PLANT BASED DAIRY ALTERNATIVES 2021
Plant-based ice cream
Plant-based colors
The growing popularity of plant-based ice cream is
leading brands to develop innovative new products.
EXBERRY Coloring Foods can showcase exciting new
flavors while maintaining completely clean and clear labels,
writes Steven Taylor, Key Account Manager GNT.
The plant-based trend is shaking up the ice cream sector.
Dairy alternatives now account for 10% of all new ice
cream products, with launch numbers rising at a CAGR of
30% between 2016 and 2020.1
In an increasingly crowded marketplace, manufacturers
are helping their products stand out with innovative new
flavors, from agave and acai to banana split and beetroot.
Between 2018 and 2020, the fastest growing flavors
among plant-based ice cream and frozen yogurt launches
globally were peanut butter, caramel, and banana and
chocolate.2
Color plays a huge role
Color can play a huge role in maximizing these products’
appeal. Whether using rich and indulgent browns, deep
pinks and purples, or vibrant greens and yellows, the ice
cream’s shade is the first sensory signal as to its quality.
As well as influencing expectations of the flavor, research
shows that both the hue and the color intensity can affect
the tasting experience.3
In the modern market, the choice of coloring ingredient
is important, too. Artificial colors are no longer acceptable
to the majority of consumers worldwide, and even ‘natural’
colors with chemical-sounding names can fall short
of expectations. A recent FMCG Gurus survey found that
56% of consumers worldwide actively look to avoid artificial
ingredients, with the same proportion saying they
seek out products containing recognizable ingredients.4
EXBERRY Coloring Foods are made from well-known
fruit, vegetables and plants grown by farmers working
as part of our vertical supply chain. To create our color
concentrates, we use gentle physical processing methods
such as chopping and boiling. Based on the straightforward
principle of coloring food with food, EXBERRY can
deliver hundreds of powerful shades while maintaining
completely clean and clear labels. For example, a coconut
ice cream with a kiwi fruit puree might feature a green
shade that could be listed on the label as “Coloring Food
(concentrate from spirulina and turmeric).”
EXBERRY colors are suitable for almost any food and
beverage application, including both dairy and plantbased
dairy products. Having spent more than four
decades working with Coloring Foods, GNT has all the
GNT offers plant-based food colors that are suitable for
popular plant-based ice creams (photo: GNT)
knowledge and experience required to deliver the coloring
solutions you need. Our experts are available to assist
customers through each step of the commercialization
process, from color matching and stability testing all the
way through to regulatory support and upscaling.
1 Innova 'Flavor is king, but is not the only trend in ice
cream' (2021)
2 Mintel GNPD
3 Spence, C. 'On the Relationship(s) Between Color and
Taste/Flavor' Experimental Psychology (2019)
4 FMCG Gurus 'Clean & Clear Label in
2021 Global Report' (2021)
14 · September/October 2021 ¦ international-dairy.com
/international-dairy.com
