Stirred, not shaken

Syrups remain a stable category, but due to consumer price sensitivity, sales volume has declined in recent periods

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2025/11.

Natural flavours, conscious renewal

Emese Szász-Bognár
international brands and
communications manager
Sió-Eckes

From the SIÓ-Eckes portfolio the Yo syrup brand is built on naturalness and family consumption. Yo is available in two product lines: classic and sugar-free. In 2025 the classic series was reintroduced, offering five popular flavours. The no-added-sugar product range is an alternative for calorie-conscious consumers – classic flavours and the exotic Pink Paradise passion fruit-dragon fruit variant.

“With the Yo brand we constantly strive to offer natural, fruit-based flavours in a modern form”,

explains Emese Szász-Bognár, international brands and communications manager of SIÓ-Eckes Kft.

Zsuzsanna Papp
marketing manager
Szobi

Szikrai Borászati Kft. is a traditional name on the domestic syrup market, which has embarked on a conscious modernisation process in recent years. One of their biggest successes is Piroska Essencia, which focuses on being economical.

“We are proud that our tasting sessions have reached new consumers who have enthusiastically welcomed our products”,

comments Zsuzsanna Papp, marketing manager of Szikrai Borászati Kft.

One of the biggest challenges currently faced by syrup producers is the rising cost of input materials

Rising raw material costs

One of the biggest challenges for syrup producers at the moment is elevating input costs. The price of domestic fruit is constantly increasing, e.g. the price of sour cherries has doubled, while raspberries are gradually being pushed out of domestic production because of the climate change. EPR fees have also placed a significant burden on companies.

Zoltán Danielisz
commercial director
Yuva

Yuva Kft. put cost efficiency and planned investments in the spotlight: expanding capacity serves both quantitative and qualitative demands in a timely manner. In the past financial year the FruttaMax brand performed very well on both the domestic and export markets. FruttaMax is available in 0.5-litre bottles with a 50-60% fruit content; a dilution ratio of 1:23 yields 12 litres of ready-to-drink beverage. This year blue grape and pink grapefruit flavours were launched in “How To Train Your Dragon” packaging, and Tutti-Frutti and Ginger will arrive in November.

“Our investments are progressing according to plan and FruttaMax is showing strong growth both domestically and in exports”,

underlines commercial director Zoltán Danielisz.

Changing market structure

According to manufacturers, the sales network for syrups is becoming less and less transparent: products reach consumers through small shops, HoReCa partners and larger chains alike. The closure of smaller, independent stores and the rise of discounters isn’t good news for traditional brands. The shares of manufacturer brands and private labels have remained stable. In spite of market difficulties,

Áron Bálint
managing director
Spájz Szörp

Spájz Szörp Kft. realised an overall 30% sales increase in 2024. Spájz’s natural range was expanded this spring with two new flavours – mango and passion fruit – bringing the total number of flavours available to 19; both new products are made from 50% fruit, natural ingredients and no additives. The Spájz Purée product line (with 80% fruit content) came out in 2025, under the professional guidance of HoReCa partners and their partner, Dr László Pálffy (bartender of the year in 2020).

“Facebook and Instagram are at the centre of our social media strategy. We use visual and video content to increase brand awareness and deepen customer engagement”,

we learn from Áron Bálint, managing director of Spájz Szörp Kft.

Maintaining quality and price levels requires a proactive approach — pushing forward rather than holding back

Timeless classics

Consumer demands is constantly changing, but some trends are clear. Demand is growing for sugar-free and no-added-sugar products, and for syrups with reduced sugar content. At the same time conscious consumers prefer high fruit content, no additives and pure ingredients. Classic, sugary variants have a stable buyer base, with certain consumer groups specifically searching for them. Consumer interest in smaller formats and premixes is growing, but large, up to 2-litre packages are also common.

Máté Spasic
managing director
Dunszt

Dunszt was launched at the end of 2023 and the company is developing sugar-free or low-sugar products, and their recipes are free from artificial additives. The flavour palette includes evergreens – elderberry, raspberry, strawberry – that provide a “comfort food” experience, while mango, lemongrass, lavender and ice tea are more divisive. There are high expectations for Halvány Lila Dunszt, which offers a purple colour and fresh taste without additives or colours.

“For us social media and events provide the greatest opportunity to stand out. We see that the artisanal character and bold flavours work in combination when we are building a direct relationship with our customers”,

informs managing director Máté Spasic.