DESSERT TRENDS:

VISUAL APPEAL,
KEEPING A CLEAN
IMAGE AND VEGAN NPD
January 2019

EXPERT INSIGHTS
 02 Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD

Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a

Clean Image and Vegan NPD

More than clean label, today we see a trend toward “clean development across many food and beverage categories,
image” which encompasses sustainability, low sugar, including desserts. And as vegan NPD innovation gathers
low salt, plant based, health, and nutrition as well as pace, manufacturers and suppliers are constantly creating
products which do not negatively impact on society and the ways to tap into the opportunities that this huge category
environment. These megatrends are driving new product presents as well.

INNOVA MARKET INSIGHTS | Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD | January 2019
 03 Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD

“NPD is desserts will be driven by “clean image” trends,

encompasses sustainability, low sugar, low salt, plant based,
health, and nutrition as well as products which do not negatively
impact on society and the environment.”

Consumers are more and more aware of what’s in the food in ten US consumers increased their consumption of meat
they buy, partly because of on-pack labeling indicating the substitutes/alternatives during 2017.
health credentials of the products as well as the multitude
of apps, other technologies and in-depth social media At the same time, the visual appeal of desserts is
campaigns that tell the story of the food, pinpointing paramount. Social media has become a powerful asset
health halo characteristics, how they ended up in the to marketing within the food industry. The significance of
product and the people growing and providing the raw Instagramable food images can be seen online every day.
materials behind them. Sharing food through social media becomes increasingly
important, particularly for Millennials, which means that
Gravitation towards plant based diets in general, along standout food concepts are thriving. Color is a big part of
with interest in vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian lifestyles this.
as well as concerns over animal welfare, have together
served to increase interest and NPD has subsequently seen What are some of the latest trends in desserts? And what
an 11 percent CAGR for the 2013-2017 period, according are some of the challenges companies have to overcome
to Innova Market Insights. Research also indicates that four to bring new vegan concepts in desserts to the fore?

INNOVA MARKET INSIGHTS | Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD | January 2019
 04 Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD

“Gravitation towards plant based diets and the rise in

flexitarians and vegans around the world is expected to push up
alternative vegan bakery concept solutions.”

KATECH DEVELOPS VEGAN BAKERY CONCEPTS Vegan-baked goods require new ways of thinking for
Food technology company KaTech has developed a the food industry and the company’s accomplishment
new range of vegan bakery product concepts including follows the introduction of its new bakery portfolio to the
cake and alternative dairy fillings. The company has market. The biggest challenge in making a vegan cake is
developed a range of bakery solutions including gluten overcoming the loss of the functionality of egg as they
free, reduced sugar and low-fat options alongside other provide a stable emulsion, structure, stability, and texture.
standard products in the market. This is to keep pace with Finding alternative ingredients for vegan cakes opens up
consumer demand for vegan products as well as low-fat, options for development.
healthier alternatives.
“We have developed a number of diverse sweet bakery
concepts focusing on gluten free, dairy free, clean label,
sugar reduction, protein and nutritional enrichment that
we are now showing to potential customers and that
perfectly fit in current market requirements,” KaTech Paul
Dean, Bakery Manager tells Innova Market Insights.

“We strongly believe that there will be a growing trend

towards a free from category which will cater both for
people that need foods that don’t have certain ingredients
and the ones that don’t want certain ingredients like
animal products in their finished products.”

“The same will be valid for the bakery category. We

believe that consumers are looking more into options that
suit their individual needs,” he adds.

INNOVA MARKET INSIGHTS | Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD | January 2019
 05 Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD

“Finding alternative ingredients for vegan cakes opens up

options for development – opportunities are open for new
innovation.”

COLORING DESSERTS: A RAINBOW OF POSSIBILITIES The trend toward purple foods and beverages is rooted
Exberry (by GNT) is a brand of coloring foods for the in health and wellness, as well as visual appeal. For fruits
food and beverage industry made from fruits, vegetables and vegetables, purple indicates a high phytonutrient
and edible plants using a physical manufacturing process content which signals health and wellbeing to consumers.
processed with water. As a result, purple vegetables such as purple carrots,
sweet potatoes, and yams appear more frequently in
GNT says that for frozen desserts, vibrant colors are used supermarkets.
to indicate flavor, encourage customers to try products
and to set them apart in-store. Exberry color solutions In 2018, Pantone, a global authority on color, named
offer bright, clean label colors to all varieties of frozen UltraViolet their “color of the year,” which has continued
desserts, from ice pops and novelties to traditional ice to drive the demand for purple. At the same time,
creams and inclusions. fragrance and flavor company Firmenich declared fig as
its flavor of the year which in turn fits perfectly with the
“Color is one of, if not the most important buying criterion trend towards purple.
for food and beverages, today. Manufacturers need to be
aware of the latest trends to make their products succeed
on the shelf,” says Carla Compte, Country Sales Manager
GNT Iberia S.L.

