Savoury flavours enter the dessert aisle

Savoury flavours are making inroads into traditionally sweet product categories around the world according to UK ingredients industry analyst, RTS Resource.

Recent examples of the trend include mustard savoury ice cream by Heston from Waitrose in the UK, a non-alcoholic herbal martini with bell peppers and tomatoes from Altar in the US, and spinach and feta gluten-free muffins from Muffin Break in Australia and the UK.

“Savoury flavours are arguably a neglected area of the flavours industry," says RTS director Jamie Rice. "However, the rise of meal kits, gourmet salads and the innovative use of savoury flavours in sweet categories such as ice cream, bakery and soft drinks all point to savoury flavours’ growing importance.”

The global market for savoury flavours and seasonings in food and drink is currently worth US$8.6 billion and has grown by US$1.9 billion over five years, according to RTS.

The researcher points to increased consumer demand for convenient food and drink products, as ready meals, cooking sauces and snacks including sandwiches and savoury bites all require savoury flavours.

In addition, RTS says it has noted a growing trend for stronger and more complex flavours.