The company says it is targeting both physical endurance and recovery and mental alertness with the "sophisticated" suite utilising "combinations of Frutarom´s natural herbal extracts and other functional ingredients that offer various approaches to energy plus authentic flavours." The range will include green tea, guarana, schisandra, ginseng, green maté and more. "Whereas ginseng and schisandra provide vitality characteristics, it is the caffeine content in guarana, green tea and mate which makes them perfectly suitable for natural energy products," the company said. "In combination with creative and energy supplying flavour compositions, these combinations result in indulgent products that offer consumers an extra 'boost'." Application matrices will include beverages and nutrition bars, dairy products and confectionery with a focus on "health, indulgence and convenience." The turnkey approach As is becoming increasingly common, Frutarom's service is about ratcheting up its offerings beyond the commercial transaction of ingredient or raw material supply. "Frutarom's energy concept shows how its natural herbal extracts and flavours can be used to manufacture products that are suitable for everyone - from sportspeople to mainstream 'lifestyle-conscious' consumers," it said. "Depending on the formulation, also 'clean label' energy products are conceivable." Some of its 'templates' include:
- a sports drink with guarana and elderflower extracts
- "Superfruit Booster" with blueberry and cranberry including green tea extract and L-Carnitine
- "Tropical buzz" fruit cereal bar with ginseng extract and tropical flavourings
- "Perfect Woman", a lifestyle-oriented, coffee yoghurt shot with caramel toffee flavour plus caffeine derived from guarana and maté
- "Hot Fuel" for a younger "party market" containing ginseng, guarana and fruity sour cherry and able to be mixed with colas and other beverages.
- Confectionery such as "Paso Doble", "Spice'n'bong" and "Energesso" combining natural caffeine with selected flavours.
Energised market According to Mintel, the European energy drinks market witnessed an increase of 11 per cent in 2006. Author and editor Julian Mellentin noted the potential of the sector in his report, 10 key factors for success in energy drinks - the US and Europe. "The launch of Red Bull and the growth of the energy drinks category is one of the very best examples of new category creation," he wrote. "For a company that goes about creating a new category in the right way, with a consistent and long-term approach to business, the rewards are phenomenal - an enduring dominance of the market and higher than average market prices and profits." Mellentin also pointed out the energy drink market's broadening appeal. "It is not only young clubbers who feel they need a shot of energy: again and again consumer research fingers 'lack of energy' as a key consumer interest - for stressed executives trying to stay on top of their responsibilities, for harassed and time-pressed mothers, for older people who want to stay active - in fact for anyone struggling to get through a sleepy afternoon in the office."