INNOVA MARKET INSIGHTS | Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD | January 2019
 06 Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD

“The growing trend towards a free from category which

caters both for people that need foods that don’t have certain
ingredients and those who don’t want certain ingredients like
animal products in their finished products, is expected to
continue.”

Algaia The next generation of Satialgine DVA series will be

Also tapping into the growing demand for vegan desserts launched in 2019, Bohin explains, offering an even more
is Algaia which launched its product Satialgine DVA series clean label attribute to customers thanks to an innovative
that works with any type of protein as long as it contains extraction technology enhancing the functionality of the
calcium, a year ago. seaweed extracts it is composed of.

Speaking with Innova Market Insights, Algaia CEO Fabrice “Products derived from seaweed, fruits or plants are
Bohin talks about the next-generation seaweed extract generally well perceived by consumers. In this context,
ingredient for dairy and non-dairy desserts, an alginate ingredients or additives derived from seaweed tap very
line which provides a rich and creamy texture in desserts well into the vegan trend,” he adds.
such as low-fat dairy flans.
“Alginates benefit from a very good consumer perception.
“Satialgine DVA series are already sold in different In 2018, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in the
countries. Customers are pleasantly surprised by its US listed alginates as a dietary fiber. Numerous scientific
versatility both in various manufacturing processes and surveys also demonstrate that alginates can act as a
recipes,” he says. “The product offers an indulgent rich prebiotic in the stomach.”
texture even with low fat in dairy and vegan applications.
International companies currently use the product for
processed cheese, condensed milk, flans, and other
applications.”

How does the company blend the natural indulgence

associated with desserts with the mega-trends of healthy
eating?

More than 95 percent of the seaweed used by Algaia

is harvested just 20km away from the plant and mostly
processed fresh from the Atlantic. Algaia has invested
millions in recent years to reduce its potable water
consumption, improve standards, valorizing its waste and
reducing its carbon footprint.

“As an illustration, we estimate that using local algae

reduces by a factor of seven the CO2 emission that a
seaweed extract manufacturer would generate otherwise.
Algae-based ingredients benefit from a clean image and
can be used in all ethnic foods. Use of algae extracts
help reduce fat and animal-derived ingredients,” Bohin
continues.

INNOVA MARKET INSIGHTS | Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD | January 2019
 07 Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD

KRÖNER-STÖRKE’S STARCH FLAKES Starch flakes offer exceptional dispersion properties,

German producer of natural wheat starches, Kröner- making them easy to incorporate into any mixture, and
Stärke, has boosted its range of starch flakes to include a immediately add to the viscosity of the product. Full
new instant porridge, pre-gelatinized wheat starch flakes, viscosity can be achieved without cooking, providing a
cornstarch flakes, waxy maize starch flakes and whole flour convenient and easy to use solution for producing a range
starches for use in healthy clean label food products. of instant soups, baby foods, desserts, and baked goods.
The flakes are also excellent moisture absorbers and so
Providing outstanding technical performance, the new can help to avoid lumping too, according to the German-
flake products are ideal for manufacturers of porridges, based company.
sauces, dressings, smooth desserts, puddings, mousses,
custards, and other similar products.

INNOVA MARKET INSIGHTS | Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD | January 2019
 08 Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD

What’s Next?

• NPD is desserts will be driven by “clean image” trends, encompasses sustainability, low sugar, low salt, plant based,
health, and nutrition as well as products which do not negatively impact on society and the environment.

• Gravitation towards plant based diets and the rise in flexitarians and vegans around the world is expected to push
up alternative vegan bakery concept solutions.

• Finding alternative ingredients for vegan cakes opens up options for development – opportunities are open for new
innovation.

• The growing trend towards a free from category which caters both for people that need foods that don’t have
certain ingredients and those who don’t want certain ingredients like animal products in their finished products, is
expected to continue.

INNOVA MARKET INSIGHTS | Dessert Trends: Visual Appeal, Keeping a Clean Image and Vegan NPD | January 2019
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