IDM ¦ Ingredients
Colouring tastes
Exploring the top trends in dairy
colours and flavours
Author: Dejan Trifunovic´, Business Intelligence Manager, SVZ
22 · April 2020 ¦ international-dairy.com
The start of a new decade is
always a good time to take
stock of the developments
the industry has seen over
the past few years and look
ahead to the trends that will shape
2020 and beyond. From the sugar
backlash and clean label movement, to
the rise of Greek yoghurt, quark, skyr
and kefir, the dairy landscape is more
diverse than ever, especially when it
comes to colours and flavours. Beyond
classic cream colours and sweet
taste profiles, consumers are craving
bolder, more exciting experiences that
can stand out in an increasingly varied,
digitally driven marketplace.
Here we take a look at the current
top trends for dairy colours and flavours,
and explore how – through innovation
and creative NPD – brands can truly engage
their customers in 2020.
The bolder, the better
In today’s market, where a product’s
appearance matters more than ever
before, social media platforms such as
Instagram are driving a trend towards
bolder, more vivid food colours. With
consumers exposed to so much content
on a daily basis, both online and
on increasingly crowded supermarket
shelves, products that offer an immediate
visual appeal with vibrant or unusual
colours are more likely to catch
attention and are gaining popularity
as a result. Today’s health-conscious
consumers are not however looking for
colour at any cost – the rising appeal of
clean label and plant-based diets mean
buyers are demanding the use of more
natural food colours and colouring
foods, which deliver appealing colours
without the need for chemicals or additives.
1
The combination of consumer desire
for vivid natural colour and ‘instagrammable’
food is set to make blue
and purple the ‘shades to watch’ for
food this year. Associated with superfoods
such as acai berry and blue spirulina,
according to research by Mintel,
blue and purple foods are considered
to be both ‘rare’ and naturally healthy,
making them perfect for sharing on
social media.2 Producers like Trader
Joes and Magnolia have tapped into
the trend with their ube (sweet purple
Complete food and beverage experiences that combine engaging colours and
delicious flavours are a developing trend (photo: SVZ)