According to Mintel data, cheddar is the top cheese flavour profile in savoury foods in the UK, accounting for 68% of cheese-flavoured savoury product launches in the 18 months to June 2013.
“Mature cheddar cheese is an enduringly popular flavour in the UK, both in terms of sales of block cheese and also in its prominent use in cheese-based savoury products,” said Synergy R&D manager Ciaran Lynch. “However, we recognised that the rich, lasting flavour profile consumers associate with mature cheddar can sometimes be difficult to deliver in applications such as pasties and sauces.”
Lynch added that the flavour range can also help boost the flavour of mature cheddar cheese, and can help manufacturers develop cheaper cheddar-flavoured foods.
In a statement about the new flavours, the company said: “Offering a number of performance advantages over block cheese, the range can help manufacturers reduce the processing challenges associated with handling cheese, minimise the risk of boil out during heat treatment, and stabilise formulation costs against fluctuations in cheese prices. The natural product range is 100 per cent traceable and can be declared simply as cheese or natural flavour.”