Understanding the flavor market
The surge in the global flavor market has been phenomenal in the last few years. While there are different conflicting figures on the value of the industry – the current valuation of the global flavor market is pegged at $18 billion after analyzing the various market insights collated.
Precedence Research valued it at USD 17.19 billion in 2021 and asserts it is expected to hit around USD 26.3 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.84% from 2022 to 2030. In its analysis, Fortune Business Insights said the value of the market was USD 14.30 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 20.12 billion by 2028.
While another forecast revealed a few years ago that the market was forecasted to reach $36 billion in 2022 with Africa expected to play one of the biggest growth opportunities.
Irrespective of the valuation chosen, the flavor market is growing and has been largely influenced by many factors such as – technology adoption, the boom in the hospitality sector, evolving tastes and preferences of customers, the fast-paced lifestyle and increasing working women population, and the demand for ready-to-eat food products.
Post the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, consumers are looking for health and wellness, and products with ginger and turmeric spices are in high demand.
Food companies have intensified research and development activities to create a broad variety of unique flavors with more interesting and diversified products and enhanced tastes. At the global level especially in the West, there has been increasing demand for African flavors. This demands open new frontiers for food and beverage makers, thus driving the growth of the food flavor and enhancer sector in Africa.
The Flavor market in Africa
Africa is a diverse continent bursting with an unexplored world of flavors. African flavors are authentic, healthy, complex and bold, hence their growing popularity around the world. The surge in urbanization and immigration, and influence from the media and books have also been key drivers of the continental flavor market. One of the continent’s most popular export is the jollof rice, owned by multiple countries with original roots in Senegal. Add the African birdseye chilli – with a unique heat level and flavor
The rise of African flavors is evidenced by the huge number of African restaurants across the globe. For example, the American National Restaurant Association, in its annual food trend forecast for 2017, polled 1300 chefs, 66% of whom thought African food would increase visibility on menus.
So far, the outlook is positive. There are strong indications that cuisine from across Africa will continue to make an impact on the globe, which presents huge opportunities for potential investors.
“Consumers today take greater responsibility for their health than ever. Their demand for efficacy and naturalness continues to drive innovation, as does the spotlight on holistic well-being,” according to Nathalie Richer, Global Health Business Leader of Symrise Food & Beverage, Naturals.
African cuisine provides dynamic, flavorful, and healthy options, which are rich in dietary fiber and low in added sugar, fat, and sodium. The world will continue to demand flavors that have authentic African tastes. Given this awareness among consumers, manufacturers will have no choice but to intensify efforts to produce healthy foods which is what African flavors represent.
Annika Stensson, Director of Research Communications for the National Restaurant Association, agrees that African flavors have already been part of the American and international dining scenes, appealing to consumer tastes and becoming more familiar.
The authenticity of African flavors
The African food flavor and enhancer market have continued to attract foreign investors, who want to grow their global presence and reach while supporting the growth of the African food and beverage industry. Their presence has increased competition within the flavor and enhancer market.
Major foreign players in the African food flavor and enhancer market are Symrise AG, Sensient Technologies Corporation, Givaudan, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), and Kerry Group, amongst others.
The major challenge faced in Africa’s flavor and enhancer market is the inability of global houses to design flavors for Africa due to a lack of consumer insights. Unfortunately, most flavor houses, especially non-local companies do not have boots on the ground to understand the flavor market in Africa and have to develop solutions based on secondary research.
For instance, food professionals have been harnessing the power of umami-rich foods such as MSG to create dishes that excite one of the five basic tastes and produce deep, rich flavor profiles. Umami has naturally existed in African dishes, thanks to local flavors such as crayfish, roasted mushroom, and smoked stockfish, which elicit a unique umami taste in foods that are used in Jollof and other non-fish cuisines.
