Smart indulgence – Healthier treats that don’t sacrifice on taste

It's no secret that consumers have been working hard to take greater control over their health and wellness in recent years.

According to a multinational survey from McKinsey & Co., at least 70 percent of the respondents professed a desire to be healthier. 

Across all age groups, 50% of consumers believed healthy eating is a top priority.

Still, despite trying to “eat better,” the majority (73%) of consumers globally say they enjoy foods and beverages they consider to be a small indulgence or treat at least weekly, with 42% treating themselves at least every other day.

Food developers have taken notice. Whether it's “cleaner” labels, functional ingredients, or other better-for-you offerings, companies are releasing products in droves that let consumers indulge in healthier options without sacrificing their goals.

“This ‘smart indulgence' approach is great because it allows people to get the best of both worlds,” says Dr. Bernd Koehler, Vice President – Global R&D at Edlong.

Yet, even while the concept and promise of such products are desperately needed, Dr. Koehler believes the execution is not always where it needs to be for the sustained impact everyone is hoping for.

“It's amazing that products like these are increasingly becoming available. However, when it comes to the overall sensory experience of many of these products, I think we can do better.”

Dr. Koehler points to the common issues regarding taste and texture that these products often carry.

For example, functional ingredients like botanicals or adaptogenic mushrooms can bring bitter or earthy notes that can significantly impact someone's enjoyment of a product and, in turn, their likelihood of becoming a loyal repeat buyer.

Then, of course, you have better-for-you products based around fat, salt and sugar reductions, which can negatively impact taste perceptions, mouthfeel and more. 

Dr. Koehler sees these as hindering a given product's long-term success and reinforcing a bias that can keep consumers from fully embracing these products over less healthy options.

“Many of us have developed a bias that if something tastes delicious and indulgent it's probably bad for you, and that if it tastes bad it's good for you. The tangible physiological benefits might be enough for some to try a product, but if the taste isn't there it only continues to reinforce this bias and make it tougher to justify a second purchase.”

Making ‘smart' or ‘healthy' indulgent products a permanent fixture in the marketplace starts by working to overcome this bias. The best way to do this is to make the consumer actually see said products as deliciously indulgent in their own right.

Raising expectations with rapid iteration and authentic indulgence

“The key to meeting and raising expectations is knowing that it doesn't have to be perfect right away. It's okay to make incremental improvements,” says Angie Lantman, Manager – NA Applications at Edlong.

“It is finding that right balance of eliminating off notes, making it indulgent, and still tasting like ‘it's good for you'. This can be very challenging, but that is one of the big things we can provide here at Edlong.

She explains how, besides a vast portfolio of indulgent dairy and dairy-type flavors, Edlong's focus on tailored rapid iteration can be a game changer for developers looking to improve their products in real-time.

“We've had customers that just launched the new version of a product in stores last week, and we're already working on making it better. It's a constant work in progress, and consumers notice this.”

Additionally, flavors with sweetness, saltiness and mouthfeel enhancement provide formulators with the tools to build back or improve that indulgence.

Lantman adds, “Whether it's a mood-boosting chocolate, a high protein ice cream, or reduced sugar snack, we have a broad range of flavor profiles that can help customers create something really delicious and indulgent that their consumers will love. We have an extensive list of Sweet Brown flavors like chocolates, caramels, vanillas, cookies and even decadent regional profiles like dulce de leche, Irish cream and Speculoos. Many of these fall into our authentic Sweet Success line that is high-heat tolerant and also has strong masking capabilities.”

“Creating these products is tough, but with a partner like Edlong, it doesn't have to be. Our tailored approach and incredible flavors can make the healthier option a truly delicious and indulgent one.”