Soft drinks: Greater variety for increasing demand

06-Nov-2015 - Germany

There is a lot of activity in the beverage market in the Middle East and Africa. At Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai, WILD flavors & Specialty ingredients (WFSI) is presenting concepts that provide greater variety in the key segments of carbonated and malt-based thirst quenchers. They are thus creating new purchase incentives and taking the current developments into account.

Soft drinks are becoming more popular in the Middle East and Africa regions from year to year. Since 2010, sales have increased continuously across all categories from 53 to 73 billion liters. Carbonated soft drinks (CSD) make up almost half of the entire soft drinks market at 46.6 percent.1 New incentives are key to this constantly growing product group. At Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai, WFSI is presenting three concept focuses in this area: Citrus plus region-specific flavor accents, premium varieties with a high juice content, and reduced calorie thirst quenchers. To cover the demand for traditionally popular malt drinks, WFSI has both classic and trend concepts in its trade show portfolio.

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No other taste can claim what has long been undisputed for citrus. It is number one among the flavors for soft drinks – worldwide. However, even a bestseller such as this has to adapt to changing consumer desires. In Dubai, WFSI will be presenting varieties that are tailored to popular tastes and market requirements in the Middle East and Africa. On the one hand, they have an authentic citrus taste and meet the consumers’ expectations of a fruity, sparkling refreshment. In addition, notes of ginger or mint provide a very special touch that reflect the preferences of the regional cuisine and distinguish these products from the masses with regard to citrus drinks.

Premium positioning thanks to a high juice content

CSD varieties with a high juice content provide an added burst of fruitiness. For example, WFSI’s “raspberry-lemon” product contains 15 percent juice. The concept impresses as a particularly aromatic and fruity thirst quencher that is suitable for premium positioning and can add additional accents to the soft drinks market.

A light indulgence with less sugar and fewer calories

The global trend towards more balanced nutrition with less sugar and fewer calories has now also reached the Middle East and parts of Africa. In regions where almost exclusively full-flavored, substantial foods and drinks were popular with consumers for many years, “less&low” products have now become a hot topic. To reflect this trend, WFSI has a concept for reduced calorie cola in its portfolio, for example. Here, 30 percent of the sugar contained in the classic product is replaced with Stevia extract from a natural source. Thanks to WFSI’s long-term research in the field of “Taste Optimization Technology”, which masks the typical hints of bitter and licorice flavors, the WFSI concepts with steviol glycosides have a particularly harmonious taste profile.

Malt: Traditional and on trend

Many consumers in the Middle East or in African countries enjoy intense taste experiences. For this reason, malt is an extremely popular ingredient for aromatic drinks. To meet the widespread demand for malt drinks, WFSI provides concepts with classic, strong-tasting flavor components, moderate sweetness and no alcohol
as attractive thirst quenchers for adults. In addition, the trade show portfolio includes on-trend varieties that give the traditional drinks a new zest with lychee or kiwi and lime. Another malt concept from WFSI contains juice from the Concord grape. This brings together the popular ingredients malt and juice and fits in perfectly with regional consumer habits.

https://www.yumda.com/en/news/1146499/soft-drinks-greater-variety-for-increasing-demand.html