Pierre Hermé’s Ispahan, Tears of Chios and Strega: Sensient’s newest flavour collection has a story to tell

According to the global flavour house, its 2020-2021 collection can serve as a basis for spinning captivating tales around the end product, too.

Fruity and floral

Ispahan is based on the signature dessert of legendary pastry chef Pierre Hermé: soft pink macarons sandwiching a layer of raspberries on rose buttercream, with a lychee in the centre. When merged, these individual ingredients create a surprising taste combination; at the same time, Sensient’s sweet and creamy Ispahan flavour captivates with the harmony of fruity and floral notes.

Spicy

Tears of Chios pays homage to a process unchanged for the past 2,500 years, where residents of the Chios – the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the northern Aegean Sea – harvest the resin of the mastic tree. The hardened liquid is washed by hand and dried and is known as ‘Tears of Chios’, commonly used for baking. The eponymous flavour has notes of cedar, vanilla and liquorice, bringing a spicy touch to savoury snacks and baked goods.

Sweet and bitter

Consumers today are increasingly focused on holistic wellness, with particular interest on the functional benefits of snacks. Ajwan, a traditional Indian spice, is an Ajurvedic remedy that can help snack producers add value to their products. The sweet, pungent and bitter Ajwan flavour from Sensient Flavors combines notes of thyme, oregano, cumin and anise.

Herbal

Strega – named after an Italian herbal liqueur originally used for its medicinal properties by now enjoying a renaissance as a digestive – is a multifaceted flavour offering a complex mix of cinnamon, juniper, mint, anise and fennel. The flavour delivers a unique kick to numerous application possibilities.

Woody

Oud imparts musky, warm woody and balsamic notes that come from the tropical agar tree. When the tree gets infected with a parasitic mould, its wood starts producing fragrant resin. As the result, the original disease helps create one of the most expensive ingredients for the perfume industry, as well as a promising flavour component for food.

“The intention of ‘Trends to Taste’ is not only to inspire innovation, but also provide actionable insights to narrow the gap between a brand and its consumers,” said James Street, marketing director EMEA, Sensient Flavors.

“At Sensient, we believe that understanding consumers in the broader context of socio-cultural trends is vital in order to drive stronger product performance in the marketplace.

“We encourage our clients to use the insights of our latest trend report to innovate and create value for their consumers.”