The Red Hot Report: Why Tart Cherries Are On Trend.

Tart cherries are hot and their unique flavor, nutrition and naturally functional properties are right on target with consumers’ new food and beverage demands. Based on today’s food, flavor and wellness trends, this Report underscores the role tart cherries can play in powering up your new products and menu items.

Five Key Trends

Tart Cherries: A Naturally Functional Super Fruit.
As consumers continue to look to their diet as a means of health, Super Fruits, which deliver nutrients and health benefits naturally, are key to maintaining good health. Tart cherries are a naturally functional powerhouse, rich in antioxidants and anthocyanins (which give cherries their bright red color).

Tart Cherries: Delivering “New Nutrients” In Demand.
Tart cherries also deliver “new nutrients” that cutting-edge consumers increasingly crave, including potassium, magnesium and beta carotene.

Tart Cherries: Because Tart is the New Sweet.
While sweet is still a preferred flavor, tart and sour flavor profiles are also in demand. With a unique sweet-tart flavor, tart cherries can provide a winning taste to any product or dish. In fact, three quarters (75%) of the best-selling new foods/beverages introduced in 2010-11 claimed a new/unique flavor.

Tart Cherries: A Truly American Super Fruit.
With their strong American heritage, tart cherries can bring a local edge to nearly any food or drink.

Tart Cherries: Technical Advantages Delivered Naturally.
Tart cherry ingredients can deliver natural technical advantages for some of today’s toughest product development challenges, such as clean ingredient labels, extending the shelf life of food, keeping baked goods moist/mold free, reducing fat, sodium, etc. and the safe elimination of some food additives.

CLICK HERE to download the full report

 

New Research Signals Tart Cherry Ingredient Opportunities Across Multiple Channels

The Cherry Marketing Institute  surveyed 800 consumers in March 2011 to explore their interest in a variety of “Super Fruit Foods” – foods containing Super Fruit ingredients. This research also explored the potential specifically for cherries by comparing the data for “eaten in the past” with “intention for future consumption.” In every category, from scones to green salad, cherries are primed to grow. And when it comes to forms, dried fruit has almost unlimited potential across channels.  CLICK HERE for key highlights from the research.