Top trends for 2009: Persimmon
New product development in 2009 won’t be bland, mild or boring, according to market research firm, Mintel.
It is predicting consumer packaged goods manufacturers will reach for exotic fruits, soothing flavours and a touch of spice to jazz up their new products.
Nature-inspired aromas will also be a real hit, Mintel adds.
The trends will span food and drink and household and personal care and they will be worldwide.
David Jago, Mintel’s new product expert, said: “Today’s manufacturer is constantly looking for those tastes and aromas that stand out and capture shoppers’ imaginations. By adding exotic fruits and more unusual ingredients to everyday products, companies give people the opportunity to experiment and move out of their comfort zones without breaking the bank.”
Mintel has identified seven flavours and three scents that will come into the limelight this year. It forecasts these flavours and scents will spread across the globe, moving beyond their core market or country of origin to become the heavy-hitters of 2009.
Starfruit: another unusually shaped, distinctly flavoured fruit starfruit - is catching on around the globe. Already seen in Flor De Hibiscus’s Chutney with Star Fruit (Brazil), the exotic fruit will become a major global player in 2009
Lavender: Mintel expects lavender to move beyond the home and personal care categories and into food and beverage next year. Already seen in products such as Lindt Chocolat Provenance’s Lemon-Lavender dream chocolate (Germany), lavender can be paired with more familiar ingredients to bring a naturally soothing, aromatic quality to food and drink
Cactus: cactus is already a popular food flavour in Latin America, seen in products like Nopalia Cactus Toasts (Mexico) which contain both cactus and corn. Next year, look for manufacturers to incorporate this regional taste into new food products around the world
Chimichurri: another classic from Latin America, chimichurri is a sauce for grilled meats, recognised for its clean, clear flavour. It has already begun to win fans in the US, seen in new products like Gaucho Ranch’s Original Argentinean Chimichurri Steak Sauce, but we could well be enjoying this spicy flavour further afield
Peri-Peri: this is an African hot sauce that has been made famous in the UK by the Nando’s restaurant chain. But we can expect to see peri-peri appear in more products on our supermarket shelves as 2009 will be peri-peri’s year to set the world alight
Masala: chicken tikka masala is one of the most popular curries in the UK, but masala as a flavour is expected to become the hot star across the globe for 2009
Spicy & Woody: echoing current trends in men’s fragrances, Mintel expects spicy and woody scents to infiltrate the home in 2009. As most home fragrances are sweet, floral or citrus based, manufacturers have an opportunity to launch stronger and spicier scents. These aromas also resonate with consumers’ spicy food cravings and are in line with all environmental trends
Savoury: though ‘meaty’ and ‘salty’ aren’t words that spring to mind when thinking of fragrance, Mintel sees these scents as an area of opportunity for 2009. Tied to festive meals and salty snacks, savoury scents in the home conjure up instant connotations of happiness and fulfilment
Food Flavours: just as pomegranate moved quickly from a food and drink flavour to a non-food fragrance, Mintel expects that tomorrow’s scents will closely follow new flavour trends. From spicy, hot tastes to fruity, exotic ingredients, 2009 could see many innovative new aromas for home and personal care products