The new combinations are cranberry chestnut, apricot stuffing and kaffir cranberry currant, which come in either liquid or powder form, allowing them to be incorporated in a range of applications.
The new Christmas flavors are part of a wider flavor strategy for the company, which aims to create unusual but complementary taste combinations.
A GSB spokesperson told FoodNavigator-USA.com: “Most of our flavors are for the beverage industry, but we see these as more suitable for salad dressings, marinades, gravies, and glazes…We are going to continue the shuffled flavors campaign on into the New Year, which we are really excited about.”
Although the new range has come at the last minute for use in products this Christmas, they could prove useful for manufacturers in 2009.
The company also launched a holiday-themed flavor range for fall, when it released spicy Asian pear, peanut honey butter and blood orange sangria – all flavors which it said are reminiscent of the fall season.
The shuffled flavors range already includes such unusual blends as absinthe crème brulée, cashew curry, and dark chocolate lychee. It also offers a selection of flavor combinations based on so-called superfruits, including balsamic pomegranette, which is a mix of balsamic vinaigrette and pomegranate flavors.
‘Foodie’-inspired flavors
According to a recent report from market researchers Packaged Facts, the market for new, exotic flavors and products in the US is being driven by an emerging group of ‘foodies’ – which it defined as those who have “an avid interest in the latest food fads.” It said that 14 per cent of the American population, or 31 million US adults, fall into this category and that they are more likely to experiment with unusual or ethnic flavours. The report said that they are also more likely to spend more than $150 a week on groceries, and are therefore instrumental in inspiring new product launches.