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Easter bunnies and marshmallow peeps, decadent chocolate and refreshing fruit flavors. Engrained in our memories as common reminders of spring, we’re taking a look at what classics have remained and what has changed. From social distancing’s impact on Easter celebrations to vegan chocolate and innovative product introductions, let’s dive into what has bloomed this Spring and see how it can help you move forward.
Bunnies, chicks, bright colors and sweet flavors – spring means Easter releases. Family favorites such as jelly beans, chocolate eggs and gummy candy are long-term staples for many Easter traditions. And as a prime candidate for the perfect gift from the Easter bunny, chocolate confectionery ranks first in top categories. Bakery, snacks, alcoholic beverages, and sugar & gum confectionery follow behind.
37% of US consumers buy Easter themed chocolate – Mintel
“Easter is a good time for sugar confectionery brands to cater to sharing occasions, considering it is a very family-oriented and social celebration.” – Mintel
Popular spring sellers go beyond celebrated bunny shaped confectionery and sweet treats. Alcohol to energy drinks, cookies and more, spring releases spread across all categories. See below for more top IRIS sellers we’ve spotted.
1,745 Global Seasonal & LTO releases this Spring
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, families were forced to distance themselves during this year’s spring celebrations. In fact, shelter-in-place and social distancing could have actually increased purchasing in Easter seasonal/LTO products. Whether to continue to spread Easter holiday cheer or as a way to celebrate or indulge, consumers still found interest in Easter food and beverage product purchasing.
“What makes Easter even more intriguing, especially during this era of social distancing, are the chances that consumers will purchase an Easter food gift for themselves instead of for someone else. Packaged Facts found that along with Thanksgiving and Halloween, Easter is among the occasions almost as popular with Americans for self-gifting as they are for gifting to others.” – PR Newswire
Coconut and lemon are a few flavors that appeared in seasonal products this spring, showing positive consumer perception. Both flavors ranked high in consumer sentiment according to Infegy Atlas, with coconut at 90% positivity and lemon at 80% positivity.
Tate’s Bake Shop Lemon Cookies: These lemon cookies are now available in a limited edition for Spring 2020. The cookies are described as thin, crispy and deeply delicious. 38% of consumers responded that they likely or definitely would buy this product.
Cookies United Sweet Lemon Layers Cake Bites: These cake bites feature layers of drizzled white icing, lemon icing, lemon cake, vanilla cake and lemon jelly. 30% of consumers responded that they likely or definitely would buy this product.
Powerade Strawberry & Lemon Sports Drink: Formulated to hydrate fast, this drink contains four electrolytes and a refreshing strawberry and lemon flavor. 39% of consumers responded that they likely or definitely would buy this product.
Chobani Pineapple Coconut Greek Yogurt: Chobani’s yogurt features a coconut flavor and has less than 1% fat. The product is high in protein and a source of calcium. 41% of consumers responded that they likely or definitely would buy this product.
Coconut Cheerios: This special edition coconut flavored cereal has whole grain as the first ingredient and is free from artificial colors and flavors.
We’ve spotted innovative LTOS & spring releases in food services and dining ranging from flamin’ hot tacos to animal cookie inspired ice cream.
In our 2019 spring flavors report, we mentioned opportunity in vegan formulations, and we have continued to see this as a trend. With plant-based eating continuing to increase in popularity, Easter releases have started to include vegan alternatives. This could also lead to opportunity in seasonal vegan product development for holidays such as Christmas, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day treats.
“Over the past year, vegan chocolate has made the move from margins to mainstream, with a number of manufacturers launching vegan, non-dairy equivalents of their popular dairy milk chocolate products.” – Mintel
Asda Choc Easter Bunny: Asda’s Chocolate Easter Bunny Egg is milk-, egg- and gluten-free. The chocolate flavored bunny is suitable for vegans and contains no artificial colors, flavors or hydrogenated fat. | UK
Though spring shaped up to be a bit different this year with stay-at-home orders impacting Easter celebrations and spring traditions, in the food and beverage space, much stayed true. Sugar and chocolate confectionery continue to be a go-to staple for bright and cheery Easter baskets, while the push towards vegan treats is still a hot topic among consumers and developers. But not everything has stayed the same – innovation in seasonal products and LTOs has showed exciting flavor features from pineapple ginger to flamin’ hot Cheetos, coconut and lemon. With many of these refreshing and fruity flavors carrying on into the summer months, how can these spring innovations inspire your summer product developments and beyond?
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What does true partnership look like? You deserve a flavor partner ready to turn these trends into the tangible.
Let FONA’s market insight and research experts get to work for you. Translate these trends into bold new ideas for your brand. Increase market share and get to your “what’s next.” Our technical flavor and product development experts are also at your service to help meet the labeling and flavor profile needs for your products to capitalize on this consumer trend. Let’s mesh the complexities of flavor with your brand development, technical requirements and regulatory needs to deliver a complete taste solution.
From concept to manufacturing, we’re here for you — every step of the way. Contact our sales service department at 630.578.8600 to request a flavor sample or chat us up at www.fona.com/contact-fona/
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