SNACKS & CONFECTIONERY

New positioning target evolving consumer groups

Beverage aisles are packed with an enormous selection of classic juices, waters, near-water drinks, energy drinks, sports and wellness products and/or superfood fusions with Matcha and other plant extracts.

HEALTH-CONSCIOUS BUYERS are turning to products with well-being properties, but the boundaries between traditional target groups are blurred. Special ingredients such as the low-glycemic carbohydrate, Palatinose allow the development of sports drinks with new positionings.

To effectively reach these new target groups, it is important to understand their objectives. Whereas professional athletes need to prepare their bodies for extreme stress situations with special foods that are tailored to their needs, or quickly replenish their energy and mineral stores during and after training with isotonic drinks, hobby athletes are generally more interested in getting their bodies in better shape with a moderate level of activity. At the same time, those who hope to get more and long-lasting energy for their everyday lives are turning to fitness drinks.

Sports drinks must also deliver in terms of taste. Protein beverages are a good example: when they were still a niche product in training halls and fitness studios, the powdery mouthfeel and typical off-taste were mostly considered to be “necessary evils.” Today, with protein-enriched drinks readily available, expectations are rising and manufacturers are looking for new ways to compensate for the sensory disadvantages of protein enrichment with masking ingredients.

Manufacturers of sports drinks for general consumer use also have to keep an eye on carbohydrates, and on sugars in particular. Whereas athletes primarily see the functional properties of carbs and sugars as sources of energy, conventional sugar is one of the ingredients that many healthconscious consumers are wary of. For many, conventional sugar is seen as a fattening and disease-causing agent and a precursor to obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes or tooth decay. At the same time, sugars are also key energy sources our bodies need to function, which is why making the right choice is important.

Especially for amateur fitness enthusiasts who go to the gym to get their body in better shape or lose weight, for the employee under duress or the student taking exams, strong

Range of premium extracts for low or no alcohol drinks

Kerry, the Taste & Nutrition company has released the Botanicals Collection Zero, an extensive range of high-quality, authentic botanical extracts that contains 0% ethanol. The range is designed specifically for the low- and no-alcohol beverage markets. The Botanicals Collection ZERO range of distillate from botanical sources enables the creation of greattasting low- or no-alcohol beverages

THE PORTFOLIO CURRENTLY includes 15 by 9% per annum, producers that can offer standard products including juniper, tasty and healthier upscale beverage choices rosebud, elderflower, cocoa, turmeric, will see a significant and growing market cinnamon with investigations ongoing to opportunity in the years to come. add more exciting tastes producers and The range offers many advantages: consumers will love. it’s fully traceable, clean-label, certified to

Beverage producers can now create Halaal-certified, kosher-suitable and, most sophisticated low-alcohol spirits and important, ethanol-free and also free of no-alcohol options with the taste of gin, any alternative solvent. can be made to order to suit specific local rum, cocoa, ginger, etc., all while meeting It allows manufacturers to maintain a and regional tastes and requirements. emerging clean-label and low (or zero) alcohol content and permits The range contains more than 45 single quality requirements. a “0.0%” claim. In comparison to other distillate profiles and five fusions distillates Amid a growing global trend to moderate ethanol-free technologies, the Collection that can be blended and tailored to suit and control alcohol intake that looks set ZERO range is more stable, with no haze, no specific markets and create unique winning to continue for the foreseeable future, sedimentation, and a fresher botanical taste tastes. Some of the available botanical taste consumers are seeking authentic-tasting and mouthfeel. Kerry’s extensive expertise sources include juniper, ginger, rose bud, drink taste options beyond simply soft and experience in natural extraction fosters chamomile, lemon, mint, orange, dandelion, drinks. This makes low-alcohol spirits or innovative “fusion distillates” that are based cola nut, rhubarb, burdock, elderflower, no-alcohol beverages a growth market, with on a proprietary capability to blend natural black tea, cocoa, cumin, fennel, turmeric, and trade sales in the area expected to record botanicals (leaves, flowers, seeds, etc.) and cinnamon, among others. • a 41% increase over the period 2015 to 2021. then magnify taste by running a distillate With botanical extracts in alcohol beverages following a period of slow maturation. This Kerry – www.kerry.com already a $500 million business and growing allows for tailored extracts or blends that

Overweight people could benefit from products that promote fat burning and support weight management with innovative ingredients during moderate training

fluctuations in blood sugar levels are not ideal. If the sugar level rises sharply, the body releases more insulin to transport this sugar into its cells. Consequently, the blood sugar level then drops just as rapidly. As a result, performance suffers and the body demands a replenishment — the well-known “boost and crash” effect.

LONG-TERM ENERGY TRUMPS SHORT-TERM PERFORMANCE

Although sports drinks have become more popular, many still contain classic energy sources, high-glycaemic carbohydrates such as maltodextrin, sucrose or glucose syrup. High-glycaemic ingredients are broken down shortly after entering the small intestine and cause the glucose level in the blood to rise rapidly after consumption. This can be useful, for example, as an "instant" energy

boost during a sprint event or intense training sessions, but by contrast, low-glycemic carbohydrates with a more constant energy release rate such as Palatinose, are much better suited for endurance sports, moderate training or during everyday stress situations as they ensure a long-term balanced blood sugar level.

