June 2023 Newsletter
What’s Happening with Bakery, Beverage, Confection, and Dairy Product Innovation?
It’s hard to believe we’ve approached the mid-point of 2023 when the year feels like it only just began. And though time is moving fast, it’s exciting to see what trends and experiences have popped up that we’ll forever associate with the year.
In preparation for our recent blog post, our experts explored trends in our core categories to understand how 2023 is shaping up and what trends have staying power. Overarching themes to date include health and wellness, plant-based, and innovative flavors and formats. Read the blog to learn about what’s new and trending in:
Beverage
Confections
Dairy
Bakery
BLOG
Free from Alcohol, Full of Flavor
According to the 2022 Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report, 58% of global consumers are drinking more non-alcoholic and low-ABV cocktails than a year ago. What’s driving the increased interest in moderation?
Our team executed proprietary research to discover that healthfulness, generational shifts, daypart, and personal preference all play a key role. For instance, would you have guessed that younger consumers are more likely to reach for alcohol-free offerings? Or, did you know that people reach for non-alc beverages throughout the day, similar to alcoholic beverage consumption.
Learn more about how to connect with non-alc consumers in our blog deep dive.
IFT FIRST 2023
Are you attending IFT FIRST 2023 and looking for more non-alc inspiration?
Visit our team at Booth #S4042 to taste refreshing non-alc demos at the FlavorSum bar. The conversation will be buzzing, even if our drinks are not!
VIDEO
FlavorScience Episode 6: Ice Cream
- What is the first step when crafting a new ice cream product?
- What considerations should be made when selecting inclusions and variegates for my ice cream concept?
- How can I combat iciness in my variegate?
In our fifth installment of the FlavorScience video series, Senior Applications Scientist, Kelsey Cheadle answers these questions and more as she walks us through crafting a delicious ice cream prototype. Learn how all the components of ice cream can work together in our Chocolate Blueberry Acai concept!
BLOG
Candy Innovation: Five Milestones on the Road to Crafting Sweet Success
Who doesn’t love candy? And innovation follows consumer behaviors: Mintel reports about 550 new candy products launched in 2022, a 41% increase over 2021.
As a formulator, creating delicious candy doesn’t typically come as easy as loving delicious candy. Recently, our experts examined the candy innovation process to share the five major milestones product developers are faced with when creating the sweet treats, including:
- Defining your brand guardrails
- Assessing the category landscape
- Brainstorming flavor ideas
- Formulating benchtop samples
- Creating a launch plan
VIDEO
FlavorScience Episode 6: Snack Bar Evolution
Are you interested in learning how the FlavorSum Applications Team can support your product innovation process? In our sixth episode of our FlavorScience video series, Applications Scientist Roseanne McGuire demonstrates how to create a reduced sugar snack bar in our Applications Lab.
The prototype showcases how develops can leverage sweetness optimization modulators, trending flavors, and unique shapes to deliver an ideal eating experience with a preferred label.
Supply Chain Corner
Food Price Index News from May
In their continued pursuit of defeating hunger and maintaining access to food, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has identified favorable shifts in the price of major commodities in May.
The agency notes that international food commodity prices (including cereals, vegetable oils, and dairy products) are down overall (2.6%) from April 2023 to May 2023, and significantly down (-22%) from all time high in March 2022. The decrease in price indicates a favorable production and supply for goods such as:
- Cereal down 4.8% MoM
- Wheat down 3.5% MoM
- Vegetable oil down 8.7% MoM
Though most goods showed favorable price decreases, some products, such as rice, sugar, and meat increased from April to May.
Regulatory Corner
Appropriations Bill Reveals Congressional Priorities for FDA in FY 2024
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations recently submitted a bill appropriating funds for FY 2024. (Food Safety Magazine) Notable food and beverage highlights from the bill include a mandate to restructure the Human Foods program and direction around the future for cultivated protein.
Human Foods Program: The recent bill mandates that the Human Foods Program be structured under a single Deputy Commissioner. A search for the individual began in February 2023. This change will bring all the FDA’s major food programs under one division in an effort to create a safer food supply system in the United States.
Cultivated Protein: Per the bill, the FDA has been directed to focus efforts on cultivated protein approvals and plant-based product labeling.
Read on at Food Safety Magazine to learn about other mandates.
Stay Informed with FlavorSum Discover
Are you looking for new ways to spark inspiration in your specific food or beverage category? Gain access to trends, consumer behavior and attitude shifts, and flavor news by signing up for FlavorSum Discover. You’ll receive insights from our experts, including our weekly blog, monthly newsletter, on-demand webinars, and more.
FlavorSum Team News
Celebrating our Growing Team
FlavorSum continues to bring in the talent and expertise to help you achieve your food and beverage development goals. Your success is a top priority at FlavorSum, and our team commits to doing what’s right for your brand every day.
We welcomed the following people to FlavorSum in June:
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Yoland C. – Production
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Billy S. – Sales & Marketing
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Visit our Careers page to learn about new opportunities on the FlavorSum team
How would you rate our insights?
In the July issue of FlavorSum Insights:
Trends, News, and Updates from IFT FIRST 2023
Let’s Connect and Share Daily Flavor News!
Past Issues
MAY 2023
The Snack Bar Evolution – Meeting Expectations for Flavor, Function, and Format
April 2023
News from Spring Food and Beverage Trade Shows
MARCH 2023
Finding Sweet Success with Ice Cream