Indulgent tastes trend in protein snacks, flags Comax Flavors

25 Feb 2021 ---- In addition to seeking out better tasting nutritional products, consumers are also looking for plant-based and low-sugar options. This is according to Comax Flavors, which has released primary research and infographics on consumers’ behavior, usage and attitudes toward a host of nutrition and performance products.

“We see an overall trend across all F&B categories for healthier better-for-you options, and this is now being carried over into the nutrition markets,” Catherine Armstrong, Comax brand ambassador, tells NutritionInsight. 

Comax will now use the study findings to help create flavor profiles that meet the needs of its customers.

“The findings give us insights on what the consumers want. In addition to highlighting these findings in our infographic, we create specific applications to showcase. With this particular study, we created a devil’s food snack cake protein bite and a chocolate marshmallow fudge protein beverage,” explains Armstrong.Taste is the number one driver of nutrition and performance product purchases among all generations.

A matter of good taste
Last April, 1,200 US consumers responded to the survey, which examined behavior, usage and attitudes toward protein powder, ready-to-drink (RTD) protein drinks, protein bars, protein chips/tortillas/puffs/popcorn, protein cookies/wafers, protein brownies and protein cake bites.

Taste was revealed to be the number one driver of nutrition and performance product purchases among all generations, with more than half (52 percent) of respondents citing it as the most important attribute. 

Additionally, more than a third of participants cited flavor as an important attribute driving nutrition and performance product purchase intent. 

Armstrong explains that flavor plays an important role in nutritional products because many components, including fortification and proteins, can cause off-notes and unpleasant tastes. This requires the use of masking and enhancing technologies. 

Building on flavor associations
Armstrong also points out that certain flavors are associated with different types of health functions. In immunity, for example, citrus flavors like orange, grapefruit and lemon are popular. 

“Citrus fruits provide vitamin C, which is an immune booster. We have seen an increase in citrus flavors in the past year due to COVID-19, and consumers are seeking out products that provide immunity,” she details. 

In November, Comax Flavors declared “Immunity Boost” as its top 2021 Flavor Trend.

ADM has also noticed rising interest in citrus and immunity, and is now developing “signaling ingredients” that tap into consumers’ associations between flavor and well-being.

In December, other nutrition players also weighed in on the limited-edition and seasonal flavors starting to trickle into nutraceuticals. 

Indulgent tastes
Despite looking for the health benefits conferred from nutritional products, consumers still crave sweet flavors. 

Within protein powder, for example, chocolate (52 percent) and vanilla (51 percent) flavors are popular top performers among half of all respondents.

These flavors are also a mainstay across a host of different nutritional product powders, including RTD protein beverages and bars. “Consumers want indulgent flavors when it comes to these products,” emphasizes Armstrong.

Other sweet flavors appearing across categories include peanut butter, strawberry, chocolate chip, cookies and cream, snickerdoodle and chocolate cookie dough. 

Meanwhile, snack foods like protein chips, tortillas, puffs and popcorn are seeing cheese, salt, garlic, BBQ and savory herb flavors trend.Chocolate and vanilla are popular with more than half of all respondents. 

Generational differences
As the survey included generations from Gen Z (born 1996 and later) to the Silent Generation (born 1925 to 1945), some notable differences emerged. 

For example, younger generations are a fan of peanut butter protein powders, with 18 percent of Gen Z, Y and X all consuming this flavor. In contrast, 7 percent of Baby Boomers and none of the Silent Generation choose this flavor.

In the protein cake bites category, Gen Y was found to be the heaviest consumers of both chocolate and cookies and cream flavors. In contrast, the Silent Generation do not consume protein cake bites at all. 

Lifestyle shifts
The investigation also found that many respondents were looking for plant protein as an active ingredient in their nutrition and performance products. 

This was the case for 32 percent of people purchasing protein powder, 25 percent purchasing protein bars and 22 percent purchasing RTD.

Additionally, the top five lifestyle diets that respondents follow are keto (12 percent), intermittent fasting (11 percent), gluten-free (10 percent), dairy-free (9 percent) and vegetarian (9 percent).

Last summer, Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights, shared that keto is more of a lifestyle than a diet, which is part of the appeal. 

Only a few respondents follow vegan (5 percent), paleo (3 percent) and pescatarian (3 percent) diets, while more than half (52 percent) of all respondents do not follow any lifestyle diet. 

By Katherine Durrell