, for example, who are employed say that keeping hydrated helps them be more productive at work, so I think this taps into that wider trend of performance nutrition outside of the conventional sports category.
Definitely, OK, super interesting.
Excuse me.
OK, so outside of typical gym goers and athletes, what trends are you seeing for performance nutrition, sort of outside of sports, so more of the everyday people like you and me?
Yeah, yeah, performance nutrition has become a very, very broad church now, you know, it goes so much further than just sports.
I think over the past 5 years, we've seen a real emergence of the performance category for gaming, which has been talked about a lot, you know, it found real success during COVID, and it's continued to go from strength to strength, and I think people are starting to look at how they can apply.
That mindset to other areas of their life, so how they can maximize performance at work, for example, so we're seeing a real growth in products which are containing sort of new tropic, cognitive improving claims.
Right, so that's a real exciting area of innovation.
With that said, there is still some skepticism around the efficacy of those products.
Products, so according to data from annova, only 37% of consumers felt that products which were claiming to improve mental focus or alertness were either very or extremely effective.
So on the one hand, that is a barrier to mass adoption, but on the other it sort of speaks to a really large untapped market if that obstacle can be overcome.
Mhm, OK, super interesting.
There's obviously a lot of innovation going on, both in and out of sport and athletes, but more on the health, like the realms of health.
Is that, is this a space that you expect to see more innovation as more people try to stay ahead of like health and fitness goals?
Yeah, sure, I think people are kind of naturally competitive, especially if they're active, you know, if you're going to the effort of sort of working out daily, why wouldn't you want to perform as as you can.
Obviously people are, most people have smartwatches now, so their workouts and their fitness levels are being tracked and broadcast to, to their friend groups, so I think people.
They'll always want that edge, they're always on the lookout for products that can give them that sort of extra 1%, so ultimately it's up to sort of brands and ingredients suppliers to keep up with those consumers and keep developing new functional products that can help support their goals, whether it be to improve fitness, to lose weight, or improve their cognitive performance at work.
OK, fantastic.
And we like to kind of end the interview with sort of forward, forward looking, question or statement, but in terms of innovation and the company's strategy and what, what we've got to look forward to, what, what's in the pipeline from, from Synergy, maybe Vicky, you'd like to jump in on that question as.
Yeah, I think, you know, focusing on some of those areas that we've discussed today.
So, you know, functional being a really key area where, you know, we've seen it a lot already this year, some really interesting retail launches.
You know, and it's how we really focus in on that area.
We've seen gut health be a key focus for January already.
So for us it's staying ahead of those trends, having a look at some of those functional things that are coming through.
And for us it's really important looking at the flavor element, so we know that flavor and functionality is really entwined.
So we very much see that halo flavor approach.
If you see an immunity drink, for example, people expect it to be citrus.
If it's gut health, they want to see ginger.
So for us it's really understanding, you know, those links between flavor and functionality.
Yeah, perfect.
Alright, thank you to the both of you for joining me, Chris and Vicky, and er yeah, we will talk soon.
Thanks very much.
