TRENDS

2018
 WHAT’S TO COME?
MACRO TRENDS FLAVOUR TRENDS

SUGAR

SUGAR GLOBAL/ WORLD SAVOURY FLORAL

REDUCTION

Clean Label

PROVENANCE TRANSPARENCY BERRY SPICES

COLD BREW CITRUS

 SUGAR REDUCTION SUGAR

Sugar reduction is one of the big issues food & beverage

manufacturers are facing. Sugar taxes on soft drinks are
either in force or have been planned for many countries
across the globe.

The problem for manufacturers is that traditional natural

sweeteners such as Stevia can leave an aftertaste, which
often require masking agents to combat this. Another issue
is by reducing the sugar content this can often impact the
mouthfeel of the product.

Have you tried Sweetfeel?

Up to 50% sugar reduction soultion SUGAR
 GLOBAL/WORLD
Affordable worldwide travel and the ease of access to
information from anywhere around the globe thanks to the
internet has led to consumers and manufacturers looking
to flavours from different countries & cultures, bringing
these influences back and using them in products that
traditionally wouldn’t use those flavours.

Regions such as the Middle East have been tipped to be a

hot bed for the next wave of flavour inspirations throughout
the globe. South East Asia, particularly Korea is another
region touted as an area to look at for flavour inspiration
and product innovation.

Have you tried

Chermoula | Falafel
Tamarind | Sekanjabin
 PROVENANCE
In the age of open information, the origin of a product
has become a hot consumer topic, with recent trends in
consumer purchasing indicating that customers are more
likely to buy a product if they have more information about
what it’s made from and where it comes from.

Product provenance has been a strong trend in the food

and fashion industries for some time now as various
controversies have prompted consumers to ask for the full
story behind what they buy, where it comes from and the
ultimate impact it may have on the environment.

Have you tried:

Mexican Lime | Brazilian Orange
Sicilian Lemon
 TRANSPARENCY Clean Label

Transparency from producers is increasing in importance, the

growing number of conscious consumers want to know exactly
what’s in the product they are buying.

Clean labelling is not just about putting a claim on a product,

but consumers are increasingly trying to be health-conscious
and informed about what they eat

Perceptions of so-called “natural” products and ingredients

vary among consumers, creating challenges for product
developers.

“What’s in the product?” is a big question consumers ask when

making purchasing descions, products such as Ungerer’s FTNF
(From The Named Fruit) flavours can help clean label claims.

Have you tried these FTNF flavours:

Mango | Watermelon
Pomegranate | Mandarin
 COLD BREW
Cold brew is hot right now, characterised by its smooth
and full bodied flavour. With the ready to drink (RTD) trend
on the up, there has been a sharp increase in RTD cold
brew options, this, coupled with the minimal equipment
needed to prepare the beverage, has seen it’s popularity
soar everywhere from artisan coffee shops to the big
supermarkets.

Cold brew, like many hot drink trends, first came onto the
scene at independent coffee shops, who focused on sourcing
fair trade beans, artisanal roasts and pour-over methods.

Nitro cold brew is tipped to be the next artisinal trend for

teas and coffees.

Have you tried Cold Brew with:

Cherry | Almond
Rose | Aloe Vera
 SAVOURY
As was widely seen in 2017, savoury flavours have made
their way into traditionally sweeter products.

Products using savoury flavours can rely less on sugar

content than its sweet flavour counterparts, something
which is going down well with the growing number of health
conscious consumers.

It’s not just sweet products turning savoury, combinations

of the two such as carrot & strawberry are proving popular
with consumers, giving confidence that sweet & savoury
combinations can be succesful in mainstream products.

Have you tried:

Cucumber | Rosemary
Carrot | Sweet Potato
 FLORAL
Gin’s rise in popularity has thrusted floral & botanical flavours
into the limelight and has given their profile a mainstream
platform.

As the use of florals has increased dramatically, adventurous and

lesser known flavours are becoming more attractive as the new
wave of consumers are open to trying new and experimental
flavour profiles.

Floral flavours are also proving to be somewhat of an anti-thesis

to the overly sweet products that are proving less popular with
the ongoing sugar debate and various sugar taxations on the
horizon.

Have you tried:

Hibiscus | Angelica Root
Rose | Lavender
 BERRIES
A select few berry flavours have dominated the market for many
years. Most people have tasted or regularly consume products
containing Strawberry, Grape, Raspberry and Cranberries.

Now however once uncommon berries are becoming prevalent

flavours in the food industry.

Consumers’ desire for innovation and healthy food options have

driven companies to experiment with superfood flavours and
berries are at the top of that list.

Have you tried:

Goji | Aronia
Acai
 SPICES
Consumers are now open and willing to experiment with
spices to experience new flavours, giving the food and
beverage industry a chance to offer more complex flavour
profiles. Sensory experience is one of many trends that can
be further explored by using spices.

The quest for experiences provides opportunities for the

fusion of spice and sweet flavours in products that would
ordinarily have sweet profiles, leading to new taste and
experiential sensations.

Have you tried:

Turmeric | Cardamom
Coriander | Ginger
 CITRUS
Citrus flavours have capitalized on the growth of premium
beverages. The premium beverage market has seen an
increase in sales, despite a weaker economy.

No other taste enjoys greater acceptance in the beverage

industry and is consistently one of the most popular flavours
for sweet food products.

The popularity of citrus as one of the most preferred tastes

for consumers can be related to its delicate and balanced
flavour profile, combining sweetness and acidity giving
feelings of refreshment and naturalness.

Have you tried:

Yuzu | Lime
Grapefruit
 FLAVOUR WATCH
Ungerer have hand picked the below flavours as ones to keep your eye on during 2018

Persimmon Lychee Bay Leaf

Cassia Bark Fig Jasmine

Ungerer Limited | Sealand Road | Chester | UK | CH1 4LP
T: +44 (0) 1244 371711 | F: +44 (0) 1244 380185
www.ungererlimited.com

For further enquiries or sample requests

please contact:

flavsales@ungerer.co.uk