Beverage Industry logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Beverage Industry logo
  • NEWS
    • R&D News
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Reader's Choice Poll
  • CATEGORIES
    • Alternative Drinks
    • Beer
    • Bottled Water
    • Cannabis Beverages
    • Carbonated Soft Drinks
    • Energy Drinks & Shots
    • Juice & Juice Drinks
    • Plant-Based Beverages
    • Sports Drinks
    • Tea and Coffee
    • Wine & Spirits
  • R&D
    • Beverage R&D Features
    • Ingredient Spotlight
  • PACKAGING
    • New Packages
    • Packaging Equipment
    • Packaging Material
  • OPERATIONS
    • Distribution
    • Plant Focus
  • TOP LISTS
    • Beer Market Report
    • Executive of the Year
    • State of the Beverage Industry
    • Top 100 Beverage Companies
    • Truck Report
    • Wholesaler of the Year
  • MEDIA
    • eBook
    • Podcast
    • Polls
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Annual Manual
    • Contract Packaging Guide
    • Take a Tour
  • MORE
    • Classifieds
    • Channel Strategies
    • eNewsletters
    • Events
      • Membrane Technology Forum
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Market Insights
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archived Issues
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Ingredient Spotlight

Exotic fruits offer function, clean labels

Exotic fruits sweeten beverages, boost immunity

By Barbara Harfmann
Wonderful Company pomegranate drink
Pomegranates are becoming more mainstream and consumers often experiment with exotic fruits by trying them in beverages first, experts note. (Image courtesy of The Wonderful Co.)
Sensient guarana berry
Sourced from South America, guaraná berry contains natural caffeine, experts note. The fruit also has been found to enhance memory and mental acuity, relieve headaches, suppress appetite and treat diarrhea. (Image courtesy of Sensient Flavors)
Wonderful Company pomegranate drink
Sensient guarana berry
May 16, 2016

Although the U.S. Dietary Guidelines encourage Americans to eat more fruit, more than half are traditional options, such as bananas, apples, strawberries and oranges. Yet, as the beverage landscape has gotten more complex and exotic fruits have become more mainstream, consumers are experimenting with exotic fruits, including guaraná, lychee, dragon fruit, tamarind, pomegranate and mango for their exotic appeal, natural sweetness and enhanced, functional capabilities, according to ingredient suppliers.

Experts note that exotic fruits are becoming more of a staple in juices, flavored sparkling waters, energy drinks, spirits, ready-to-drink (RTD) teas and even coffees. They also are used in combination to flavor even more beverage applications, they add.

“The flavor options are limitless when it comes to exotic fruit varieties,” says Tina Rzeha, marketing associate at Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Sensient Flavors. “Mango, starfruit, pomegranate, papaya and mangosteen are no strangers in our grocery stores anymore. Millennials are always looking for new flavor experiences and the more exotic the ingredients, the better.

“A good way of introducing exotic fruit flavors to consumers is by creating flavor hybrids,” she continues. “Exotic fruits in combination with fruits [that] consumers already know is an easy way of introducing them to something new. Exotic fruit flavors are popular because millennials are known to be the generation of world travelers. … They are not scared to try new or unfamiliar flavors. [They] appreciate when the origin of exotic fruits is being called out on product labels, giving the beverage a more authentic appeal.”

BI Nutraceuticals’ Product Manager Rikka Cornelia expresses similar sentiments. “Fruits — and even more so, exotic fruits — have always been looked upon as healthy, nutrient-packed foods,” she says. “Demand for acai skyrocketed a few years ago because of consumer desire for antioxidants and orange juice was not enough.”

The Rancho Dominguez, Calif.-based company notes that the rising ethnic population in the United States is influencing flavor trends from around the globe, especially from Asia and South America. “Exotic fruits, in particular, are popular in beverages because individuals are more willing to try unfamiliar ingredients in [a] beverage format,” Cornelia says. “Plus, it is difficult to find whole exotic fruits [without] a trip to a multi-cultural grocery store. Beverages easily deliver those fruits to consumers.”

As more beverages move to include exotic fruits, it’s important to note that consumers still are looking for simplicity, clean labels, more nutrition and great taste, adds Dahlia Reinkopf, senior director of marketing at Los Angeles-based The Wonderful Co.

“Consumers can get all of that by choosing POM 100% Pomegranate Juice for its complex sweet and tart flavor. Our juice is made with the juice of two whole pomegranates in every 8-ounce bottle and no added sugars, so consumers … can be confident in their choice.”

Tropical fruits like mango, guava, coconut and passion fruit also are becoming more familiar to consumers’ taste buds, according to Devon Edmonson, marketing coordinator at Mother Murphy’s Laboratories, Greensboro, N.C.

Additionally, more superfruits are emerging on the scene, including goji, mangosteen, dragon fruit and tamarind. “Exotic fruit flavors have nutritional benefits like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Some also offer skin and anti-inflammatory benefits as well,” Edmonson says.

She also notes that mainstream exotic fruits like pomegranate and mango mostly are used as the main, or only, flavor. “However, the more up-and-coming exotic tastes like lychee, acai and guanabana are often used in a blend or as a secondary flavor with more familiar berries or other fruits, so that the consumer feels more comfortable purchasing the product but still gets the exotic taste he/she is looking for,” she says.

BI Nutraceuticals’ Cornelia says that the mainstream popularity of coconut water also has helped beverage-makers become more innovative when using exotic fruits. “It only makes sense to pair it with exotic fruits [because] they complement it better than domestic, traditional fruits,” she says. “Coconut water is often used as the only flavor; pineapple as the main flavor in a blend; and mango as a secondary flavor.

