Case Studies

Prices for natural vanilla flavors and extracts have been escalating since early 2017, when a cyclone hit Madagascar. In early 2018, prices have exceeded $600/kg (Michail 2018), nearly 20 times higher than a few years ago, and is now the world’s second most expensive spice, after saffron (Van Rosendaal 2018).

The use of stevia leaf extract in food and beverage products is growing rapidly. According to Mintel Group data provided by PureCircle1, use of stevia in beverages grew by 11% in 2017, compared to 2016. There is a clear trend of decreasing usage of sucrose, high fructose corn syrup and aspartame, consistent with the growth in stevia sweeteners.

The interest in plant based protein foods and beverages is exploding. The sales of plant based food and beverage products grew 8.1% for a 52 week period ending August 12, 2017, surpassing $3.1 billion in sales for the US market1. Plant based foods are going increasingly mainstream.

Protein bars are in demand with health conscious consumers, and consumers are continuing to look for products with high content of plant based proteins. However, plant proteins have characteristic off-flavors that affect consumer acceptance and repurchase behavior.

Bodybuilders and athletes are increasingly seeking beverages with branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) for more effective muscle building workouts. BCAAs are a mixture of the amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine, and are recognized for supplying fuel to muscle while working out, and improving muscle recovery, post-workout.

After the highly-anticipated approval by the FDA for use of Stevia Rebaudioside – A 97% (Reb-A 97%) in the United States, Mafco began developing natural formulations of Magnasweet® specifically for use with Stevia in preparation for its introduction into the carbonated soft drink (CSD) markets. Magnasweet® synergizes well with this new natural non-nutritive sweetener to provide solutions to Stevia’s development challenges.

A large toothpaste manufacturer approached Mafco to help them develop a foaming attribute for their products that did not include Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). SLS is a surfactant commonly used in toothpaste as a foaming agent.

Manufacturers of children’s oral medicines and supplements face the challenge of masking the unpleasant tastes associated with active ingredients and enhanced vitamins in achieving a pleasing taste. The success of any children’s cough and cold syrup or chewable vitamins depends on the product's ability to deliver a pleasant taste children will enjoy consuming.

Consumer awareness of sugar intake and the associated health risks have increased the demand for sugar-free and reduced-sugar products. Chewing gum manufacturers worldwide have been using sugar free formulations for many years to deliver chewing satisfaction without the detriments of sugar based products.