The up-and-coming trends no doubt will be making their way into new food and beverage product launches as well as the restaurant sector.

Flavor trends include a deeper dive into the Mediterranean Sea; consumers that are making healthy-ish decisions; ingredients found at the intersect of the world’s grid; chefs using a touch of cleverness in the unexpected; an inspiration from our social surroundings; and a “bao of respect” to well-known Chinese provinces of the culinary world.

Here are Bell’s six up-and-coming Spark Flavor Trends:

Touched by the Mediterranean. This trend takes consumers on a journey around the Mediterranean Sea near the Northern coast, filled with an abundance of fresh seafood, and learn the various citruses, crafted-liquors, cheeses and seasonings reigning from this region.

Healthy-ish. Consumers are all about eating healthy without sacrificing taste. This trend explores what’s nutritionally good and making it (actually) fun to eat—by exploring those healthier alternatives and flavor enhancers that create well-balanced and tasty dishes but also make food selection decisions kind of “healthy-ish.”

Longitude and Latitude. Imaginary lines across the globe create a grid of exploration and intrigue for many chefs with the need to learn about new ingredients and flavors.

Unexpected. This 2018 trend combines several perfectly crafted executions with a special dash of surprise that keeps people coming back for more using unexpected flavors nuzzling their way into dishes.

Outdoor Social. This trend zeroes in on foods and beverages that can and should be enjoyed everywhere, and it seems like we all enjoy it just a smidgen more when that “place” is outside.

A Wok Through the Provinces. Move over crab rangoons and fried rice—the world is finally discovering the robust culinary repertoire of China’s eight food regions and their palette-tickling diversity.

The Bell Spark® trend program has evolved over the years to become a dynamic program that analyzes different data points combined with consumer insight to generate trend forecasts for flavor and fragrance predictions and concepts.

“Each year Bell validates our past predictions to see where they have matured in the market place and our success rate has been spot on for each Spark® trend further validating our unique trend curation process. We are excited to ignite your creativity and inspire your senses for future flavor and fragrance developments,” said Kelli Heinz, vice president of marketing, Bell Flavors & Fragrances.

Food Insider Journal recently explored the popularity of ethnic foods and authentic flavors and how it will affect new product development. Download the “Ethnic Flavors Feeding Product Innovation” digital magazine to learn how brands are tapping into new market opportunities in virtually every category in the food and beverage market.

Americans can’t get enough snacks, whether they’re choosing them as mid-afternoon treats or using them to replace meals entirely. But as the category’s popularity grows, leading health organizations warn against overindulging in the salty stuff. As a result, consumer research shows shoppers are beginning to rethink their salt intake, much like they’ve done with other targeted ingredients like added sugar or trans fats.

Download this infographic to learn more about sodium reduction efforts in the snack food category.

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Americans can’t get enough snacks, whether they’re choosing them as mid-afternoon treats or using them to replace meals entirely. But as the category’s popularity grows, leading health organizations warn against overindulging in the salty stuff. As a result, consumer research shows shoppers are beginning to rethink their salt intake, much like they’ve done with other targeted ingredients like added sugar or trans fats. Download this infographic to learn more about sodium reduction efforts in the snack food category.

Achieving the optimal nutritional and taste profile in food and beverage while aligning with consumer values is the holy grail for all product developers and brand owners. Since one of the top priorities of the day is sugar reduction, I’m sure your innovation team is trying to figure out the sweet spot for calories, grams of sugars and the right sweetener for the 2018 consumer.

You may have even read about Coca Cola’s $1M sweetener challenge—a pursuit to identify a new (naturally sourced, safe, low or no-calorie) compound that “creates the taste sensation of sugar when used in beverages and foods.” So far, this unicorn compound (which would probably be worth much more than $1M), doesn’t exist. There are a few sweet strategies, however, that you can employ to capture consumer attention in 2018 and beyond.

1. Go Unsweetened. This declaration works better for certain categories, namely water (still and sparkling), milk (dairy and non-dairy), coffee and tea, and attracts consumers across demographics. Developing robust flavors in unsweetened products should be a priority for brands trying to position their products as natural or better-for-you. It’s important to note that unsweetened products can contain naturally occurring sugars, so they may still impart a sweetness that some consumers find desirable (or desire). Some brands worth checking out for their products that bear the unsweetened claim include Califia Farms and Spindrift.
2. Natural Alternatives. Some of the trending natural alternatives to sugar include honey (even though honey is more caloric than sugar), agave, maple syrup and fruit juice. The sweetness of these alternatives is generally not as intense as sugar, so keep in mind that more might need to be used to achieve the same impact. Additionally, when the new Nutrition Facts panel goes into effect, fruit juice will play an interesting, if not nuanced, role as a sweetener. To add juice as a sweetener, and not have it be counted as added sugar, it must be added at 100% juice rather than a concentrate.
3. Stevia. Another option would be to use a sweetener derived from the stevia plant. Although stevia has been on the market as a popular non-nutritive sweetener for many years now, it is still undergoing a tremendous amount of research and development to improve the taste profile. The latest research focuses on Reb M, a steviol glycoside that lacks the bitterness associated with Reb A. This particular reb only makes up 1% of the stevia leaf, but the available literature discusses a fermentation process that produces the natural sugar substitute in larger quantities. In addition to using stevia as a sweetener, companies like Imbibe are developing flavor modulation technologies designed to enhance the inherent sweetness of other ingredients.

Many consumers are desperate for no calorie, naturally-positioned sweeteners that can help them avoid the plethora of ailments that arise from a high sugar intake. Because of this, product developers and ingredient suppliers will continue to do more research in this space. As new technologies arise, it’s important to remember that sweeteners do not work autonomously in a beverage matrix. Other ingredients such as colors, proteins, and flavors all impact an individual’s response to and perception of sweetness.

As research progresses, especially in the sugar substitute market, which globally, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8% through 2020, I’ll be watching to see how Nutrition Facts panels, claims and ingredient statements change. What I don’t expect to change anytime soon, though, is the spotlight on sugar reduction.

To talk about sugar reduction strategies and technologies that might be suitable for your next beverage product, you can always e-mail me at [email protected]

Today’s food retail trends will shape the industry for years to come, and retailers know it. In fact, a new report from Packaged Facts examined and forecasted how current trends across 14 food retail categories will influence growth through 2022. The following five trends align specifically with the clean label movement.

Cereal reimagined

Marketers will continue to make their existing big cereal brands as healthy as possible, although many new products will still be focused on indulgence and decadence. Next generation innovation will focus on expanding use of cereal in new ways, and experimenting with ingredients and processes to enhance nutrition. Don’t be surprised to see marketers creatively repositioning cereal into other products and meals beyond breakfast.

Since kids consume the most cereal, many brands are responding to parents’ calls for healthier products through cleaner ingredient decks free from artificial additives or preservatives and featuring natural flavors and colors. To learn more about market opportunities, download the Food Insider Journal’s “Cleaning Up the Kids’ Aisle” digital magazine.

Emphasis on chocolate as “food” not “candy”

Can chocolate build a reputation as a healthy snack choice rather than merely as a satisfying indulgence for America's sweet tooth? Marketers are betting on it. "Chocolate companies are increasingly jumping on the better-for-you snacking trend, which leverages frequency of snacking by Americans with a balanced approach to nutrition that explores realistic options rather than a more dogmatic philosophy that forbids snacks or sweets altogether,” said David Sprinkle, research director at Packaged Facts. The key will be creating healthier, more nutritious chocolate “foods” that don't sacrifice the all-important taste component.

E-commerce market for meal, snack bars deepens

Although online sales for meal and snack bars are relatively small, they are expected to increase with the advent of online grocery shopping, which allows consumers to receive bars and other foods without having to browse store shelves. The convenience of online grocery shopping is especially appealing to Millennials and families with small children, as they often have busy schedules and do not have time to plan and shop for groceries.

To learn out how brands are using clean label ingredients in baked goods, download the “Cookies & Sweet Baked Goods: Hitting the Sweet Spot With Simplicity” article from the July 2017 issue of Food Insider Journal.

The continued evolution of cheese

America’s love affair with cheese is both deepening and evolving. Consumers increasingly want healthier, better-for-you cheese that’s not only low in fat or sodium, but fresh, organic and made from healthier milk. Today’s busy consumers also demand convenience and manufacturers continue to offer products and packaging that are easy to use and store, and are portable. Cheese manufacturers are capitalizing on the snacking and on-the-go eating trends with a slew of new products in special cuts, sizes and packs. Packaged Facts forecasts innovation will continue to maximize the experience of eating cheese with unique takes on flavor and indulgence, craftsmanship and authenticity, and health and nutrition.

Bread baked for digestive health

With the increased focus on their potential, probiotics have become one of the biggest trends today in the food and beverage industry. Nonetheless, the food industry itself hasn’t figured out how best to market probiotic food and beverages, beyond yogurt and similar traditional sources. But that is changing, at least in the bread industry. For instance, Orlando Baking’s True Grains was one of the first lines of probiotics breads in North America. The Cleveland-based company partnered with the Cleveland Clinic in association with the clinic's Go! Well for Healthy Eating initiative to develop the products. True Grains Seed'licious bread is made with probiotic cultures to promote digestive health, and features flax seed, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and millet for a good source of omega-3. Packaged Facts expects to see an expansion of probiotic breads in the coming years.

Interestingly, sales of gluten-free bread rising 66 percent from 2013 to 2015. Check out the May 2017 issue of Food Insider Journal to see how Canyon Bakehouse and Nature’s Bakery identified go-to-market opportunities within the free-from bakery sector and launched innovative products to fill specific voids on the bakery shelf.

Texture is tricky, and poses unique challenges to product developers formulating clean label products. When it comes to creating an appealing texture in foods many product developers are eliminating artificial gums and modified starches in favor of clean label alternatives to meet consumer desires.

Download this infographic to learn about the market for clean label gums and starches and their versatility in food and beverage product development.

FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW AND DOWNLOAD TODAY!

Texture is tricky, and poses unique challenges to product developers formulating clean label products. When it comes to creating an appealing texture in foods many product developers are eliminating artificial gums and modified starches in favor of clean label alternatives to meet consumer desires.

Download this infographic to learn about the market for clean label gums and starches and their versatility in food and beverage product development.