Symrise & Freddy Hirsch Partnership
The Freddy Hirsch and Symrise AG partnership is a marriage between a leading West African flavor manufacturer with local insights and a key player in the global flavor market, respectively. Together, we can deliver effective solutions and improve taste perception through enhanced salivating properties in West Africa Foods. In addition, our collaboration will improve food innovation and ensure deep market penetration in West Africa and harness our joint flavor technology platforms to deliver authentic African flavors and enhancers.
The partnership has been able to create flavors that are uniquely suited to the African market. The two companies have a deep understanding of ‘deliciousness’ with umami solutions that can suit any need. From regulatory, labeling, cost, taste, and price, they can support efforts to offer that rich taste that consumers crave. Our umami technology enhances the flavor of African foods by improving mouth feel, masking off notes, and balancing the overall taste experience.
To achieve the vision of innovating authentic African flavors and tastes, both firms have invested in research, development, and application laboratories and a manufacturing facility with state-of-the-art quality management systems.
From Africa For Africa (FAFA) Seasonings
As part of its moves to launch the West African portfolio and accelerate the development of local authentic flavors across West Africa, Symriseand Freddy Hirsch Nigeria developed the concept of FAFA – From Africa For Africa (FAFA). FAFA’s journey is rooted in Africa’s heritage and traditions, with a tradition of passing down authentic flavors of local cuisine from generation to generation.
FAFA prioritizes local authentic flavors and provides fit for multiple application tastes and convenient, dignified tasty seasonings that can be added to basic staples to create authentic West African dishes.
Kojo Brifo, Managing Director, Freddy Hirsch Nigeria, and Sofiane Berrahmoune, Sub Regional Director, Flavor, Africa Middle East, Taste, Nutrition & Health, Symrise evaluating the From Africa For Africa (FAFA) box.
The journey started from Symrise’s market and consumer insights, where it selected and sourced the unique fresh local ingredients that are key in West African cuisine, such as Uzazi, Dawadawa, Uda, giri, scent leaf, Nigerian nutmeg among others, to analyze and understanding the composition, to creating flavors based on its technical expertise and partnership with Freddy Hirsch.
Based on the insights on culinary trends and emerging ingredient drivers of the local market, the Research and Development team was able to prioritize and create flavors tailored to African tastes, based on the consumer research from both Symrise and Freddy Hirsch Nigeria teams.
Ogiri is a flavoring made of fermented oil seeds, such as sesame or egusi. It can be served as Bouillons for Soups/Stews, seasoning for Starch and meat dishes, component of ready cook sauces/ condiments.
Scent leaf is Nigeria’s healing herb also known as Basil leaf, OcimumGratissimum internationally, and Nchanwu leaf by Igbo people.
Dawadawa is a Nigerian condiment used in jollof rice and locust bean. Dawadawa is found in a wide range of environments in Africa and is primarily grown for its pods that contain both sweet pulp and valuable seeds. It has a pungent aroma that is not particularly attractive, but in a sauce or stew, the unmistakable umami flavor enhances the taste.
Uda is also known as Black Pepper. This spice is used for its aromatic crisp flavor. It has a slightly bitter taste and could be peppery especially if you bite into the seeds. Uda is one of the main ingredients in making popular Igbo delicacies such as pepper soup, isi ewu, and Nkowbi.
Uzazi is a spicy pepper. Uzazi is a close relative of the Sichuan pepper and has a similar taste profile to the Asian spice. Unlike the Sichuan pepper where only the pericarp of the fruit is used, Uzazi is used whole (both pericarp and seed). Uzazi has a spicier flavor and greater pungency than Sichuan pepper.
After the top notes were created, application recipes that deliver the overall authentic West African taste experience were developed before the rollout of insights, products, solutions, and concepts to key customers who validate the offerings with the customers.
The benefits of innovation like Symrise and Freddy Hirsch’s FAFA toolbox are far-reaching; manufacturers can now gain previously unavailable access to localized, authentic African flavors, based on consumer studies and sensory insights to create their own uniquely local food and cuisine.
Kojo Brifo is the Managing Director of Freddy Hirsch Nigeria and West Africa
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