A Familiar Friend
Caramel is the friend who’s always there for you. To comfort you, have fun, make you laugh, and remind you of happy days. Chocolate might get all the glory, but caramel has its place in the world of indulgence. It has a more complex, sophisticated side that consumers don’t always see. It has the ability to cross from beverage into food and pair with other flavors to continue to delight us. When consumers post about caramel on social media they cover a variety of foods and beverages, ranging from coffees to desserts to sauces. Also keep an eye on including it in savory pairings, such as peanut butter, walnuts, and cashews (Bellomy Social Listening).
Caramel Brings Positive Emotions
The top emotions consumers associate with caramel are: satisfied, authentic, happy, cheerful, and fun/sociable (Givaudan). There’s something that sparks joy when you get a taste of the rich, buttery, and sometimes salty profile. We find comfort in this indulgent flavor all year long. Consumers know what to expect from caramel and it’s a great flavor for a new-to-world product launch. It gives consumers the confidence to branch out and try something new in a flavor they know and love.
But How Do You Describe It?
So, because caramel is a fan-favorite with consumers, they know how to describe it, right? It’s not as easy as you’d think! They might say it’s similar to butterscotch, or it’s sweet, but other than that, it’s like trying to imagine a new color. Our experts here at Givaudan came together to come up with an ultimate “short list” of caramel building blocks. They told us about flavor components like burnt sugar, creamy and buttery notes, vanilla, and nutty profiles. There’s also a top secret dash of magic most flavorists add…but I won’t spill the beans!
Now that you’re thinking about it…tell us about your favorite type, what you like to pair with it, or your favorite product with caramel. Drop us a note in the comments, below!
Want to learn more about caramel? Want to know which profiles will our flavorists select for your applications? Contact your Givaudan Account Manager to discover more about it.
Everyday around 2pm I have a little piece of caramel, it is fantastic. Mine is buttery, burnt sugar, touches of sea salt, and its heaven in a wrapper!