With three out of every four consumers searching to satisfy their appetite for adventure and take their tongues on a trip around the world, there is a real pressure on product developers to come up with something new that reflects something deeply instilled.
Globally influenced dishes are driving menu and retail innovation as consumers embrace culinary exploration, transportive flavours and new food experiences.
To help brands whip up excitement with consumers, Flavourchem has developed a six-strong signature collection that tuned into the trends influencing food choices today.
Matching trends to tastes
Such as taste exploration. The Illinois-headquartered flavour house asserts that brands focusing on pairing emerging, yet less common, flavours and ingredients with familiar flavours are in great shape to make a taste trial more approachable.
But, as seen at this year’s IFT First Annual Event and Expo, regional diversity, too, is really on point, and soirees into Latin America, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe flavours were on full display at the Chicago show in July.
Taking its cue, Flavorchem’s first stop on its Global Flavour Fest palette is Mexican Elote, a Mexican-style ‘corn on the cob’ that bursts with umami, smoky and citrusy notes.
Then, still in the West, a nod to the Classic Guacamole, with its rich and fatty tones offset by deeply savoury spices and a citrus zing.
Heading East, gochujang is a paste made from red chili pepper flakes, sticky rice, fermented soybeans and salt. Flavorchem pimps its Korean Gochujang seasoning with red pepper, garlic and toasted sesame to enhance the paste’s signature sharp, umami taste.
Going further East, lip-numbing Sichaun peppercorns and chilli peppers make an essential base for this Chinese stir fry. Flavorchem’s Sichuan Style Kung Pao seasoning blends soy sauce, stir-fried onion, chili and ginger to resemble the traditional dish.
Turning up the heat
With 75% of Americans craving hot and spicy foods to some degree, brands need to turn up the heat or turn off. This has driven an emergence of a wider bouquet of chili varieties, which meet the demand for something mild, hot or off the charts.
Flavorchem’s collection takes its influence from India, featuring two heat intensities: Mild Indian Curry and Madras Hot Curry.
The first may be mild in heat, but Flavorchem has loaded the sweet and savoury seasoning with fenugreek, turmeric and garam masala. Going up a notch, the hot curry seasoning includes red chili, along with essential oils toasted cumin seed and green cardamom.
According to Innova Market Insights, the pandemic has impacted consumer shopping and eating behaviour, and today, 65% of Americans are whipping up meals at home. However, the movement has brought forth the adventurer and US consumers say cooking at home are a great way to try new flavours.
As such, Flavorchem’s Global Flavour Fest collection can be optimised for most food applications, but it certainly will add that je ne sais quoi to snacks and baked goods.
All six are kosher, non-GM and can simply be labelled as ‘natural’ on an ingredient statement.