The Rising Popularity of Floral and Botanical Flavors
The natural appeal and exotic notes of floral and botanicals are not going unnoticed. Product launches, from biscuits to yogurts and drinks to snacks, are being released at an increasing rate. According to Innova Market Insights, products that contain floral flavors have grown by 5.6% in the last five years. Furthermore, 57% of consumers now say they look for botanical ingredients when choosing healthy food1.
Floral and Botanical Flavors in the Ready-to-Drink Segment
Ready-to-drink (RTD) products such as meal replacements, smoothies, and even fortified cold-brew coffee are great for people to fill up on the go. Many of these products may even be meal alternatives for a quick lunch at school or a convenient dinner at the office. Ready-to-drink products have increased in popularity in recent years, especially now that brands offer healthy, functional options.
In the past, RTD products were criticized for their lack of flavor variety, but that is by no means the case now. Today, choosing the right flavor ingredients has become vital to creating a great RTD product. One of the most potent botanical flavors in this segment is ginger, which is available through Advanced Biotech’s organic ginger extract. Health-conscious consumers want more than just a beverage, and the therapeutic qualities of elderflower, rose, and basil, to name a few, offer just that.
A New Interest in Botanicals From Afar
A range of options in different styles of cuisines are motivating consumers to broaden their palettes. Global cuisines introduce consumers to regional herbs, spices and floral flavors. Flavor inspirations are predicted to come from Latin American and Asian flavors such as habanero, Chinese Five Spice, cardamon and cayenne, which are expected to become popular additions to indulgent drinks.
Exotic flavors often feature lesser-known botanical ingredients such as star anise, mango powder, and banana blossom. Exploring foreign cuisine may introduce Western consumers to such flavors, making them more inclined to seek them out in food and beverage products.
Flowery Desserts and Botanical Sweets
Confectionery products are also experiencing a major botanical trend, and their potential is exceptionally high in texture and taste. The right combination of herbal ingredients can add complexity and sweetness for flavorists who want to create dessert products without sugar. For example, one might use monk fruit, vanilla, and rose to sweeten ice cream naturally.
Using botanical and floral flavors also allows flavorists to add more complex tastes to existing products. Add unique or exotic botanicals to a familiar favorite, and it instantly becomes an elevated dish. Flavor combinations of niche botanical profiles like geranium and familiar fruit flavors like strawberry are perfect pairings.
The Future of Florals
Floral and botanical flavors will likely only continue to grow in popularity. The true market winners, however, will be the companies that can create utterly unique flavors. Even if they are simple to make, the best floral flavorings should be practically indistinguishable from all others. Adding dietary value is the cherry on top.
To find floral and botanical flavorings for your product range, consider Advanced Biotech. We are constantly evolving our ingredients to meet the changing demands of the globalized population. Request a sample to try it or contact us for more insight.
1 https://www.innovamarketinsights.com/trends/flavor-trends-global-floral-innovation/