Market Trends of Middle East & Africa Flavors & Fragrances Industry
Growing Demand for Natural Ingredients in the Region
The population of the Middle East and Africa is at high risk of obesity, which is one of the leading avoidable causes of death in the region. Many are opting for healthy options, such as vegetarianism and veganism, to avoid obesity. The unceasing innovation and developments in the flavor market have been tapping the emerging food and beverage industries. Plant-derived vegan flavors in the food ingredients market have emerged as a boon for businesses dedicating operations to vegan products. Moreover, the rising vegan population in the countries remains the primary factor boosting the market studied. Growing consumer preference for natural flavors over artificial flavors due to associated health risk with artificial flavors as it contains chemicals.
Moreover, RTE (ready-to-eat) products such as instant noodles, ice creams, and soups are a few of the most vulnerable food cuisines to be experimented with based on flavors. For instance, the key player in the market, Symrise offers distinct culinary flavors for products like soups and bouillons, ready meals, sauces and dressing, processed meat, instant noodles, and alternative protein products. In October 2020, International Flavoursand Fragrance announced the opening of a new Dubai Taste Creation Centre, application and innovation center for its Taste division in Dubai, UAE, to serve its customers' unique needs better and drive growth in the African Middle Eastern, Turkish and Indian markets. The new lab will support all key categories' creation and application needs, including snacks, beverages, savory, sweet, and dairy.
Saudi Arabia Holds a Prominent Share in the Market
The growth in the food and beverage industry and the technological innovations in flavor manufacturing are the major factors driving the flavors industry in the region. In addition, introducing functional food products and the increasing demand for recognizable and authentic flavors in various end-user industries, such as dairy and frozen products, boosts the industry's growth. According to the Saudi Dairy and Foodstuff Company, in 2021, the sales volume of ice cream reached around 48 million liters.
Saudi Arabia is among the region's largest confectionery markets, indicating a potential market growth for flavors and fragrances in the country. Further, the change in consumer preference for confectioneries is primarily led by experiential consumer demand, as consumers want to discover something new and different is leading to more unusual and often bolder flavors and blends, surprise textures, and a greater focus on visual appeal in the sweets, and snacks products, hence encouraging confectionery manufacturers to innovate in the flavor ingredients category to more consumer base. Consumer opting for a healthy diet like vegan or vegetarian in the Middle East region has a risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems, so companies are using natural flavors in food and beverages. These are some drivers that boost the natural flavor market.
