New product development (NPD) innovations are accelerating as we head into 2022. The last two years have sparked new debates on what food and beverage manufacturers must do to capture the attention of consumers. Whether it is at meal time or snack time, people aren’t interested in the same old “stuff” anymore — one international study estimated that 60% of consumers look to avoid artificial ingredients and preservatives while another study showed 72% of purchasers still make snacking decisions based on impulse buys.
This is why color and flavor matter more than ever.
If you aren’t catching their eye and delivering a guilt-free reward, you’re potentially missing out on entire segments of the Millennial and Gen Z generations — not to mention increasingly health-conscious Baby Boomers and Gen Xers.
Here are four trends that will influence ingredient innovations in 2022 by bringing color and taste to the forefront:
Cold Coffee Creations
More than a few Millennial and Gen Z consumers share a love for coffee and the cold brew trend delivers the taste they want in a yummy new way. Over six out of 10 Americans (62%) consume coffee every day while a recent MarketWatch report projects that the cold brew coffee market size will jump from $510.5 million in 2020 to almost $1.12 billion in 2024 — a CAGR of 28%.
An Island Escape
After two years of limited travel, more people want a moment of escape. From mango and guava to wild berry, pomegranate, and pineapple, you can attract new shoppers with the bright taste of paradise. There’s also growing interest to expand flavor familiarity to Asian, Middle Eastern and Latin American tastes. With so many buyers looking to escape, the addition of an extravagant ingredient or two can create the approachable adventure your customers demand.
Spicy Tastes Can Satisfy
More and more global consumers are turning to spicy foods for an added kick of flavor. You can look to flavors like jalapeño, cayenne, and chipotle plus trending peppers like habanero, poblano, and serrano. Additional ingredient influences from India, Mexico, and the Middle East can provide countless new ways to leave spice-seekers wanting more.
Clean Label is Here to Stay
Interest in natural food colors and flavors has seen a high demand in recent years and buyers are on the lookout for trending descriptors like “organic” and “natural” when making their purchasing decisions.
According to ADM, 62% of consumers are actively avoiding artificial coloring in their food and beverage purchases while one report from Dublin-based Fact.MR estimates that the global natural food colors industry will reach $17 billion by 2031.
Your business can incorporate the flavors and colors clean label consumers want by utilizing freeze- dried ingredients — including the whole pieces and powders available through Chaucer Foods.
Learn more about how you can use freeze-dried fruit and vegetables to elevate your product’s tasty flavors and eye-catching colors, or contact us at customer.services@chaucerfoods.com to request a sample or more information.
1“Brands Make a “Clean” Break from Artificial Ingredients and Preservatives” L.E.K. Consulting, February 2020.
2“How America Eats: Snacking Lifestyles Are Here to Stay” Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) April 2020.
3NCA releases 2020 National Coffee Data Trends, the “Atlas of American Coffee” (ncausa.org)
4“Global Cold Brew Coffee Market 2021…Forecast 2024” – MarketWatch, November 2021.
5Natural colors shine through in beverage formulations | 2021-10-27 | Beverage Industry (bevindustry.com)