The stresses of 2020 are driving consumers to seek out indulgent sweet treats that provide sensory pleasure, comfort and nostalgia to improve their moods. The holiday season will only amplify that demand. Yet, now more than ever, consumers want confectionery, beverages and other treats that fit into healthy lifestyles, fueling the rise of the “permissible indulgence” trend.
ADM helps brands serve these consumers with a range of sweeteners that deliver on taste, texture and functionality while providing enhanced sensory characteristics in a variety of applications.
COVID-19 has triggered a rise in snacking in consumers’ diets. In May 2020, 61% of Europeans said they bought more comfort food such as confectionery in the past month due to COVID-19, reflecting the role snacks play in providing stress relief and comfort.1 At the same time, the survey also found 79% of Europeans plan to eat and drink more healthily as a result of the pandemic.
At one time, this idea of snacking more and eating healthier would have sounded too good to be true. But the rise of “permissible indulgence” changed that by emphasizing the role sweet treats play in self-care and mental and physical wellness.
Consumers are seeking out permissible indulgences as part of their selfcare or their desire for nostalgia and comfort. This can come in the form of pre-portioned sweet, justifiable indulgences used as rewards, or treats that offer discovery of new and exotic flavors. ADM is an ideal partner to help brands deliver on these varied consumer need states.
Delivering taste, nutrition and functionality
ADM has been helping brands find the sweet spot between the sensory, nutritional and functional properties of treats for years. Recently, ADM introduced two additions to its already-expansive portfolio of solutions that deliver on functional performance, commercial viability and consumer appeal.
The recent additions to the company's GrainSweet range - Liquid Maltodextrin (LM) and a new fructose-glucose syrup (F70) - are among the many tools that can be leveraged using ADM’s Sweet Savvy approach to achieve the desired Nutri-Score while balancing needs for function, taste, quality and cost.
Beyond sweetening, ADM brings a broad portfolio and deep formulation expertise to make it easier for manufacturers deliver the better-for-you indulgences and worth-it eating and drinking experiences that consumers are seeking.
To learn more about ADM's solutions and expertise, click the banner below.
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References
1. Top Trend 7: Snacking Reclassified Explored 2020. https://fmcggurus.com/reports/top-trend-7-snacking-reclassified-explored-2020/.
