Lemon is one of the most beloved flavors throughout the world. From iconic beverages like lemonade to baked goods, ice cream, alcoholic drinks, and beyond, more consumers choose lemon as their flavor of choice than all other fruit flavors combined.
An Old-Fashioned Thirst Quencher with Universal Appeal
As we swing into summertime, the very idea of a tall, cool lemonade is enough to tame the most extreme heat. It doesn’t matter how young or how old we are; lemonade is synonymous with smiles—but don’t just take our word for it!
According to recently published GNPD data from market research giant Mintel, lemonade is the fastest-growing flavor on the market today, easily outpacing strawberry, watermelon, and raspberry.
The motivation behind lemonade’s growth surge is attributable to several sectors in food and beverage production:
- Diet/Light products (+200%) Lemon is fresh and tangy, lending light, bright flavors to anything it’s added to.
- Ethical/Sustainable (+200%) Lemons grow in tropical climates. They are hardy and do well with minimal intervention and spraying, contributing to their healthful image.
- No added sugar (+200%) Lemonade drinks and lemon flavors, in general, dominate the low sugar/no added sugar category, offering broad appeal across categories.
- Low/Reduced Fat (+100%) With the trend toward healthy weight maintenance and healthy living, lemon flavor provides many opportunities to support this lifestyle.
New Products Making Waves with Lemonade
The range of new lemon-flavored products entering the market today is incredibly diverse. Producers are enticing their audiences with fresh takes on this time-honored flavor from snack cakes and cookies to drink crystals, hydration products, sports drinks, and even beverage alcohol.
Hard seltzers have long relied on lemon flavors to appeal to a wide audience, but now we’re seeing beer companies get in on the action. Companies like Corona, Budweiser, New Belgium Brewing, and many others are cashing in on the trend just in time for summer beach-going and backyard get-togethers.
And for those who prefer their lemonade without the alcohol, frozen lemonade treats, lemonade slushes, lemon seltzer water, and cold iced tea/lemonade combinations make the grade.
Across alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink categories, lemon accounts for about one-third of all newly developed products, and rightly so—it’s a crowd favorite that holds steady against the ups and downs of new and emerging trends.
Health Benefits of Lemonade
Food and drink producers looking to capture the health-minded market embrace lemonade flavor to support a healthy lifestyle. Lemon is packed with natural antioxidants, like vitamin C, that helps keep bodies nourished and hydrated, improves circulation, and helps to boost the immune system. Plus, a burst of lemon on the palate is said to curb appetite and improve energy, so it’s a great addition to diet and sport nutrition products like protein bars and energy drinks.
But just because lemonade is healthy doesn’t mean it can’t be sinful too! Its fresh taste elevates the culinary experience in sweets and baked goods, like decadent cheesecakes, bars, cookies, pies, cakes, macarons, meringue, and condiments like lemon curd or lemon buttercream frosting. Pairing lemon flavor with dark chocolate ganache, for example, is easily one of the greatest indulgences there is.
No matter how you use it, lemon is a classic flavor with universal appeal. What will you create with Trilogy flavors?
152479 — Lemonade Extract WONF (citrus, fresh squeezed lemons, tart)
153029 — Lemonade NFB — water soluble (citrus, fresh, sweet)
152714 — Lemonade Type WONF — water soluble (fresh, juicy lemon with some green notes)
Interested in learning more? Reach out to your sales representative or contact us today.