Although energy from conventional sugar is available to the body very quickly, the blood sugar level falls again soon after. As a novel form of sugar, Beneo’s Palatinose, by contrast, is metabolised much more evenly: this balanced supply of carbohydrate energy has an overall positive effect on blood sugar and insulin levels, as confirmed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Palatinose is extracted from sugar beet and occurs naturally in honey. With a 50% sweetness profile, its taste resembles that of conventional sugar (sucrose). As well, sensorial trials have shown that this alternative sugar has a beneficial effect on the taste of a drink; it improves both the body and mouthfeel.

SPORTS DRINKS FOR IMPROVED FAT METABOLISM

High glucose levels and elevated insulin concentrations have another disadvantage: they inhibit the body's ability to burn fat. Studies have shown that carbohydrate-based sports drinks with Palatinose instead of conventional sugars and/or other rapidly available carbohydrates increase the fat burning rate and performance of endurance athletes. This makes sports drinks with Palatinose interesting for a new target group: overweight people could benefit from products that promote fat burning and support weight management with innovative ingredients during moderate training.

Beneo products are supplied through Savannah Fine Chemicals. •

Savannah Fine Chemicals – www.savannah.com

Give green light to better food choices. Build consumer trust with BENEO’s ingredients.

Where consumers in general aim for a healthy lifestyle with matching nutritional habits, now more than ever, they look for balance and moderation. When in the past a “diet” label on the Front-Of-Pack would be enough, today’s buyer takes a more holistic approach of health and wellness. People look for simple solutions and focus on familiar ingredients and inherent goodness. Brands can gain consumers’ loyalty by being open about their ingredients. Improve your product’s nutritional content with the naturally sourced, functional ingredients from BENEO.

Follow us on: www.beneo.com

Our Sales Network Partner in South Africa:

sfc-info@savannah.co.za

Botanicals add healthy value to products

One in every two consumers are concerned about their health and look for naturalness in the products they consume. Food Manufacturing Africa looks at some of the latest trends predicted by global ingredient supplier Doehler.

THE GLOBAL FACT BOX MARKET for botanical extracts Doehler offers technology-driven natural is expected to reach ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated $5 833.4m by 2022 and is solutions for the F&B industry. The company’s product portfolio ranges from natural colours driven by strong health and flavours, health ingredients, pulses and and wellness trends. cereal ingredients to dairy, plant-based, Nutrition that supports fermented, fruit and vegetable ingredients to wellbeing and immunity full ingredient systems. is of particular interest and consumers are actively seeking out products that are SUSTAINABLY-SOURCED organic, sustainably sourced, produced and RAW MATERIALS AS A processed. Substances obtained from plants BASIS FOR SUCCESS offer a significant boost to products. The African Cape region is botanically

Many superfoods are known as health diverse and renowned for an abundance enhancing. Aloe vera leads the field, followed of plants known to have a positive impact by extracts such as olive leaf, moringa and on consumer health and wellbeing. African baobab. Consumers associate a positive botanical extracts are very popular. Plant emotional benefit with plant extracts, which extracts such as baobab for gut health or is also increased by demand for more plantimmunity, or rooibos for stress relief are onbased nutrition. trend and used in various inspirational and

Doehler’s range of high-quality innovative concepts. products include minimally processed fullDoehler offers a broad product portfolio spectrum powders, which contain the full of botanical extracts, which they produce load of healthiness from the raw material; at the place of origin by using gentle to high-end standardised botanical extracts. technologies. The use of hydro-alcoholic These products guarantee amounts of extraction, water-based extraction, batch certain naturally occurring healthy actives, distillation and spray-drying, to name just a like antioxidants. few innovative technologies, enables them

These valuable botanicals are paving to capture the multi-sensory and healthy the way for inspirational natural food properties of the plants in their entirety. and beverage applications with a healthy positioning. Alongside plant extracts, HEMP MEETING IMPORTANT infusions, distillates, essences and natural CONSUMER TRENDS flavours allow consumers to choose an In our fast and digital life, nutrition must individual flavour. stand out from the mainstream to have a serious impact. Consumers value

Globally, one in three consumer perceive hemp to have a positive impact on health experiences over possessions and are therefore searching for unusual ingredients. Cannabis experienced a first peak in popularity in 2019 and is still on the rise: It is the ultimate “natural” health and wellness “super-ingredient”.

Healthy and digital lifestyle drives novel and botanical flavours

It addresses the requirement for sustainablysourced products, since it can grow on arid land and uses up to 1/14th less water than cotton.

Hemp, a species of cannabis, is also trending. It is grown industrially, and applications range from food oil to biocomposites in car parts. The hemp trend can mainly be observed in beverages: Consumers accept hemp as a functional ingredient, slowly expanding into other product categories.

Globally, one in three consumers perceive hemp to have a positive impact on health. In non-alcoholic beverages, hemp-flavoured sparkling and functional water, juices and CSDs are winning examples of natural and innovative refreshment with functionality and a healthy positioning. Increasingly, spirits, beer mixes and flavoured beers are proving popular.

Doehler’s range offers natural hemp, cannabis, hop-hemp flavours and a hemp leaf infusion. Neither the natural flavours nor the hemp infusion carry any active components nor any functional properties. Instead, the company provides the entire spectrum of flavours, from the characteristic herbaceous, resinous and flowery taste profile of hemp to a wide selection of other hemp nuances.

Doehler supports their customers worldwide in formulating new recipes based on premium raw material and in bringing their smart and innovative product ideas to life. •