Flavors of the FutureRising stars of flavors for sports nutrition influenced by North America

So, what’s next?

Which trends are set to shape the winning flavors of tomorrow? How do we separate the fleeting from the enduring? What will make my products stand out? These are among our favorite conversations.

So, we set out to devise our hot list of the rising stars of flavors for sports nutrition. Our journey of discovery begins with the flavor zeitgeist, harvesting ideas and inspiration from influential bloggers, food writers and futurologists. Then we benchmarked with real data such as product launches and global search trends.

Finally, our experts in flavor and sports nutrition assessed and refined to create our hot list; only those that they felt had true potential in the market making the final cut.

A journey of discovery Your new flavor forecast

Paired to perfection

Ahead of the curve, new to consumers and generally too novel to be on menus.

YuzuMochi

Tart CherryTurmericSpeculoosMatcha

Pecans S’moresBirthday CakeCookie Dough

Starting to appear in food products with potential to mainstream in the near future.

Regarded as normal or conventional in a segment and poised to work in sports nutrition.

Well established in certain regions with potential for global appeal.

carrot

ginger

lemon

Foodpairing® uses science to analyze and determine, on a molecular level, the degrees and compatibility between different ingredients. Reveal delicious pairings you’ve never even imagined!

Innovation is the lifeblood of success. Nowhere is this more evident than in the sports and performance nutrition market, where savvy consumers actively seek the latest nutritional science delivered in new and interesting formats and flavors.

As part of our ongoing flavor exploration journey, we wanted to ensure that we uncovered the stars of tomorrow and beyond. We have divided our chosen flavors into four categories that illustrate where the flavor sits in terms of its lifecycle from emerging through to global potential.

Authors

Sarah O’Neill Marketing Manager, Carbery

Will McCormack Business Development Manager, Synergy US

Barbara McCarthy Nutrition Research Manager, Carbery

Parveen Werner Marketing Director, Synergy US

Hugh Evans Marketing Manager, Synergy UK

Alexandre MassumotoPrincipal Researcher

YuzuCONSUMER INTEREST

FLAVOR COMBOS

IN MARKET PRODUCTS

mint

lemon

apple

U MatchaMatcha green tea with yuzu flavor (USA, 2013)

Samuel Adams American Summer

Tropic of Yuzu wheat ale(USA, Jul 2017)

Truly Spiked & SparklingLemon & yuzu flavor sparkling water (USA, Feb 2018)

Sencha NaturalsYuzu & ginger green tea mints

(USA, 2017)

Yuzu Is Embraced as a Mainstay IngredientFavored for its subtle citrus flavor that is less tart

than its counterparts, yuzu has made its way onto menus across the world and has been incorporated into products ranging from alcoholic beverages to artisan desserts. The newfound popularity of the flavor highlights the progression of interest in Japanese cuisine beyond sushi and other mainstays.

Yuzu Is the Asian “Superfruit” Seattle Bartenders Are Currently in Love With

Yuzu is a citrus fruit similar to a small, irregular grapefruit with pitted skin. It can be yellow or green depending on the degree of ripeness. Yuzu originated from and grows wild in central China and Tibet. It was introduced to Japan and Korea during the Tang Dynasty and it remains widely cultivated there.

The yuzu’s flavor is tart, closely resembling that of a grapefruit, with overtones of mandarin orange. It is rarely eaten as a fruit, though in the Japanese cuisine its aromatic zest (outer rind) is used to garnish some dishes, and its juice is commonly used as a seasoning, similar to lemon in other cuisines.

Mochi

If you haven’t bitten into a squishy, sweet, cold mochi, you’re seriously missing out

It’s perfectly soft and squishy on the outside, but refreshingly cold and creamy on the inside. The textures of the mochi and the ice cream work perfectly together, and every variety we tried was saturated with flavor

EPIC!

CONSUMER INTERESTIN MARKET PRODUCTS

Mochi bars are coming! It’s hard to improve on plain ice cream, but wrapping it in soft, spongy mochi does the trick

FLAVOR COMBOS

mango

strawberry

green tea

Halo TopMochi & green tea ice cream (USA, Aug 2017)

My/MoStrawberry mochi ice cream

(USA, Jun 2017)

Buono Mochi Ice DessertNon-dairy mango ice dessert(USA, May 2018)

Mochi flavored products started to appear in late 2014 and have increased by 300% since then

Mochi, a simple pounded rice cake, has begun its journey to become the fusion dessert we’ve all come to know and love. A traditional Japanese food, it is typically sold and eaten during the Japanese New Year. Nowadays, people refer to mochi ice cream as simply mochi. However, using the shorthand you are referring exclusively to the dough surrounding center.

