Sokol has launched a range of better-for-you citrus-based sauces and dressings. The US company will include gluten, soy, nut, dairy and egg-free offerings. 

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Paul Noble, chief commercial officer, Sokol examines the health conscious formulations.

“We created formulations to remove high fructose corn syrup and worked in low sugar ingredients wher we could. Fruit and citrus contain naturally-occurring sugars, but they add immense flavor in exchange,” he says.

“We are thrilled to introduce this healthy and flavorful offering into the marketplace,” adds Mark Madden, VP of marketing and global licensing at Sunkist Growers. Sunkist, a centennial family-owned food formulation team, is partnering with Sokol to launch this range of citric sauces.

“This collaboration represents over a century of expertise and know-how from our agricultural cooperative as well as from Sokol,” adds Madden.

The products will be available nationally in all US Walmart locations, with other future retailer announcements still to be disclosed. 

Sokol will be launching lemon pepper caesar, grapefruit poppy seed, , spicy mango habanero, mimosa, blueberry chipotle, mandarin fig, orange sesame ginger and pomegranate lime. (Credits: Sokol).

Eight fruit-based sauces for the home chef
According to Noble, Sokol has played with the increased demand for taste combinations: “We are seeing increases in the sweet-spicy and sweet-tangy combinations, and we think fruit is the best foundation for those flavor profiles.”

“Citrus overall is growing, along with tropical fruits, and the acid and sweetness they bring to sauces make them especially crave-worthy,” says Noble.

“People are interested in new and exciting flavors for at-home cooking, and especially in the sauces and dressings aisle, they want versatility.”

Sokol will be launching lemon pepper caesar, grapefruit poppy seed, spicy mango habanero, mimosa, blueberry chipotle, mandarin fig, orange sesame ginger and pomegranate lime. 

“We think each flavor in the line provides a unique experience, but the mango habanero is especially unique. It has a spice level not often found in this category. It’s good on just about anything from tacos to wings to salad greens,” continues Noble. 

“Lemon Pepper Caesar is a nice twist on a classic dressing, so we expect consumers to gravitate toward that one as well. Mimosa and Mandarin Fig are crowd favorites here at our office and among those who have tasted it.”

Noble says they do not have a Scoville rating (a scale to measure pungency or spiciness) for the mango habanero sauce. Although he affirms it has a “solid kick to it,” and it is “spicier than most expect from this category of products.”

Healthy indulgence
Consumers are opting for less sugar, more fibrous, proteinic and less caloric products. The demand for conscious, healthy indulgence is becoming a pivotal  trend across many F&B categories. 

Premier Foods, a UK food manufacturer, launched a line of healthier Mr Kipling branded cakes yesterday with 30% less sugar and increased natural fruit. The company’s internal market research indicates that “73% of shoppers say they would buy healthier cakes.”

In the snacking space, John Power, marketing director of snacking and baker goods at ADM, says there is an opportunity to introduce more ingredients derived from natural sources into snack packs, as many shoppers scrutinize product labels more closely. 

“The real opportunity is for snacks that provide the best-of-both-worlds: improved nutritionals without compromising the indulgent taste of consumer-favorite snacks.”

With the return of out-of-home snacks in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the market has witnessed a boom from a new evolved consumer seeking functional ingredients, nutritious snacks and international flavors.

“As an ever-popular and growing category, the snacking space is seeing increased competition challenging brands to offer a nexus of nutrition benefits and new sensory experiences,” adds Harbinder Maan, associate director, trade marketing and stewardship at Almond Board of California.

According to Glanbia Nutritionals, 51% of global consumers have switched from traditional snack products, like chocolate, to high protein or low sugar alternatives. 

With the conscious indulgence trend showing no sign of slowing any time soon.