Undoubtedly, the food and beverage industry undergo trends akin to changing seasons, particularly noticeable in flavour trends, as consumers consistently pursue distinctive global tastes while retaining a preference for familiar flavours.
In a survey conducted by Innova Market Insights across 11 countries, it was found that when it comes to making food and beverage choices, familiar flavours and options that are healthier or better-for-you have the greatest potential to influence consumers6.
Source: Innova Flavour Survey (2022).
Exploring the Aromatic Future in Asia Pacific Market
The market size of food flavours in the Asia Pacific region was approximated to be USD 5.32 million in 2022, with a projected growth to USD 7.7 million by 2028. This growth is expected to occur at a CAGR of 7.67% during the forecast period from 2023 to 20287.
The Asia Pacific food flavour market is primarily driven by extensive urbanization, increased disposable income, and the presence of convenient products. Furthermore, government and consumers awareness regarding targeted health and nutritional requirements play a significant role to drive the food and beverage industry, consequently boosting the demand for food flavours2. Additionally, the growing interest in a variety of flavours across all age demographics, driven by their health benefits and appealing tastes, is leading the demand for flavours within the food market, especially Asia Pacific food flavours market2.
Consumers are continuously seeking novel and captivating sensory experiences to satisfy indulgent desires and relieve monotony8. Snacks trends in 2023 will centre around taste indulgence and sensory experiences as consumers seek out snacks that promoting novel ingredients, decadent flavours, and unique formats, meanwhile snacks manufacturers will continue in innovating with multi-sensory attributes to enhance the taste experience. According to IRI’s 2022 State of Snacking survey, 64% of consumers frequently indulge themselves when engaging in snacking10.
In today’s era, younger consumers are stepping beyond their familiar preferences by exploring diverse and unconventional tastes. Thus, flavours innovations must cater to consumer preferences, offering both value and enjoyable experience. Nevertheless, amid the comfort mega-trend, traditional flavours are successfully retaining their position while consumers still actively search for flavours that evoke positive and nostalgic connections, enhancing their emotional well-being3.
Savouring the Latest Flavour Trends Shaping Snack Delights
In 2023, there remains a continued appetite for unconventional and surprising flavour combinations, atypical flavours, underlying flavour notes, and distinctive flavour combinations are also steadily gaining traction. Among the favoured tastes is Sweet Plus, a fusion of sweet plus spicy, salty, or sour elements5. According to Spoonshot’s analysis, there was a 20.5% surge in consumer interest for complex heat during the 12 months concluding in July 2022, in contrast to an 8.3% growth observed in business interest4.
Swicy trend is a combination of sweet and spicy notes and it’s originated from Korean cuisine, which has been gaining popularity since past few years, but now is showing up in most of the food and beverage, especially driving the innovation of flavours in both the salty snack and candy categories1.
Another influential flavour trend that maintains its significance in 2023 is Fermentation, alongside with the Sweet Plus trend, sour and umami flavours harmonize with the rising interest in complex tastes5. Umami flavours are not expecting to be using in snack foods, sauces, and bakery, but expanding out into other categories such as desserts and cocktails. Yeast extracts are one of the natural food ingredients that has unique umami flavour enhancing properties. Halcyon Proteins produces a wide range of naturally occurring yeast extracts that are the perfect option for using in snack foods, seasoning, dairy, prepared meals, bakery, soups, sauces, gravies, salad dressings and cheese-based products. As an option of taste enhancement, yeast extracts can also support the development of salt reduction in food and beverage products.
Amid the pandemic, consumers are drawn back to flavours reminiscent of their childhood which evoking a sense of simpler times, as such, the nostalgic flavours persistently steer the new product development in year 2023. Chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla remain the most classic and popular flavours in the food and beverage industry. Particularly vanilla, a consistently favoured flavour year after year, imparts a comforting taste to snacking favourites9. Borregaard, a vanillin producer for different applications, include food and beverage, flavour and fragrance, personal care and cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Borregaard’s comprehensive range of vanillin innovations, known as the EuroVanillin® Expert series, represents over twenty years of development, surpassing the conventional scope of vanillin. Apart from that, a novel concept known as “newstalgia” is emerging among Gen Z and young millennials. This trend redefines nostalgia and authenticity in its distinct manner. Hence, this concept might encourage food and beverage manufacturers to develop unique flavours that resonate with these “newstalgia” preferences and establish an emotional connection with their consumers7.
To thrive within the ever-evolving flavours market, companies are dedicating efforts to enhancing technologies that extend shelf life, amplify flavour intensity, and refine the physical characteristics of flavour formulations to align with modern trends and aims to bolster product quality. Scentium Flavours and Ingrebio are the brands that focused in delivering sensations and indulgence through taste expertise and technologies. Their range of products covered the flavours to be used in beverages, sweet goods, and savoury applications.
DPO International, a full suite market enabler, by working in tandem with the world’s premier specialized food ingredient producers, Halcyon Proteins, Borregaard, Scentium Flavours and Ingrebio, we are equipped to assist you in translating this trend into innovative concepts for your brand, from ideation to manufacturing stage, we are here to provide you with all kinds of solutions and support you through every phase.
