Category: I.T.S. news

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Everyone’s favourite flavour combo has made it’s comeback. Chocolate Orange looks to be taking over this winter.

This Christmas is set to offer much more than just the faithful Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Already this classic flavour combo has been filling up confectionary aisles with Cadbury releasing its Chocolate Orange Twirl and Button ranges. The timing is perfect for this sleeping giant of a flavour to make its comeback with Christmas and Halloween just around the corner.

The classic flavour isn’t just settling for the confectionery market, with recent headline launches in bakery with McVities biscuits and Mr Kipling’s Fancies. Never ones to miss out on the action, Hotel Chocolat have also developed a new liqueur with the flavour. Domino’s Pizza has even got in on the action and added Chocolate Orange Cookies to their range.

Market leaders Terry’s Chocolate Orange also brought back their white chocolate version of their famous Chocolate Orange to help to keep things interesting.

Luckily we already have a large range of different chocolate and orange natural flavourings in many different styles. Get in touch to request a sample and make sure your products are on trend this winter.

Along with our delicious Chocolate and Orange natural flavouring we also supply a wide range of other chocolate and orange profiles that can be adapted and paired to make a truly unique flavour.

• Chocolate Brownie
• Chocolate
• Chocolate Bitter
• Chocolate Cookies & Cream
• Chocolate Creamy
• Chocolate Dark
• Chocolate Honeycomb
• Chocolate Milky
• Chocolate Mint
• Chocolate Rich
• Cocoa
• Orange
• Blood Orange

Click here to request a sample .

Are smoke flavours causing you a headache? Smoke-free natural flavours can make your life easier. 

With the recent boom of plant-based products, the demand for savoury flavourings has really taken off. One of the most important and most challenging flavour profiles in the savoury range is smoked flavours. They play a huge part in not just meat flavoured products, but a whole range of savoury applications.

Traditionally “true” smoke flavours would have been used, but now people’s heads have been turned by the benefits of smoke-free natural flavours. By using natural flavours you can dramatically improve smoked flavours of not just plant-based products, but a whole range of savoury and even sometimes sweet products – all whilst being completely smoke-free.

What is a “true” smoke flavouring?

“True” smoke flavourings are produced by the burning of the wood to create the smoke, then condensation of the smoke that is produced (oak, beech, applewood, hickory etc). The condensed smoke is then usually separated by physical means into a number of fractions – a water-based primary smoke condensate, a water-insoluble tar phase and a water-insoluble oily phase.

Clearly, smoke in its pure form contains components that are harmful to human health, so the primary condensate and fractions of the tar phase are purified to remove these. The oily phase is a by-product and unsuitable for use in the production of smoke flavourings.

The purified fractions are then suitable for use in foods or for the preparation of smoke flavourings through further processing and the addition of other flavourings,. additives and solvents.

Legislation cracking down on smoke flavourings

The legislation surrounding the use, labelling and declaration of “smoke flavourings” is quite distinct and sits outside of the EU legislation for flavourings and as such, many food manufacturers are becoming more reluctant to use true smokes and are looking to create the flavour and aroma of smoke by using Natural Flavourings.

Why choose natural smoke-free flavours?

I.T.S has developed a range of “Smoke-free” Natural smoke-style flavourings for use in a wide range of product applications designed to deliver characteristic smokey notes whilst being declarable as Natural Flavourings.

In addition to flavourings delivering different smokey characters, we have also combined the smoke element with a number of other flavourings such as Vanilla, Caramel, Apple, Plum, Strawberry, Maple, Cheese.
These are carefully balanced in such a way that neither the smoke nor the complementary profile dominates the overall delivery.

Get in touch to request a sample of any of our smoke range or talk to one of our specialists for further information.

The smoke-free range includes:

• Smoke-style (Hickory-style)
• Smoke-style (smoke-free)
• Smoke style (soft, applewood)
• Smoked Cheese
• Smoked Vanilla
• Smoked Maple
• Smoked Caramel
• Smoked Apple
• Smoked Plum
• Smoked Strawberry
• Smoked Garlic
• Smoked Paprika
• Smoked Chili
• Smoked BBQ

Potential Applications:

• Specialist breads
• Scones
• Savoury pastry fillings
• Cheese
• Ready meals
• Savoury snacks
• Plant-based foods/meat analogues

REQUEST A SAMPLE

I.T.S. have announced a market leading range of plant-based flavour solutions to help with the growing trend of brands looking to make the switch.

