Consumer demand for natural products is at an all-time high. In response to the atmosphere around health foods, Diana Food, part of the Symrise Group, has revealed the launch of a clean label, organic and Fair Trade-certified acerola powder for nutritional products in a market first.

Diana Food recently obtained the Fair Trade “Fair for Life” (FFL) certification, extending its range with a new, clean label, organic, and fair trade acerola powder that addresses the market’s need for immunity-boosting solutions while adding environmental and social value to the product. 

Suitable for tablets, beverages, and functional foods – as well as in savory or bakery for food preservation in some countries – this acerola powder contains a high level of antioxidants, is as clean as dried-on acacia fiber, and offers the distinctive benefits of FFL certification, says Diana Food. 

According to Nuria Macias, global sustainability manager at Diana Food, achieving Fair Trade certification is a “serious accomplishment.”

“It means that a third party has audited our company and our facilities for quality, traceability, food safety, social, and environmental performance. Our Fair Trade certification demands a long term engagement with our suppliers, so acerola growers have the certainty that the projects they undertake will receive ongoing support from us in the long run,” Macias explains. 

The launch of Diana Foods’ fair trade certified acerola powder represents a significant step forward in the company’s sustainability approach, which focuses on delivering trust to our direct and non-direct stakeholders through high performing products that are clean labeled respectful of both the environment and communities.

Diana Food has spent the last two decades building and enhancing its expertise in sourcing acerola from Northeast Brazil. This has established a strong foothold in the region, known for its acerola’s quality and efficacy due to its native rich vitamin C content.

COVID-19 accelerates demand for healthful ingredients 
While consumer demand for natural and healthy products has been an ongoing trend, it has further accelerated due to an increased emphasis on wellness and clean living caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Consumers are more likely to adopt preventive health behaviors in the current dynamic, with immunity-boosting cited as a significant concern. 

According to an Innova Market Insights consumer survey conducted in late March, there has been a particularly strong uplift in the consumption of products that boost immunity in Asia and South America. 

Over 70 percent of Indian and Indonesian consumers are eating or drinking more products that boost their immune system compared to nearly 40 percent of US consumers. Meanwhile, German and Dutch consumers have seen the lowest shift to health. 

Sister platform NutritionInsight spoke with Macias about the launch of Acerola Powder on Acacia Fiber in a video interview at Vitafoods Virtual Expo 2020.