Making health-conscious food and drink choices has become a clear priority for consumers amongst almost all demographics, leading to a significant increase in demand for minimally processed, natural alternatives. 

By reducing reliance on artificial ingredients, manufacturers can also tap into the clean labelling trend, providing shorter and more recognisable ingredients lists highlighting products’ natural origins.  

Customers are now asking brands to make their entire product portfolio as natural as possible. Making the switch to natural ingredients would have once meant making sacrifices in areas like colour or flavour but thanks to a wide variety of innovations from Cornelius Principals, natural no longer has to mean compromise.  

Bright Colours, Naturally

Brands are increasingly choosing to develop new products in bright or interesting colours as image-driven platforms such as Instagram and the role of influencer marketing becomes more prevalent than ever. Creating photo-worthy products in eye-catching colours can help brands to build an online buzz around their innovations and create an exciting, ‘share-worthy’ experience that can significantly boost sales.

Once only attainable using chemical additives, bright eye-catching colours have taken a natural turn. Ranges such as Chr. Hansen’s highly varied natural colour portfolio, distributed by Cornelius in the UK and suitable for both food and drink products, mean brands can now retain their natural credentials and healthy-focus while achieving the bright colours that capture the collective consumer imagination in the Instagram age.  

Chr. Hansen is the global number one provider of natural colours and colouring food stuffs created from edible, natural sources such as fruits and vegetables, featuring the largest natural pigment portfolio in the industry and working with customers to develop the unique new colours they require.

Protein Power

With more products bursting onto shelves than ever before, the trend for high-protein snacks and drinks shows no sign of abating. Increasingly health-conscious consumers are more likely than ever to select products based on their protein content, with both indulgent protein-based treats like cookies or brownies and low-calorie options tempting buyers.  

Protein waters in particular have seen a surge in popularity over the last few months, offering a simple way to increase protein intake in a lighter form to traditional shakes. Many of these drinks contain a huge 20g of protein, often under 100 calories with little to no sugar, perfect for a post-workout hit of hydration that gives tired muscles a boost. 

BiPRO®, distributed by Cornelius in the UK, is a completely natural, unique dairy protein produced from pasteurised whey. The formula is low in lactose and fat and carbohydrate free and has the highest level of protein currently on the market at around 95% on a dry basis. BiPRO® Crystal Clear is also available, developed specifically to allow manufacturers to develop clear protein waters. 

Pure Natural Flavour

Today’s consumers are driven by new experiences, with more adventurous palates than ever, but in an ever health-conscious world they’re no longer willing to compromise on ingredients for the sake of taste. By making the simple swap from synthetic flavourings to natural flavours, such as Nielsen Massey’s wide range of pure extracts, waters and pastes, manufacturers can give consumers the artificial-free products they desire without compromising on quality. 

Nielsen Massey has over 100 years’ experience crafting pure vanillas and flavours, giving it a unique understanding of this often-overlooked ingredient. Considered to be the ‘plain Jane’ of the ingredients industry, Nielsen Massey’s wide range of vanilla varieties bring more than meets the eye. Madagascan, Mexican, Tahitian and Indonesian vanillas, to name a few, allow food manufacturers to create new flavours and add interesting twists to both sweet and savoury recipes.  Vanilla sugar is also available as a vegan-certified option for plant-based products. 

As well as its traditional vanillas, Nielsen Massey offers a range of high-quality flavours including orange, chocolate, almond and peppermint. The range is created using a unique process that gently extracts the delicate flavour from the premium botanical ingredients and allows consumers to give a dish a boost without having to chop, zest, juice or worry about spoiled ingredients. 

Learn more about the wide range of exciting natural ingredients Cornelius has to offer at Food Matters Live, November 20-22 at ExCel London.