Biofach 2020 spotlights organic, functional elixirs with hero ingredients

14 Feb 2020 --- The ongoing Biofach 2020 trade show held in Nuremberg, Germany, is hosting a range of organic suppliers and producers – many offering products with added nutritional benefits alongside additive-free claims. On the show floor of the event, exhibited NPD targets synergistic blends of flavors and health attributes. In the flourishing space of functional beverages, NutritionInsight speaks to an array of producers exploring the untapped potential of novel hero ingredients hibiscus, apple cider vinegar, guayusa and bergamot fruit.

“Bergamot fruit is grown in the southwestern region of Italy, in Calabria. It is famous in this region and has its own PDO [Protected Designations of Origin] there and doesn’t grow well in any other part of the world. Bergamot skin is pressed for the aromatic essential oils, which are used in perfumes and to imbue earl green tea with flavor,” says Mathilde Meijers, Co-Founder and Owner of Bella Berga.

Bella Berga exhibits a blended beverage of apple and bergamot juices.At Biofach 2020, Bella Berga exhibited its mixed beverage containing 85 percent apple juice, 15 percent bergamot juice and no added sugars or additives. Bergamot juice is marketed as particularly rich in antioxidants and vitamins B and C. In addition, the drink is touted as lowering cholesterol levels when consumed regularly.

“To make one liter of this essential oil, you need 200 kg of fruit. The fruit’s juice is currently not widely used. Its flavor is very bitter and plenty of it goes into biogas facilities. Our supplier found out that if you mix it with apple juice, you have a great balanced taste – the sweetness of the apple and the pleasant bitterness of the bergamot,” explains Meijers.

Brands have been “greening up” their portfolios in order to attract the growing health-minded consumer group. This has seen “earthy” flavors spread across the industry with ingredients such as matcha, seaweed and mushroom. On the other hand, Innova Market Insights reveals that bitter flavors are also on trend this year, as consumers seek to reduce sugar intake and increase consumption of green vegetables.

“The drink is fresh, not too acidic, and very aromatic. It’s a great juice that reduces food waste. It also lowers cholesterol. Clinical research has been done by the University of Rome. If you drink a bottle of bergamot a day for two weeks, your bad cholesterol goes down by 17 percent,” adds Meijers. 

Apple cider vinegar lemonades by Hequa.Apple cider vinegar-infused beverages
Alexander Schwab, Junior Product Manager at Hequa, presented a line of blended apple cider vinegar lemonades. Among the health trends of recent years, drinking vinegar is a standout that industry has not fully explored yet. The fermented ingredient, however, has been noted to have potential in both foodservice and nutrition applications.

“Our lemonade has been on the market for four months, released in November. We have three different flavors – one is with juniper and green tea, the second is blackcurrant and hibiscus, and the last one is with lemon and ginger,” says Schwab.

“It’s a new market and still has space to grow, but I think it’s a very interesting and important product. Apple cider vinegar has a lot of benefits – it has plenty of electrolytes and helps you rehydrate after a long day or after doing sports. Apple cider vinegar lemonade is very popular in the US and Australia, but in Germany, there is still a lack and a need for this product,” he notes.

Vinegar also taps into the fermented ingredients trend that is fast gaining ground among consumers. Fermented foods and beverages, such as kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir are having a moment and the industry has seen NPD that includes these trending foods. For example, The Coca-Cola Company debuted Odwalla’s Smoobucha in US stores in March. 

Guayusa leaves are traditionally used in Amazonian dream ceremonies.From dream ceremonies to supermarket shelves
Brand storytelling is a significant trend taking industry by storm, with Innova Market Insights naming “Storytelling” as the top trend of the year. Martin Hussain, representing German company Waysa, was on the show floor exhibiting a unique organic energy drink produced in Berlin and infused with guayusa tea from Amazonian Ecuador. “Guayusa tea is used by the indigenous people in Ecuador in dream ceremonies, valued for its caffeine content. It is also used to access lucid dreams,” he explains.

“The unique selling point is that it contains all-natural caffeine, coming from the plant. Another benefit is that it contains double the antioxidants contained in green tea, while containing amounts of theobromine – the compound in raw chocolate that triggers the release of endorphins,” he says. 

It is the symbiosis of all these health factors that makes guayusa appealing to consumers, notes Hussain. “We work with indigenous Quechua farmers in Ecuador that harvest the plant from natural ‘forest gardens.’ They provide us with good prices while helping improve local biodiversity.”

Hibiscus-infused beverages by Talina.Highs for hibiscus
At the event, Belgian-Senegalese couple, Eva Ba and Julio Dabo from Talina were presenting their line of hibiscus-infused beverages supporting Senegalese women. Previously crowned as 2019’s flavor of the year by Firmenich, the popularity of hibiscus on the market taps into the growing appeal of florals and botanicals in food and beverages.

“Hibiscus is good for blood regulation, digestive health and a vitamin and antioxidant boost. Our flavors include hibiscus original (the natural version), hibiscus with pineapple, hibiscus with mint and hibiscus with ginger. Our flowers are sourced from Senegal, where we’ve created a fair trade development project in a village where there is no electricity. We work with one hundred women that work to cultivate the hibiscus forests,” says Ba.

In Kerry’s 2020 European taste charts released earlier last month, the taste and nutrition company outlines how flavor formulations translate into Health & Wellness connotations. The report outlines that botanical profiles such hibiscus – traditionally associated with tea – are on the rise in the flavored water category, as consumers want to move away from traditional soft drinks but also want to have a positive taste experience associated with health.

By Benjamin Ferrer