I.T.S. have created a fundamental building block for masking proteins in plant-based foods and beverages.

By utilising ground-breaking technology, I.T.S. plant-based flavourings and maskers have the lowest impact on macronutrients in industry.

I.T.S. maximise the tasty flavours and protein content, whilst removing any off-taste. All of I.T.S.  flavours come from completely natural sources and are suitable for plant-based and vegan products.

For the past decade, I.T.S. have been working closely with new and exciting plant-based food and beverage start-ups, helping them become household brands and dominate supermarket shelves.

Mike Bagshaw, Owner and Founder of I.T.S. explains “From the beginning we have always been about making food taste great. That’s what we do. We started to see so many plant-based products on market that just did not taste very good. Just because something is plant-based, doesn’t mean you should have to sacrifice on taste.

That’s where we have been able to work with our customers and consistently demonstrate that plant-based food can taste great.

With a growing reputation of great tasting natural flavours and news that the plant-based market was set to soar by 327% in 2019, the business decided it needed a dedicated approach. Setting up an innovation team to focus on making great tasting natural plant-based flavours ensures the business is able to work with a wide range of sectors.

I.T.S. have expertise in working with bakery, dairy, sports nutrition and just about any business that needs help making great tasting plant-based products. The I.T.S. team are able to rapidly develop new flavours with its on-site test bakery, innovation kitchen and newly built pilot plant. This helps the team work closely with its customers on-site to achieve the best tasting results.

Discover our range of tasty natural flavours for the low and no beverage sector.

Our Marketing and Development Teams are always making sure we have all the hottest flavour trends available to our customers. With low and no beverage ranges exploding over the last year we have been busy working up some tasty natural flavourings for this sector.

Waitrose reported their low & no alcohol beer sales were up 50% on last year, with alcohol-free spirits up 49%. Searches for ‘virgin cocktails’ on its site were up 100%, it said, while ‘non-alcoholic’ was up 211%. These stats show that all beverage manufactures should be dipping their toes into this growing market. The deciding factor for this sectors success will ultimately come down to taste. Can low and no beverage still deliver the intense and strong flavour profiles of alcoholic drinks?

There are many factors to consider with low and no beverage flavour profiles to ensure there is no sacrifice on flavour. Our flavour range ensures low and no beverage can still offer exciting flavour and provide that extra depth and experience consumers crave from alcoholic drinks.

One of the major profiles we have been innovating with is floral and botanical themes. These work perfectly in gin style beverages and other refreshing long drinks. We have also developed a range of classic cocktail flavours such as Mojito, Woo Woo, Pina Colada, Margarita and Strawberry Daiquiri.

The real magic comes when you try one of our Tequila, Whisky or Rum flavourings that perfectly deliver that intense flavour profile without any alcohol needed.

Get in touch to discuss our alcohol flavours in more detail and how they could work for you.

I.T.S. celebrated 10 years of success with its customers and suppliers for a day and night full of explosions of the senses.

On Friday 27th September, I.T.S threw open its doors to customers and suppliers alike to help celebrate the companies 10th Birthday. Founded in 2009 from his kitchen table in Berkshire, Mike Bagshaw has developed I.T.S into an award-winning business that supplies natural flavours to over 20 countries worldwide.

Mike wanted to mark this important milestone of the company’s journey with all his staff, suppliers and customers that have been part of his eventful journey. Guests would meet at Newbury Racecourse for lunch and welcome drinks before being escorted on a red double-decker bus to I.T.S HQ.

Everyone gathered at I.T.S offices for a special tour of the facilities, getting exclusive access to every department of the business. On the tour, guests had an explosion of senses with many different tastes and smells to try out. The I.T.S team are passionate about building close relationships with suppliers and customers and this event was the start of things to come for building closer working partnerships.

The Mayor of Newbury attended the event to help Mike cut the ribbon on a new plaque marking the special occasion. Guests would then meet back at Newbury Racecourse in the evening for a Willy Wonka inspired night full of colour and flavours. I.T.S held raffles and auctions to help raise over £32,000 for charities close to its heart: Surfers Against Sewage, The Rosemary Appeal and Byte Night.

The night included fancy dress, with Mike Bagshaw donning the Willy Wonka outfit accompanied by staff in Oompa Loompa outfits. The drinks were flowingn and the dance floor booming.

The event marks an important time for the business with even more exciting things planned for 2020 – watch this space!