Crunchy textures and “intense flavor hits” emerge as fruit and vegetable innovators eye novelty

28 Aug 2024 --- Global challenges such as inflation, environmental issues and health trends are prompting consumers to reconsider their daily food choices and consider plant-forward diets. Fruit and vegetable solutions significantly facilitate this shift with innovations like dragon fruit raspberry lemonades, lime cheesecakes or plant-based pink and red colors extracted from black carrots and sweet potatoes.

Food Ingredients First catches up with key suppliers of fruit and vegetable ingredients Agrana Fruit, CP Kelco, GNT, IFF and SVZ, to understand how they overcome technical and formulation challenges while innovating to align with consumer demands.

“Fruits and vegetables are inherently perceived as natural and healthy by consumers. They are a perfect vehicle to bring natural sweetness to products using only fruits to sweeten them,” says Manon Noe, global director of portfolio development & innovation at Agrana Fruit.

“Fruits can also be indulgent, especially if you think about rich and flavorful varieties like figs, cherries, peaches. These fruits pair very well with brown flavors like chocolate or caramel. Many consumers look for pairing of fruits and brown flavors, especially in yogurts and ice cream applications.”

She further cites Innova Market Insights data showing that Asian fruits such as umeboshi and soursop are currently gaining growth momentum in F&B launches worldwide.

The major innovation themes this year are permissible indulgence, comfort foods and Asian food influence, says Noe from Agrana Fruit.Fruit and vegetable NPD grew at an average annual growth rate of 4% from April 2019 to March 2024. Some 68% of these launches were in the vegetable category, expanding the fastest and growing by 5%. Fruit launches are also proliferating, with a 3% growth, notes the market researcher.

Multi-sensory eating

Consumers also look to fruits for new taste and texture experiences. “Crunchy texture” adds to the multi-sensory eating experience and thus remains a priority for consumers, she adds.

Johan Cerstiaens, commercial director at SVZ, agrees.

“On the texture front — it’s crunch time,” he reveals. “As spotted at this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo, brands have been experimenting with ‘cool’ new formats such as freeze-dried fruit candy to offer shoppers a crispy, crumbly mouthfeel and intense flavor hit.”

“This leap into the textural unknown links with the enduring trend for fresh tastes with a thoughtful twist.”

While cost and value are “never far from consumers’ minds in these turbulent economic times,” some go for budget options, while others curb impulse buys and “save up” for small moments of real, mindful indulgence. 

“In these instances, authenticity is as important as novelty — think a rich mousse flavored with real raspberry puree and set off with a hint of pink pepper or a cheesy pastry filled with a vibrant zucchini swirl.”

“Supporting players” for health

Innovations in fruits and vegetables as “supporting players” for health have grown, offering options like antioxidant-rich beetroot bites, carrot cake energy balls and snack bars with a sweet-potato curry flavor or sour cherry jelly centers, observes Cerstiaens.

Consumers are increasingly focusing on adding beneficial elements to their diets rather than removing certain foods.Products like these provide benefits like enhanced immunity, mood support or probiotic power to meet the demand for products that aren’t just ‘health foods,’ but also aren’t empty calories either.”

Additionally, consumers are moving away from the perception that “healthy equals boring,” and seek natural, lean and delicious products. 

For Claire Piddington from product marketing at Taura by IFF, the growing demand for functional foods that offer more than just basic nutrition is driving innovation in the space.

“Consumers are seeking more from their food, specifically products that provide health benefits such as improved digestion and enhanced energy levels. Taura’s real fruit solutions, supported by the extensive IFF portfolio of functional and health ingredients, are ideal for these applications, offering natural, nutrient-dense options for a variety of food products.”

Consumers are shifting toward adding beneficial elements to their diets rather than removing certain foods, moving away from “free-from” and “enriched with” F&B.

However, Cerstiaens cautions against overstating health claims and emphasizes the importance of sourcing fruits and vegetables carefully for functional F&B.

Indulgence with a twist

Major innovation themes this year include permissible indulgence, comfort foods and the influence of Asian cuisines, emphasizes Noe.

“Based on these trends, we have chosen white peach as our fruit of the year. It embodies an Asian-inspired blend of known comfort with an exciting twist to it. The rich and flavorful white peach pairs perfectly with other fruits, botanicals or sweet flavor profiles like white chocolate.” 

Bolder taste combinations like fruits and spices are being combined in beverages or ice creams.Another major area of innovation at Agrana Fruit is popping boba and similar inclusions.

Jelly cubes or mochi pieces are emerging inclusions in beverages. “We observe bolder taste combinations like fruits and spices combined in beverages or ice cream. Think about mango or pineapple with chili for example.”

