Using Custom Flavors To Turn Challenges Into Success Stories
In the natural flavor industry, it can be difficult to fully understand any component, from ingredients to the final product, without first tasting it. After all, that’s why we all got into this business in the first place—to make great-tasting foods and beverages. A similar problem exists when we talk to our customers…they know that they have something that people will love, but they need that extra bit of flavor to make it all come together.
Are you currently working on a naturally-flavored food or beverage product? Keep reading for a few real-life examples of how we’ve helped accelerate our customers’ product journey from the test kitchen to their customers’ homes.
As natural flavors become increasingly popular, overcoming the obstacles in the industry is essential for creating successful products. Our expertise in flavor development has led to significant improvements for our clients, as demonstrated by the following case studies:
Case Study 1: Plant-Based Protein Bars
A brand offering plant-based protein bars encountered challenges with its existing product line due to underperforming flavors, undesirable texture, and poor mouthfeel. Additionally, the bars had an unstable shelf life, hardening over time. To address these issues, the team spent multiple weeks on-site with flavor specialists at Custom Flavors, working on reformulating the product lines. They focused on enhancing the flavor profiles and adjusting the elements specific to the active ingredients, such as the blend of plant-based proteins like peas, rice, and seeds.
After a thorough reformulation process, significant enhancements were made, particularly to the chocolate bar flavor, which now boasts a stronger and more customized chocolate taste. Their entire line of new bars received positive feedback, particularly for the realistic and strong peanut and coconut flavors that effectively masked the functional ingredients. Sensory evaluations were conducted in-house to ensure the desired improvements were achieved. The revamped product line can now be found in stores such as Sprouts, select Costco locations, and natural stores. The success of the product even led to the development of two additional seasonal product lines!
Case Study 2: Low-Sugar Gummy Candy
A low-sugar gummy candy brand faced dissatisfaction from customers due to weak and less preferred flavors. In response, the company sought assistance in developing unique and true-to-fruit flavor profiles for their gummy candies. Working closely with our team of flavor experts, the customer participated in on-site development at the applications lab, focusing on enhancing the flavor profile of the gummies by working with our team to develop flavors, based on the natural ingredients used in the gummy base.
As a result, the candy company and Custom Flavors successfully developed twelve distinct products with true-to-fruit flavor profiles that now stand out in the low-sugar gummy candy market. The team even added three additional flavors to the original list, further diversifying their offerings. With these improvements, they have become a more appealing product for health-conscious consumers. The gummies can now be found online, through direct-to-consumer sales, on Amazon, and in select natural grocers.
Case Study 3: Greens Powder & Beverage Detox
A company offering greens powder beverage products experienced flavor masking challenges due to the presence of many functional vegetable powders and added vitamins/minerals. Additionally, they faced significant flavor loss during production, with 30% of the flavor being lost due to dusting and flavor clouding. The company collaborated with flavor experts to address these issues, who developed a custom masking flavor blend and enhanced the product using fresh fruit flavors, such as apple and orange.
The new and improved flavors were preferred by the company, leading them to switch to these options. Furthermore, a new flavor system was developed that reduced flavor loss during production from 30% to just 5%, resulting in a significant yield increase for the client. With these improvements, they’ve seen consistent growth and are now expanding to three new countries.
These case studies highlight the importance of collaboration and expertise in overcoming obstacles in the natural flavor industry. Our dedication to creating great-tasting products with natural flavors has led to significant improvements in flavor profiles, texture, and shelf life for our clients, ultimately resulting in increased customer satisfaction and market success.
As consumer preferences continue to shift towards healthier and more natural options, addressing the challenges in the natural flavor industry becomes crucial for businesses to remain competitive. By working closely with our flavorists, you can develop innovative solutions that not only address your product’s unique needs but also make your customers happy.
So, whether you’re looking to reformulate an existing product or develop a new one from scratch, contact our team of experts today and let’s talk taste.
