Five major trends in the sweets and snacks industry
At the latest edition of ISM, it was possible to see the latest trends and innovations for the sweets and snacks industry. Today, and tomorrow you will see those trends emerge on your shelves. Below you will find some examples of products that illustrate quite well what to expect in the near future for confectionary and savory items.
Nothing goes to waste
Being more conscious about consumption is one thing, but waste reduction is also a main concern. So, we see new products emerge or others using raw material to the maximum. First great example is Cabosse. This Belgian praline is even the winner of the ISM Award. Usually, the pulp of cocoa beans is discarded. That means that 70% of the fruit is not used. But the company Vandenbulcke developed Cabosse, using everything. The new praline has a unique filling made from the flavorful white pulp. And it works, as it gives a nice fruity and fresh acid tasty result.
Second example in waste reduction is Spoontainable. Instead of using plastic spoons or stirrers, the idea is to be able to eat what you use. The company developed a range of spoons and stirrers made with shells of the cocoa bean or oats. Useful with ice cream, tea, coffee…a bit crunchy but efficient and tasty.
Alternatives, alternatives, and more alternatives
It is totally normal to find alternative to sugar, gluten, etc. Many companies change recipes or find alternate ingredients to reduce sugar levels, offer gluten free or vegan alternatives to their consumers. Of course, all of them do it without compromising on quality or taste.
A good example is Benjamissimo, a concept that plays a lot with ingredients. This is quite an interesting premium but affordable range of chocolates. The range is quite large, organic, vegan and natural. And I noted a few flavors which were using unique ingredients as alternatives to classic recipes. One was using coconut milk. And another interesting item in the range was using carob. The carob tree is found in the Mediterranean region and its pods powder can be used as an alternative to cocoa beans. If you ask me, the taste of carob is quite pleasant too.
I can’t believe it’s not honey
A bit everywhere at ISM I noticed vegan alternatives to honey. As an example, I can mention Vegablum, a company that developed a full range of alternatives to honey including honey wine.
Pleasure is still the goal
Obviously, being conscious and responsible is important, offering alternatives as well. But many manufacturers, even while keeping these above-mentioned trends in mind, simply develop products purely for the pleasure of your taste buds.
A first example comes from Pipaillon. This Belgian company is a great example. Next to a high-quality range of jams, they also have tapenades.
Another example is Betty and Albert, a range of cookies and chocolate snacks. The vision of the company is offering snacks which qualify as guilty pleasures. At the same time, the company supports WWF and Virunga.org in order to do its part for the planet.
And still in the pleasure trend, and one of my favorite discoveries is the Crème de nougat blanc from Le Roy René. This concept is surfing on the nothings goes to waste trend, but also the pleasure wave. The product is made of the leftovers of a nougat production. Usually, it is made with the little pieces that got cut off or don’t look ‘good enough’ to be sold as classic nougat. Believe me when I say it is very surprising and tasty.
Surprise consumers with new experience
Finally, a trend which I noted was quite widespread: surprise with experience. Many manufacturers produce good products and high quality of course, but also want the end consumer to experience something new, something surprising or exciting.
A first example are Moshi donuts. Obviously, the shape of these donuts is surprising as it is different than the classic round ones. But the dough is also different and offers a different event in your mouth.
Also, this year, it seems that many chocolatiers aim to offer crispy tastes. Often, I discovered a few chocolatiers showcasing products with crunchy fills. The crispy feeling can be coming from various ingredients: nuts, cookies, speculoos, … One example that surprised me was coming from Galler, Chocolaterie Indépendante. In their range, there is a milk chocolate with popcorn flavor. The result is a sweet product with a subtle crispiness.
TrendsTrendSweetsConfiserieSnacksFoodIsm 2022