“As of right now, exotic fruits are being incorporated in a beverage as a secondary flavor [because] a successful tactic is utilizing a common flavor profile with an added unique ingredient to entice the consumer,” she continues. “However, as exotic fruits become more prevalent in the market and consumer familiarity increases, they can become a main flavor or the only flavor, like coconut has.”

Adding a powerful punch

The Wonderful Co.’s Reinkopf says the company is educating consumers about the potential health benefits of its pomegranate juice because it contains potassium, polyphenols and antioxidants. “Our $40 million of previous and ongoing scientific research explores POM’s potential benefits in the areas of sports performance, memory and cognition, fetal health, gut health, and more,” she says.

For example, preliminary research into nitric oxide suggests that polyphenols from pomegranate extract might help enhance exercise efficiency, she says. “An eight-ounce glass of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice provides 17 percent of your daily potassium — about the same as a medium banana,” she adds.

Although juices are the most popular beverage category for formulating with exotic fruits, BI Nutraceuticals’ Cornelia notes that RTD teas increasingly are being fused with exotic fruits because teas already are perceived as a healthy, better-for-you beverage.

“Incorporating exotic fruits adds a differentiation for not only their unique backstory and flavor, but they can also give the tea an added and/or intensified functional benefit. This also can be said for smoothies. … Alcoholic drinks are increasingly containing exotic fruits in their recipes, [which] can be attributed to the rising popularity of mixology.”

Sensient Flavors’ Rzeha adds that starfruit-and-kiwi or mangosteen-and-strawberry combinations are becoming more prevalent in beverage formulations. “Exotic fruit flavors can be found throughout every beverage category … as adding exotic fruits to these applications give them a certain sophistication that consumers appreciate and that sets products apart within the category.

“Many people have either drastically cut back or stopped drinking traditional sodas,” she continues. “[But] by adding exotic fruit flavors to sparkling waters and teas, consumers can still feel like they are indulging without having to feel guilty.”

As exotic fruits continue on an upward trajectory with consumers continuing to look for natural, better-for-you beverage options, ingredient suppliers expect that more beverage companies will incorporate them into their products.

“Millennials are driving the desire for premium and authentic products with exotic tastes, which is pushing beverage-makers for more innovation in these products,” Mother Murphy’s Edmonson says. “And because the flavor of some exotic fruits may be too strong, … our flavor chemists can help.“

There are more exciting things on the horizon for exotic fruits in the beverage industry, according to BI Nutraceuticals’ Cornelia. “I think we’ll see more daring blends and more use of exotic fruits as clean-label alternation, such as aronia berry as a natural color, acerola as a natural source of vitamin C and monk fruit as a natural sweetener,” she says. 

KEYWORDS: clean label Dragon fruit exotic fruit Pomegranate

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Barbara h200x200

Barbara Harfmann, managing editor of Beverage Industry, visits beverage companies for cover stories and facility tours, and writes and edits for the magazine’s print and online components. She also represents the magazine at trade shows and events. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications and Public Relations from Illinois State University.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • top 100 beverage companies

    Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

    For the global beverage market, mergers and acquisitions...
    Beer
  • Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla shakes

    Classic flavors provide reliable, consistent results for beverage-makers

    Classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry...
    Ingredient Spotlight
    By: Chloe Alverson
  • Free Spirits Instant Bar Bundle

    Lifestyle trends drive growth for non-alcohol category

    As lifestyle trends continue to drive growth for the...
    Wine & Spirits
    By: Lauren Sabetta
Manage My Account
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Beverage Industry audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Beverage Industry or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Fourpeople toasting with cocktails made with low-sugar ingredients, celebrating healthier drink options.
    Sponsored byCargill

    What’s Hot in Sugar Reduction: Beverages

  • chocolate milk
    Sponsored byCargill

    Sweetening the Future for Dairy and Dairy-Alternative Beverages

  • woman pouring a drink
    Sponsored byFFP

    Building a Beverage System: Meeting Consumer Demand for Precision Wellness

Popular Stories

Sting Energy

PepsiCo, Sting Energy unveil global partnership with Formula 1

top 100 beverage companies

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

people drinking Wynk

Mindful drinking prompts growth for THC beverages

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

Events

April 16, 2025

2025 State of the Industry Series: Alcoholic Beverages

On Demand In Beverage Industry’s annual State of the Industry: The Alcohol Beverage Market, analysts at S&D Insights LLC delve into these trends and how they’re shaping the industry.

June 26, 2025

FAST. FOCUSED. FUELED: Delivering Energy Consumers Can Feel

Learn how to formulate products that deliver the energy experiences that people want, and keep them coming back for more.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Retail Coffee Segment

What retail coffee segments will fare well into the next year?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

See More Products

Related Articles

  • Villager Goods Coconut Waters

    Villager Goods coconut water to launch this fall

    See More
  • Citromax lemons for beverage ingredients.

    Domestic and exotic fruits exemplify health and flavor

    See More
  • Domestic and Exotic Fruits - Mango - Beverage Industry

    Domestic and exotic fruits bring health benefits, flavor

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • mycotoxins.jpg

    Mycotoxins in Food and Beverages: Innovations and Advances Part I

  • 9781032008370.jpg

    Mycotoxins in Food and Beverages Innovations and Advances, Part II

  • nanotech.jpg

    Nanotechnology in the Beverage Industry 1st Edition

See More Products
×

Elevate your expertise in the beverage marketplace with unparalleled insights and connections.

Join thousands of beverage professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing