Flavors and extracts expert Synergy Flavors is drawing inspiration from the Mediterranean to compose its top ten flavor trends for the sports nutrition market. Its extensive research identified ten flavor trends, which are categorized by being Emerging, Growing, Mainstream or Established trends, respective of their mass-market appeal. These include less known flavors such as baklava or carob, to flavors such as apricot or pomegranate, which have broader appeals.“Sitting where Asia, Europe and Africa converge, the Mediterranean region has long been a melting pot of people and cultures. What better place to continue our journey of discovery for the latest flavor trends? Mediterranean regions such as Italy, Spain and France, in particular, have traditionally been viewed as culinary hotbeds. However, we’re seeing an increase in product launches and restaurant openings of less mainstream cuisines, such as Turkish, Lebanese or Egyptian,” Chris Whiting, Category Manager, Synergy, tells NutritionInsight.

With this market growth, the sports nutrition sector now encompasses a much broader audience than in previous years. “Sports nutrition is a fast-moving industry and brands are continuously looking to launch new and exciting flavor variations, as well as formats in order to appeal to their receptive and progressive customer base,” he adds.

The top ten flavor trends include:

• Emerging: Baklava, gianduja.
• Growing: Carob, forest honey, rum raisin.
• Mainstream: Bergamot orange, feta cheese, fig.
• Established: Apricot, pomegranate.

Given that the Mediterranean cuisine is known for incorporating lots of fresh fruits, nuts, cheeses and a range of sweet treats into its diet, Whiting notes that this culinary centriole of Afro-Eurasia was the ideal destination to commence its flavor trend exploration.

Innova Market Insights highlighted Mediterranean flavors as the fastest growing ethnic ready-meals category, with a 39 percent increase between 2014 and 2018. While classic Mediterranean cuisines are reportedly responsible for a significant portion of that growth, increased exposure to more niche Mediterranean cuisines is also a contributing factor, says Synergy.

The company’s research team used a wide variety of data points, including recent product launches, internet search trends and social media, to identify these trending flavors in and around the Mediterranean from Southern Europe, to the Middle East and North Africa. “Through our extensive study, we identified a range of flavors and developed trending prototypes that appeal to today’s consumers. Our goal is to ultimately help our customers to stand out in the increasingly competitive sports nutrition market,” Whiting explains.

The trends in detail
Two emerging trends, baklava and gianduja originally hail from Turkish and Torino kitchens; however, they increasingly feature in a range of global dishes. Baklava’s honey and maple syrup layerings can be topped with or rosewater or orange blossom water. Developed under Napoleon’s rule in Turin, Italy, to reduce cocoa content in chocolates, gianduja is made from a mixture of chocolate and hazelnut.

Forest honey has a long association with the Mediterranean. Its most popular application is in the bakery sector, at 90 percent, followed by the dairy and confectionery categories, at 5 and 3 percent, respectively. Carob (Ceratonio siliqua) is a shrub in the legume family and carob powder can be used as an alternative for cocoa. Carob has already seen 16 percent of launches in Brazil and 9 percent in Spain, according to Synergy. Widely known as the gelato flavor “Málaga,” rum raisin was originally invented in Sicily, Italy, and was first made with wine instead of rum.

Within the mainstream category, the bergamot orange (citrus bergamia) is a standard Mediterranean citrus fruit, but more bitter and fragrant than other citruses. It has been widely featured in NPD outside of Mediterranean countries, such as in orange flower, bergamot and black pepper ice cream in Mexico and sparkling water with grapefruit and bergamot in the UK.

Since 2002, feta cheese has been a protected designation of origin product in the EU. It is frequently added to both savory and sweet dishes, accompanying olives, tomatoes and apples. Figs are another mainstream flavor, making up US$307 million in the European fig market. Germany leads this market demand with 22 percent, followed by France (18 percent) and the UK (9 percent), says Synergy.

The last category, Established with Global Potential, concludes with two Middle Eastern-native fruits, apricot and pomegranate. Apricots are closely related to plums, peaches, almonds and cherries and have been incorporated in a wide variety of global launches, especially in France, Germany and Italy. Pomegranates have been cultivated in the Mediterranean since ancient times, with Spanish colonialists having largely introduced the shrub fruit into many of their colonial territories. Today, pomegranate is featured in 58 percent of juice drinks, 14 percent of dairy products and 8 percent of RTDs.

This year, Synergy has observed consumers becoming progressively conscious of their purchase and eating choices. These were not just focused on taste and nutrition, but also demanded more in terms of ethical, environmental and clean label requirements. The company’s top ten flavors address these consumer concerns, such as sugar reduction and natural foods. Whiting notes that the flavors are suitable for a wide range of applications, including protein bars, dairy and vegan protein powders as well as RTD beverages.