Holiday spices and fruits inspire fall flavors

The flavors - Spicy Asian Pear, Blood Orange Sangria and Peach Honey Butter - can be used in alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, confections, baked goods and savory products among others.

The products are part of GSB’s ongoing flavor campaign, which aims to combine the most unusual, yet complementary tastes. The flavor campaign also reflects trends for new foods, such as superfruits or ethnic cuisine, as well as locally grown produce, and the positive associations they may have.

Superfruits, for example, are functional fruits with high levels of antioxidants and GSB is capitalizing on their growing popularity.

A GSB spokeswoman told FoodNavigator-USA.com: “Our flavors do have the association with the products they represent, but do not actually posses nutritional value. ​

“Our recent superfruit fusion flavors are used to enhance the taste characteristics of the real fruits, in food and beverage products.”​

The company has also seen increased demand for ethnic flavors.

The spokeswoman said: “Asian-inspired ingredients are very widely recognized in the United States. The demand for ethnic flavors and spices has been a steady one. ​

“We feel it is important to recognize the influence of tastes we are receiving from all parts of the world.”​

Asian pears​

The three latest products use “fall”​ as a flavor category because the company said many local fruits come into season now and the holidays are approaching.

The spokeswoman said: “Spicy Asian Pear is a fall flavor because the ‘spicy’ part of the name includes holiday spices, such as cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. ​

“Also, glazed pears are often a great holiday dessert. Many varieties of pears are in season from late summer to winter.​

Asian pears are also grown in the US in areas such as California, Washington, Oregon and South Eastern regions.

GSB said that red sangrias were popular with an evening meal around this time, and Blood Oranges are in season starting in December.

Meanwhile Peach Honey Butter evokes rich, warm flavors popular during colder months.

Flavor forecast​

Last week Mintel unveiled its 2009 flavor forecast which predicts that food and beverage manufacturers will reach for exotic fruits and “fresh, soothing flavors with a touch of spice” to liven up their new products.

It identified seven flavors that it believes will come into the limelight over the next year which are; persimmon; masala; starfruit; lavender; cactus; chimichurri and peri-peri.