Tea is the most popular beverage after water. Consumers all over the world sip this wonderful beverage in many ways due to the great diversity of tea. Some tea drinkers love to consume it with no additives. Some prefer tea with additives like Milk, sugar, honey, natural fruits, flowers & herbs. Health conscious tea lovers will always dilute the astringency of black tea and the bitterness of green tea with natural additives which also adds some flavor / taste in to the brew.

By the meantime, Firmenich has tipped hibiscus as its “flavor of the year” for 2019 based on the growing appeal of florals and botanicals in food and beverages and the trend towards consumer curiosity in consumption. According to Innova Market Insights, there has been a 50 percent average annual growth of new product launches tracked with hibiscus flavor (Global, CAGR 2014-2018 YTD).

According to Emmanuel Butstraen, President of Flavors at Firmenich. “It’s natural, floral and slightly tangy; and we know our customers will be delighted by this choice for the new year.” 

“This marks the seventh edition of our ‘flavor of the year’ tradition, eagerly awaited by our customers to inspire them in developing products consumers will love,” he adds.   

Hibiscus flavors are growing across many applications and this is evidenced in recent NPD. Data from Innova Market Insights highlights those are mainly applied in beverages such as tea, iced tea, drink concentrates and mixes, as well as juice and juice drinks. In tea applications, there has been 55 percent growth in NPD (Global, CAGR 2014-2018 YTD) and in ice tea applications there has been 62 percent growth in NPD (Global, CAGR 2014-2018 YTD). 

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Mikel Cirkus, Global Director of Strategic Foresight, at Firmenich, says: “As consumers search for healthier and cleaner ingredients, utilizing botanicals creates a direct call back to nature. The vivacious, intriguing flavor of this floral calls to the consumer in a way that is both familiar and exotic all at once. The increase in botanicals, as seen around the world, has elevated hibiscus as a flavor.”

“While hibiscus works well across all applications, the categories in which the Firmenich marketing and insights teams saw the most hibiscus in 2018 were mixology and desserts. We also believe that hibiscus will continue its impact in related food and beverages, including hot and RTD teas,” he explains. 

“In the last year, Firmenich has been a part of the development of numerous successful, natural, hibiscus flavored product launches, in particular throughout the Latin American region.”

“Hibiscus is an animated flavor that plays well with all types of taste profiles. Some options include pineapple, chocolate, raspberry, caramel, apple and guava,” Cirkus adds. 

This flower is touted as having numerous health benefits and has been used as a medicinal ingredient for centuries. Egyptians used this to lower body temperature and treat heart and nerve diseases. In African cultures, This herbal infusion was historically used to treat cold symptoms. In addition, pulp was made from the leaves and applied to the skin to heal wounds. Recent studies have also revealed great promise for both the tea and the hibiscus plant extract to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.  

Stay with “Tea With Nipun” to gain knowledge on latest tea & flavor trends.

References

1.Original Post: https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/pretty-and-powerful-firmenich-tips-hibiscus-as-2019s-flavor-of-the-year.html