By Matt Willingham, Account Director, Business Development
Smoke and oak: these are two of the hottest flavors that consumer packaged goods companies (CPG) are currently exploring. Many flavor experts say that you can see trends move from the beverage world into grocery stores. That has certainly been the case for the aged flavor movement. Smoky cocktails, barrel-aged alcohols and other twists on this flavor profile have long had a hold in the drink market. But consumers are now seeing these flavors move into new CPG categories, ranging from snack foods to nonalcoholic beverages to luncheon meats. Let’s take a closer look at what’s driving the aged flavor trends and where CPG brands are expected to take it in the years ahead.
Why Are Aged Flavors Catching on?
At its core, aging foods is actually an ancient tradition of preserving and preparing foods. From steeping alcoholic beverages for years in oak barrels to letting certain foods ferment, consumers are familiar on some level with aging as a way of processing foods and beverages. In many ways, it evokes a certain nostalgia for craftsmanship and artisanal approaches to food creation.
Both of these ideas are perfectly on trend for the slow food movement and the rising interest in craft products and boutique independent brands. An aged flavor can actually be a marketing asset. Finally, aging or infusing smoke into the flavor profile of a specific food is a great way to add an edge without increasing fat or calories—and it’s an approach to food processing that resonates across a variety of eating philosophies, from vegan to Paleo. With all these potential advantages, it’s easy to see why both brands and consumers are catching on.
What’s Happening Now in Aged Flavors
One of the aspects that’s important to address about aged flavors is that they are somewhat difficult to define. Last year, umami was one of the hottest trends seen at high-end restaurants around the country. Yet when you asked an expert to define umami, their response would be to describe the flavor in general terms and then provide examples. Aged flavors are similar. What do oak barrel-aged bourbons, smoked meats and expensive aged cheeses have in common? They share two things: the process used to create them and an underlying flavor note that a discerning consumers notes.
Consumers are used to seeing aged flavors in grocery stores. A wide variety of alcoholic beverages from whiskey to bourbon are routinely aged. A lot of emphasis is put on both the time spent aging and the variety of wood. Other product categories, like meats and cheese, are routinely smoked and aged. There’s a definite correlation in the perception of aging and quality. But the movement into new and more processed categories of the CPG market is opening up its potential impact.
Where Are Aged Flavors Headed Next?
Brands are exploring these flavor notes across categories. Smoke has been showing up in the snack category; for example, several brands have recently introduced a smoke hummus. It’s also impacting liquids, like maple syrup: Bissell Maple Farm’s Pappy & Company Bourbon Barrel-Aged Syrup. There’s a whole category of olive oils that are aged. As with all craft products, there’s an attention to detail. How long have these products been aged? What kind of barrels or woods have they been aged in? What process was used to infuse them with smoke?
The next frontier is no doubt exploring the capacity of these flavors to add dimension and body to more processed foods. One interesting example that recently were smoke chocolate chips, cold smoked over alder wood for ten hours. These little details are about making certain foods more decadent and more luxurious, rather than being the main notes in a specific product.
One thing is for sure: brands are finding new ways to push the boundaries on flavor creation. Consumers are paying attention to both manufacturing processes and flavor results for something new and different. In a way, aged flavors are a huge advantage because they involve both an artisanal process and an end result that stands up well to both marketing needs and healthy consumer scrutiny. CPG brands will no doubt be continuing to explore the potential of smoked and aged flavors in the years ahead.
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