Vanilla is loved by almost everyone, everywhere. Adopted by different regions and cultures in subtly different ways, it’s a key ingredient in everything from cereal to Michelin-starred cuisine, and its popularity shows no sign of declining.
When it comes to taste, people’s preferences are wonderfully diverse, formed by their own experiences, where they live and the communities they live in. From rich and creamy to subtle and aromatic, pinpointing the ideal vanilla flavor begins with knowing who will be doing the tasting.
of the world’s vanilla is used in the US, Germany and France
consumer spending will rise by 43% to $12trillion between 2010 and 2020
13 urban hot spots where Symrise is carrying out research into the latest sweet trends
Knowing what works
The only way to know what it is that delights consumers is to immerse yourself in their world. This is exactly what our marketing and evaluation teams do, every day.
Beyond taste
While it’s vanilla’s flavor that makes it so popular, we know that consumers are driven by more than just their taste buds. In recent years we’ve seen a huge increase in demand for Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade and organic products, and we’re perfectly positioned to help our customers meet this demand.
We all love a little indulgence, but not if we think there is a risk that our moment of pleasure has come at the expense of something else. From Fairtrade to Rainforest Alliance certified products, consumers are increasingly choosing products that they can feel confident didn’t cost the earth, or the people who produced the taste they love.
Some of our large partners, for example, offer organically grown or fairly traded products. Another partner focuses on products certified by the Rainforest Alliance. We offer every customer the vanilla product that best suits their brands and products.
Finding a way to combine insight with inspiration is essential to meeting the present and future needs of our customers. For us, the complexity of consumer preference is just another source of inspiration.
There’s a growing global demand for adventurous and different food trends. Those driving this change are the Millennials. Born between 1982 and 1988, there are now over 2 billion Millennials globally, with 86% living in emerging markets. As the first truly connected generation, Millennials expect to be able to discover a world of flavor with ease, looking for new food experiences and ways to express their individuality.
In collaboration with some of the most high-profile Millennial food experts and social media influencers we worked to imagine new varieties of vanilla. These new types of vanilla are totally different to the ‘classic’ vanilla consumers know and love. With a focus placed on surprising and intriguing flavor profiles, this is vanilla to excite and surprise, with flavors ranging from rich and savory to raw and earthy.
For Millennials, enjoying their favorite food is about more than flavor. Multi-sensory experiences that appeal to Millennials’ experimentation are sought out, with color, shape, and texture all the focus of a growing food trend. There is also a strong emphasis on healthy products, with positive nutrition and ingredients to enhance wellbeing becoming a lifestyle that many are willing to pay for.
A global perspective
Chefs United®, the largest network of its kind, bring together chefs from every continent and from the entire culinary network – giving us access to what it is that different consumers want across the world. We asked some the chefs to share their favorite regional vanilla recipes with us.
这些俄罗斯Sirniki奶酪蛋糕可能只是你r new favorite breakfast or brunch treat. Made in a very similar way to pancakes, this traditional recipe adds cottage cheese to the pancake batter to bring a new texture and flavor dimension to the dish.
What you use to garnish your Sirniki is entirely up to you. We recommend sour cream, sugar or jam, but just like other pancakes, you can really use whatever you want. So why not try this recipe out and experiment with your favorite toppings?
These bread muffins make a great mid-morning of afternoon snack. With a ricotta center that gives them a delicious texture, this recipe should make six good sized muffins. The spices and dried fruits in the mixture also make this recipe a great option for the holiday season.
One of the other benefits of this recipe is that it uses up old bread which you might otherwise throw away. So if you ever have bread that is past its best, keep these muffins in mind. You can also cube your bread and freeze it for use at a later date.
Vanilla cupcakes are a staple when it comes to American sweet treats – everybody loves them, and everybody has their own way of making them. This particular recipe should make a dozen cupcakes.
I’ve not included the frosting here, but you can decorate your cupcakes however you choose. The classic way is of course with buttercream icing, which uses butter, sugar, vanilla and cream. If you want something lighter, you can use just icing sugar mixed with water to decorate your cupcakes. Whatever you choose, let your cupcakes cool down fully before icing to ensure the best possible results.
这些俄罗斯Sirniki奶酪蛋糕可能只是你r new favorite breakfast or brunch treat. Made in a very similar way to pancakes, this traditional recipe adds cottage cheese to the pancake batter to bring a new texture and flavor dimension to the dish.
What you use to garnish your Sirniki is entirely up to you. We recommend sour cream, sugar or jam, but just like other pancakes, you can really use whatever you want. So why not try this recipe out and experiment with your favorite toppings?
These bread muffins make a great mid-morning of afternoon snack. With a ricotta center that gives them a delicious texture, this recipe should make six good sized muffins. The spices and dried fruits in the mixture also make this recipe a great option for the holiday season.
One of the other benefits of this recipe is that it uses up old bread which you might otherwise throw away. So if you ever have bread that is past its best, keep these muffins in mind. You can also cube your bread and freeze it for use at a later date.
Vanilla cupcakes are a staple when it comes to American sweet treats – everybody loves them, and everybody has their own way of making them. This particular recipe should make a dozen cupcakes.
I’ve not included the frosting here, but you can decorate your cupcakes however you choose. The classic way is of course with buttercream icing, which uses butter, sugar, vanilla and cream. If you want something lighter, you can use just icing sugar mixed with water to decorate your cupcakes. Whatever you choose, let your cupcakes cool down fully before icing to ensure the best possible results.
The pace of changing consumer preferences has never been quicker. Add to that the variety of tastes between regions, and you can see why it takes a global perspective informed by local knowledge to stay one step ahead.
Access all areas
Taste is an intensely personal thing. The only way to know what it is that makes a people in a particular region or market excited, is to experience it first-hand. That’s where Chefs United® comes in.
140 years and counting…
We’ve been pioneers in the world of vanilla for decades, but our passion for this incredible spice is as strong as ever and we know there is always more work to do, more to learn and something new just around the corner that will delight customers and consumers.
“Every day I’m inspired by my colleagues and our customers,” says Bernhard Kott, Chief Sustainability Officer at Symrise. “Working with them to create amazing solutions, explore new ideas and challenge the status quo is one of the best things about my role. The challenge of optimizing commercial performance and delivering great taste is something our global teams embrace. I find the teamwork here brings out the best in everyone; it refuels the imagination, and means we can go the extra mile to delight consumers and customers.”
