Dsm-firmenich, innovators in nutrition, health, and beauty, has announced that Peach+ is the 12th annual “Flavour of the Year” for 2024.
The selections were based on emerging signals in the cultural and consumer landscape where trends in kindness, community, goodness, and comfort have all been identified as having increasing relevancy.
For more than 20 years, PANTONE® and dsm-formenich have observed many of the same trend sources, drawing inspiration from a wide variety of influences, including culinary, fashion, hair and beauty, packaging and multimedia design, home décor and interior design, architecture, art, and the cultural zeitgeist.
Peach+ is an invitation to innovate with this flavour, to go beyond the traditional juicy sweet aspects to also consider softer, smoother, lighter, more refreshing, textural elements.
“Now in its 12th year, the announcement of the Flavour of the Year is an eagerly anticipated event,” said Maurizio Clementi, EVP for Taste, Taste, Texture & Health at dsm-firmenich. “The delicate and natural qualities of Peach+ call for diverse applications across multiple food and beverage industries, and we are excited to see the innovations of our clients upon receiving this news.”
Empowering Customers with Insights into Trends
The peach is one of the oldest cultivated fruits in the world, with a 4,000-year-old history that began in China and continues to this day. China is a world leader in peach production and exportation, with over 400 varietals under cultivation.
“Our research reveals that peach has many multifaceted meanings,” said Jeffrey Richard Schmoyer, VP of Human Insights for Taste, Texture & Health at dsm-firmenich. “And peach is incredibly emotional. While the peach has a long history, it also has an innovative future.”
According to Emotions 360™, a proprietary dsm-firmenich consumer study that measures consumer emotions associated with ingredients, the peach is somewhat unique in that it has many innate qualities that contrast, such as being both indulgent and pampering, but also refreshing and revitalising, and youthful, but nostalgic.
Peach has been an evergreen fruit flavour in many categories for decades with a steady share of presence in innovations in most regions. Today, peach is growing in popularity in some regions and categories both as the primary tonality and in combination with others.
The most prevalent areas of growth for peach new product development are carbonated soft drinks, nectars, candies, ready-to-drink teas, teas, flavoured alcoholic drinks, yogurt and fruit preparations, dairy drinks, juices containing peach, and fruit preserves. Other areas showing promise for growth are functional drinks and powdered soft drinks, as well as more savoury opportunities for peach including side dishes, noodles, processed cheeses, and protein analogues.
“Flavour of the Year showcases emerging trends in flavour through proactive sensory experiences and creations, and completes its mission year after year, which is to empower our customers to be leaders in global trends,” says Mikel Cirkus, Global Creative Director for Taste, Texture & Health at dsm-firmenich.
The company identifies countless possibilities to put the Plus in Peach for 2024, and confidently envisions how customers can lead with these emerging trends to ultimately create products with high impact and superior business relevancy.
Peach+ was inspired by PANTONE® 13-1023 Peach Fuzz, the 2024 Colour of the Year from PANTONE®, the global colour authority and provider of professional colour language standards and digital solutions for the design community.
