SF-Confectionery-2020

5 TRENDS specialityfoodmagazine.com and popcorn. These inclusions nod to the rise of textures, too.” Functionality and health “I don’t believe consumer health has ever been more important,” says Charlie Simpson-Daniel, founder of Wizards Magic Chocolate. “Across every generation Covid-19 has been a health scare. The world has changed, and I think that will be reflected in food. That said, I don’t think people will ever compromise on taste. Ultimately if something doesn’t taste amazing shoppers choose the thing that does. Indulgence is critical.” Wizard Chocolate is on a mission to be the Space X of confectionery, making a huge leap forwards in terms of functionality and flavour when it comes to chocolate. Its latest launch is Immunity Chocolate, a full-sugar bar packed with a day’s intake of vitamins D3 and K2, plus antioxidants. “I think plant-based is absolutely what people want, but that sugar has a few more years left in it,” says Charlie, citing the limited success major chocolate players have had in low-sugar formulations. “I think when it comes to health or sugar reduction people don’t want a low sugar Dairy Milk; they want innovation from challenger brands. That’s why small companies that can move really fast are going to continue to be the ones that stimulate market trends.” And the silver bullet that’s going to give the confectionery sector the health appeal? “If you put a gun to my head I’d say in 10 years’ time the big thing is going to be CBD,” says Charlie. “We think the movement the US has been making towards CBD means that the trend is going to move very aggressively here.” Interestingly, focus groups assembled by Charlie’s team have found consumers actively seek an earthy, herbal taste. “They expect a point of difference from normal chocolate,” he says, noting that CBD offers chocolatiers a chance to supercharge the eating experience. “Ultimately you can have a fantastic-tasting chocolate bar, but if it helps you sleep, helps you relax, eases joint pain... well, people are always going to go for the thing that give them something extra. There’s a mental health crisis in the UK and something like CBD that can help in so many ways, particularly an ageing population, sports people, even young people... So all my chips are on CBD.” Free-from Once a purely niché market for those dodging allergens, dairy- free has evolved, recharged by a rejection of dairy from a new generation of vegans, and an explosion of innovation in the plant-based sector. “The free- from marketplace has grown dramatically in such a short time that it’s presented everyone in the confectionery sector with great opportunities and real challenges,” says Matt Gilding, managing director of plant-based chocolatier Booja Booja. “The opportunities are obvious, but the challenges are more nuanced, and the rewards will go to those who think strategically and operate authentically rather than just jumping on the free-from bandwagon.”  “Probably the biggest challenge is to communicate clearly and positively about where you sit in a free-from market that is now thoroughly fragmented and segmented. Products are not automatically good just by virtue of being free-from. There’s plenty of pretty horrible dairy-free chocolate around. Happily there is a trend towards simple, authentic, minimally processed products. Also, vegan has gone way beyond being a fad or a trend; it has gone from fringe to mainstream and we see it growing long-term.” Wouter Stomph, ingredient development and innovation expert at Olam Cocoa, shares what’s next Consumers have become a lot more adventurous and experimental with taste. In Asia consumers are opting for snacks using flavours like matcha and miso; wasabi-based desserts are hugely popular in Japan, and we see even more unusual flavours, such as chilli crab, in Singapore’s ice cream shops. The trend for salty and sweet flavour combinations continues to grow in Western markets, too. The demand for snacks that also provide health benefits is showing no signs of slowing, but for consumers it’s important these taste great, too. As a result, we’re seeing the rise of more intense flavours that help provide taste, without the need to resort to more sugar or additives. A couple years back we saw the single origin chocolate coming over to the mainstream. I’m expecting the same for single estate, specific cacao varieties and post-harvest processing methods, such as fermentation methods and barrel aging. Another growing trend is botanical flavours, which provide strong, distinctive tastes to help elevate flavour profiles, while using natural ingredients which deliver added health benefits. A GLOBAL PALATE The changing world will be reflected in food... but people will not compromise on taste