Magazines Archives - 2009 January

Asian flavours 2009: Exotic and spicy
Story 12 - Food Business Area

Manufacturers are seeking to make bold statements by capturing the unique notes and flavours in everyday food products. What are some of the ingredients expected to take centre stage this year?

Exotic fruits and spicy flavours will jazz up this year’s food and drinks as manufacturers do away
with the bland, mild and boring, a study conducted by research firm Mintel International revealed.

The company believes that bold flavours will take centre stage in 2009 as manufacturers search for ingredients that make a statement. “Today’s manufacturer is constantly looking for tastes and aromas that stand out and capture shoppers’ imagination. By adding exotic fruits and unusual ingredients to everyday products, companies give people the opportunity to experiment and move out of their comfort zones without breaking the bank,” maintained Mintel’s new product expert, Lynn Dornblaser.

Persimmon, Mintel discovered, is one of seven flavours that will dominate this year. The company also noted the growing use of “unique and exotic fruit” in blends with the more common produce,
citing a new Japanese yoghurt that contains white peaches, persimmons and apricots. Starfruit, another produce of the East, is gaining favour around the world as well, it said. “Already seen in Flor de Hibiscus Chutney with Star Fruit (Brazil), the exotic fruit will become a major global player in 2009,” the research firm averred.

Lavender is also expected to move beyond the home and personal-care categories to penetrate the F&B segment. It is already an ingredient in Lindt Chocolat Provence’s Lemon-Lavender Dream chocolate.

“Lavender can be paired with more familiar ingredients to bring a naturally soothing, aromatic quality to food and drink,” the study added. Another pick of the year is cactus, which is a popular food flavour in Latin America. Meanwhile, Chimichurri, a sauce for grilled meats recognised for its clean, clear flavour, is also gaining acceptance in the US and should soon become more familiar globally, Mintel
reckoned. And, poised to “set the world alight” is peri-peri, an African hot sauce made popular by Nando’s restaurants in the UK, it added.

Indian spice masala, too, will offer inspiration for the year. In fact, Lay’s has gone ahead with this ethnic lavour in its new Magic Masala Crisps. Mintel also predicted that bold food scents would dominate fragrances in 2009. Seen to be strong contenders are spicy and woody traditional notes for men’s fragrances, which “resonate with consumers’ spicy-food cravings”; savoury scents tied to festive meals and salty snacks; and flavours that are spicyhot, exotic and fruity. However, the research company sees the organic-food segment braving a sluggish 2009, warning, in a separate statement,
of a decline in the organic F&B sector due to the global economic downturn.

“Economic struggles will undoubtedly change the way organic food and drinks are sold. But we don’t expect people to completely stop buying organics,” said Marcia Mogelonsky, senior analyst at Mintel. To cope with high prices, consumers of organic-food products are expected to opt for private-label brands over famous ones.

Findings from the Mintel survey also indicated that “three out of five” consumers interviewed said they would reach for “whatever is available when shopping” as the difference between [branded] and private-label organics did not matter to them. “Private label poses an increasingly large threat to branded
organic lines,” stressed Mintel. The research company, with offices in the US, Europe, Australia, China and Japan, supplies consumer, product and media intelligence.

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