TartCherry

Tart Cherry Next Superfood of 2018

Why Everyone’s Sweet on Tart Cherries

CONSUMER INTERESTIN MARKET PRODUCTS

FLAVOR COMBOS

chocolate

strawberry

blueberry

Cherry Performer Recovery-Enhancing Body FuelTart cherry juice(USA, Mar 2018)

Bissinger’s Tart Cherry & Cocoa Nib Crisp

Dark chocolate bar(USA, Feb 2018)

Upruit Sparkling Tart Cherry Cold-Brew CoffeeCold pressed fruit and sparkling cold-brew coffee(USA, Oct 2017)

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES

Numbers of tart cherry product launches increased by 87% between Q4 2017 and Q1 2018.

Tart cherries, also known as sour cherries, are bright red when harvested and retain their vibrant color when juiced, frozen or baked. There are several varieties of the tart or sour cherry: the dark-red Morello cherry and the lighter-red varieties including the Amarelle cherry and the popular Montmorency cherry. The Montmorency cherry is the most popular and owes its status to its use in baking and other recipes.

TurmericCONSUMER INTERESTIN MARKET PRODUCTS

FLAVOR COMBOS

carrot

ginger

lemon

Noona’s Little Miss Sunshine

Turmeric Ice Cream (USA, May 2017)

Iconic ProteinTurmeric & ginger protein drink

(USA, Jan 2018)

Lipton Daily SupportTurmeric, echinacea & ginger green tea supplement(USA, Nov 2017)

Turmeric flavored product launches had an increase of 51% in the last year in North America and has shown no sign of slowing down.

Turmeric has earned its status as a superfood in recent years thanks to its active ingredient curcumin, which is known to have anti-inflammatory properties.

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES

Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial flowering plant of the ginger family. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. To make ground turmeric the rhizomes are boiled in water for about 30–45 minutes and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder. Turmeric is commonly used as a coloring and flavoring agent in Asian and Indian cuisines, especially for curries, as well as for dyeing. Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, pepper-like flavor and earthy, mustard-like aroma.

From golden lattes to wonder drug - is turmeric really such a super spice?

Why Turmeric is the New Superfood

Starbucks is hopping on the turmeric latte trend

Speculoos

THE MEDIA SAYS

CONSUMER INTERESTIN MARKET PRODUCTS

FLAVOR COMBOS

passionfruit

peach

lychee

Lidl Speculoos Crunchy cookie spread

(USA, Oct 2017)

Tillamook Special BatchSpeculoos cookie caramel ice cream(USA, Aug 2017)

Zöet Speculoos Cookie Butter Milk chocolate truffles(USA, Oct 2017)

The Rise of Cookie Butter: How Speculoos Spread Hit It Big in the U.S.

Is Cookie Butter the New Nutella?

Food Trend: Why we’re loving Cookie Butter

Speculoos is a type of spiced shortcrust biscuit, traditionally baked for consumption on or just before St. Nicholas’ Day in the Netherlands (5th of December), Belgium (6th of December), and around Christmas in Germany. Speculoos are thin, very crunchy, caramelized, slightly browned. Most significantly they have some image or figure, often from the traditional stories about St. Nicholas, stamped on the front side before baking; the back is flat. The European indulgence made its way to North America in 2010, but has only hit the mainstream in 2017.

Matcha

520% growth of matcha flavored product launches over the last four years.

CONSUMER INTERESTIN MARKET PRODUCTS

FLAVOR COMBOS THE MEDIA SAYS

raspberry

mango

lychee

Häagen-DazsGreen tea ice cream

(Mexico, Aug 2018)

Iconic Protein Coconut Cream & MatchaProtein drink(USA , Jan 2018)

Blue Print OrganicMatcha NutCashew drink

(USA, Mar 2018)

Dean & Deluca PerformanceMatcha & espresso nutrition bar

(USA)

Matcha is finely ground powder from specially grown and processed green tea leaves. The green tea plants for matcha are shade-grown for about three weeks before harvest and the stems and veins are removed in processing. During shaded growth the plant produces more theanine and caffeine. The powdered form of matcha is consumed differently from regular tea leaves or tea bags. It is dissolved in a liquid, typically water or milk. In modern times, matcha also has come to be used to flavor and dye foods such as mochi and soba noodles, green tea ice cream, matcha lattes, and a variety of Japanese wagashi confectionery. The complex taste of matcha has been described as rich, aromatic, astringent, and leaving a lingering sweetness. This unique taste profile has been attributed to chlorophyll and amino acids.

What is matcha tea and why is it so popular?Three years ago, it was a challenge to find a decent cup of matcha tea in New York. Now customers need not walk more than a few blocks before stumbling into one of a dozen cafés in Lower Manhattan specializing in the Japanese green tea.

‘Matcha’ gets remake in U.S. market

Behind the trends: Matcha

PecanCONSUMER INTEREST

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES

FLAVOR COMBOS

402% growth in pecan flavors for ice cream products between Q4 2017 and Q1 2018.

