Initially designed as a response to market interest in the Asia-Pacific region, the Applesense range is already sparking interest across the world, particularly in North America and Europe.
ApplesenseTM is the result of three years of work in measuring consumer trends in apple flavoured beverages. The sensory and consumer research team at Quest profiled 116 apple-based beverages from all over the world using a trained descriptive sensory panel. Mapping techniques then helped to segment the global apple market into a palette of six apple flavour types: cider-apple, candy-apple, fruity-apple, green apple, cooked apple and ‘lactony-apple’ (a sweet and ripe apple flesh taste with a creamy note).
Antonella Scarabelli, a member of the Quest research team who helped develop ApplesenseTM, says: “Through the dedication of our flavour specialists we have identified a palette of six flavour segments which we are confident can be used anywhere in the world. If you want to succeed in supplying flavours, then you have to understand what is successful on the market. We mapped the global apple beverage market to get an understanding of which apple profiles were successful. We then developed our Applesense‰ palette in response.
“The original impetus for the project came from China, where there is a very significant market for apple flavours,” continues Scarabelli. “However, the project was soon broadened out to include apple flavours from all over the globe, and we believe this has led to the creation of a unique flavour palette which can be used in a large variety of applications”.
Applesense‰ flavours have already proved to be a big hit in the market and are used in a number of apple products around the Asia-Pacific region.