Everyone always says to stop and smell the roses… but at Trilogy Flavors, we think you should stop and taste the roses. Rose has become a very popular ingredient in recipes of all kinds, and it’s not just desserts that benefit from its floral delights.
According to data aggregator Mintel, floral flavors, such as rose and lavender, are swiftly gaining popularity among American chocolate eaters. Approximately 50% of consumers have reported interest in trying sweets and confectionery featuring rose flavors.
Consumers have a growing appetite for innovative flavors, and producers are rising to the occasion. Explorations in citrus flavors have yielded great success thus far, resulting in even more exciting new experiments. These days, confectioners are on the frontline of floral flavor innovation, partly due to newfound consumer interest in more natural and organic ingredients. Thankfully, floral flavors fit the bill perfectly.
U.S. consumers are particularly interested in florals, both extracts/oils, and edible flowers. This floral fancy dovetails perfectly with popular global trends like aromatherapy and ‘Eat With Your Eyes.’ Consumers are awakening to multisensory experiences of all kinds, and this applies to their food as well.
Specialty sweets such as chocolate are benefitting from the addition of rose flavor. The combination of rose and cacao creates a unique and delectable blend that chocolate aficionados love. The inclusion of an edible flower pressed into the bar is particularly persuasive to buyers. In innovative bakeries, you’re bound to find baked goods like cakes, cookies, scones, and much more enriched with floral flavor.
It’s clear that in recent years, consumer interest has shifted towards nutritional and holistic approaches to food. Buyers want to know what their food can do for them, not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. That’s why foods that tout potential mood-boosting benefits and wellness-inducing properties are all the rage. For example, lavender is beloved for its role as a sleep aid in aromatherapy and herbal teas, but what about its sister floral flavor, rose?
Naturally flavored beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, are also experiencing a renaissance. For some, the perfect blend of hearty and delicate flavor comes from floral beers and rose-infused kombuchas. As a result, the market is awash with rose-flavored jam, jelly, marmalade, syrup, ice cream, water, and even soup.
Although floral flavors is just starting to make waves in western markets, it’s long been a staple of Middle Eastern diets and lifestyles. Milk pudding, known as mulhalabieh (although spelling differs, depending on who you ask), is a classic Arabic sweet dish featuring rose water that is a favorite during Ramadan. It seems Middle Easterners have known for a long time what we in the west are just now figuring out: rose is the way to go.
Believe it or not, rose has a highly diverse flavor palette. At Trilogy Ingredients, we offer a range of rose flavors that feature notes of citrus, pine, and herbs . What will you create?
404892 Rose Natural Flavor Blend (O/S) citrusy, pine like, herbal
404806 Rose TTB Natural Flavor Blend (W/S) floral, rosey
684816 Rose Extract TTB Natural (W/S) fresh, citrus notes, floral, herbal
Interested in learning more? Reach out to your sales representative or contact us today.