What to expect for fall 2018:• Increased mentions on breakfast menus,

particularly in breakfast starches such as pancakes and waffles

• Continued use in sauces atop desserts• Toasted pecan flavoring, namely in coffee

beverages

IN MARKET PRODUCTS

Simple TruthPecan & Butter Almond dessert(USA, Feb 2018)

Nada Moo!Mmm... Maple Pecan Dairy-free frozen dessert(USA, Jan 2018)

Häagen-DazsBourbon Praline Pecan Ice cream(USA, Apr 2017)

Pecans are native to North America; the nuts were propagated by Native Americans as far north as Illinois and the southern part of Iowa. Once people had pecans, they started using them for baking. The earliest printed pecan recipes began popping up in Texas cookbooks in 1870s and 1880s.

S’moresCONSUMER INTERESTIN MARKET PRODUCTS

RELATED GOOGLE SEARCHES

Post Frosted S’mores BitesShredded wheat cereal(Mexico, Mar 2018)

Leclerc Choco Max S’mores flavored chocolate

coated chewy bars(Mexico, Feb 2018)

Nice! S’mores flavored chewy granola bars(Puerto Rico, Jan 2018)

Duncan HinesFuntastic S’mores

Microwave cake mix(Mexico, Jan 2018)

“Who invented s’mores?”

“How to make s’mores in the oven?”

“S’mores frappuccino”

“S’mores dip recipe”

“S’mores bars recipe”

THE MEDIA SAYS

S’more is a traditional night-time campfire treat popular in the United States and Canada, consisting of a fire-roasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two pieces of graham cracker. In the United States 10th of August is the National S’mores Day.

Cookie Dough

CONSUMER INTERESTIN MARKET PRODUCTS

THE MEDIA SAYS

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES

Ben & Jerry’s Cinn-Dough-rellaCinnamon bun dough ice cream(USA, May 2018)

Ben & Jerry’s P.B Dough-ble ChocolateChocolate chip cookie dough ice cream(USA, May 2018)

Ben & Jerry’sChip off the Dough Block Peanut butter cookie dough

ice cream(USA, May 2018)

Cookie Dough was one of the top flavors for ice cream in 2017 with 33 new launches.

Ben & Jerry’s Just Dropped Three Brand-New Cookie Dough FlavorsIt only makes sense that Ben and Jerry, the guys known for their chunk-filled ice cream, are the ones behind cookie dough ice cream. As the story goes, an anonymous fan sent in a suggestion to make the flavor back in 1984, and decades later, it’s one of their most popular flavors. This summer, the brand is upping the ante with three new cookie dough flavors, available in scoop shops now.

Cookie Dough flavor started its journey to mainstream favorite when Ben & Jerry’s launched their legendary Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream in 1984 - the result of a call out to customers to suggest new flavors for them to try. Today, it still ranks in their top 5 best selling variants. Ready-to-eat gourmet Cookie Dough is widely available in a range of sub-flavors through supermarkets, specialist stores and dough shops. The internet is a awash with recipes for homemade protein shakes and smoothies in this nostalgic flavor.

Birthday CakeCONSUMER INTERESTIN MARKET PRODUCTS

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES

Celebratory Flavor: Birthday cake-flavored products highlight its new role as a standalone flavorImplications - Following in the same vein as everything bagel in becoming a flavor in its own right, birthday cake is now an mainstream flavor offered in a variety of food and beverage categories. This shift highlights the comfort in familiar experiences such as shared celebrations and the ability to evoke the positive connotations of such events in exciting new flavor offerings.

Birthday cake started to appear as a flavor around 2013 but has reached its peak only in late 2016: 10 new launches in Q4 2016. Latin Americans are trying the new flavor with 2 launches published in the last few months.

Tastykake Birthday Kake Flavored Kake Chips(USA , Jan 2018)

Quest Bar Birthday cake flavored protein bar

(USA , Mar 2018)

OneBirthday cake flavored

protein bar(USA, Apr 2018)

On Cake BitesBirthday cake flavored

protein snack(Mexico, Mar 2018)

Consumer’s desire for nostalgic flavors continues to grow. Despite birthday cake flavor being somewhat esoteric in nature, it has become a popular staple of hard candy and other confectionery in recent years. Birthday Cake flavor is perfectly positioned to appeal to consumers with a sweet tooth looking for unique flavors that are youthful, fun and celebratory.

THE MEDIA SAYS

Product images sourced from Mintel Global New Product Database (GNPD). Carbery Group has compiled this brochure for information purposes only. Information contained in this brochure has been compiled with the utmost care using sources and resources classified as reliable. All statements and information made in this brochure are for information purposes only and completely without obligation. Carbery Group assumes no liability for any losses or damage resulting from the trust, reliance or dependence on the published information contained in this brochure by any party. 

flavorsofthefuture@synergytaste.com