Farmer collaborations 

A key challenge for fruit ingredient suppliers is to provide global supply for localized market needs, continues Noe.

Striking the right balance between standardization and customization is also a hurdle. Expertise in raw material sourcing, matching supply and demand with “longstanding farmer and supplier collaborations and advanced forecasting methods help mitigate the challenges.”

GNT Group also collaborates with farmers under long-term contracts to ensure compliance with its quality and sustainability standards, Maartje Hendrickx, the company’s market development manager, tells Food Ingredients First. 

“Around 80% of the raw materials we use to create Exberry colors are grown within a 200-kilometer radius of our processing factories in the Netherlands and Germany. The rest of our crops are sourced from suppliers in Asia and the Americas.”

GNT aims to increase the color intensity of its primary crops by 30% by 2030, says Hendrickx.“We’re aiming to increase the color intensity of our primary crops by 30% by 2030. That allows us to grow less to achieve the same results, helping us reduce water, fertilizer, pesticide use and transportation requirements," she adds.

Meanwhile, the SVZ Farmers Fund invests in farm-level sustainability programs, aiming to directly impact 4,000 farmer families by 2030, notes Cerstiaens.

“We are currently running active programs with our Spanish and Polish partners and have big plans to expand these initiatives to our other major growing regions in 2025-26.”

Adjusting natural hues

Manufacturers need to carefully control several key processes for fruit and vegetable-based colors, insists Mathilde Brousse, Natural Colors Solutions product leader at IFF.

“It starts with overseeing the origins, including securing a reliable supply, considering seasonal availability, and ensuring environmental responsibility.” Following this, the extraction phase is crucial to ensure the maximum yield and quality of the colorants, while also complying with regulatory standards.

The concluding phase involves formulation and adaptation, adjusting the natural hues to suit the specific needs of a F&B product, she explains. “This step is vital to maintain the desired color, luminosity, saturation and consistency throughout the product’s lifespan, ensuring uniformity, local regulatory compliance and an economical Cost in Use.”

Beetroot has betanin pigment and can be used for pink shades in gummies, but is sensitive to heat.GNT formulates its Exberry colors from fruit, vegetables and plants, relying on naturally occurring pigments. Hendrickx highlights some technical considerations such as pH levels, heating requirements, ingredient interactions and storage needs.

Anthocyanin pigments can appear redder at a pH of around 2 or 3 and bluish above 5. For a bright red shade in high-pH products like gummies, manufacturers can adjust the product’s pH or mix the red with yellow. “Beetroot, which has a betanin pigment, is another option for pink shades but is sensitive to heat.”

“We’re often asked to replace carmines in confectionery, dairy and beverages. Carmine provides bright red and pink shades, but it can impact consumer acceptance and is unsuitable for some diets because it’s made from insects.” 

Tackling waste and upcycling

Upcycled ingredients support the global trend towards more clean label-friendly products, states Brian Rudolph, director, Innovation — Foodgums at CP Kelco.

The company’s Genu Pectin and Nutrava Citrus Fiber are produced using direct extraction from sustainably sourced citrus peels, a juice industry byproduct.

“After harvesting and juicing the citrus, CP Kelco receives the peels and upcycles them as our raw material. Upcycling is part of our efforts to circulate products and materials at their highest value.”

Genu Beta Pectin is sourced from upcycled sugar beets, a root crop and sugar industry byproduct. The extraction process involves separating the desugared beet pulp solids so only pectin remains.

Meanwhile, SVZ rescues “wonky fruits and vegetables that would otherwise have been discarded,” says Cerstiaens. 

“Wonky” fruits and vegetables that would otherwise have been discarded are given a chance to shine by upcycling, says Cerstiaens from SVZ.“Misshapen carrots and lumpy strawberries look and taste great once they’ve been lovingly squished into a premium puree or juice. We even go a step further by rescuing innocent Belgian tomatoes before they are condemned to landfill, giving them a second chance to make it into sauces, soups or juices.”

Innovation and fortification

IFF’s Piddington predicts fruit and vegetable-based solutions will enhance products with proteins, nutrients, and active ingredients that support overall health.

“We expect to see innovative formats like fortified snacks and beverages that cater to the growing demand for functional, convenient and nutritious options.”

Meanwhile, Agrana’s Noe observes a “counter-trend” in a lighter and more refreshing direction. “Refreshment, hydration and energy are major consumer needs on our radar, where we expect more developments to happen.”

Innovation involving fruits and vegetables is also expected to continue as segments with a traditionally ‘bad’ reputation, such as snacking, baked goods or confectionery — look to harness their wholesome and healthy image, predicts Cerstiaens.

“The ‘it’ taste of the moment is constantly shifting, but with fruits and vegetables, no flavor tends to fall out of fashion completely.”

By Insha Naureen