Syrupy story

A great variety of syrups play a major role in the growth seen in the sales of cold and hot beverages. As a result of the increasing popularity of mixed drinks, syrups which are an important ingredient of cocktails and coffee drinks, also receive more attention. These are classic convenience products. Among coffee syrups, classic flavours are still the most popular, like caramelle, chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon. About five years ago, product development began to turn towards unconventional flavours and sugar-free versions. The past 2-3 years have also brought new specialities. A wide range of tea-based concentrates and tea flavourings have appeared. Another new trend is to increase the concentration of fruits in products and to communicate possibilities of use in cooking. The most popular flavours are also available in the form of granulates and tablets for the HOReCa sector of the leading coffee markets. Though most customers prefer liquid flavouring, this form also has its advantages, like more precise portioning and the absence of sugar and fat. What do distributors think about the development of the domestic market? According to Ferenc Dobó, managing director of Espresso Kft. , distributor of Philbert Routin, syrups sell well where good cocktails are made. However, the use of syrups for hot drinks is not widespread, as flavoured coffee is not very popular yet. Attila Vörös, head of division from Intercooperation Zrt. thinks that focusing entirely on espresso and capuccino is a thing of the past. Demand for flavoured coffee is growing and Giffrad coffee syrups serve this demand. The consumption of cocktails has also been growing in Hungary for years and this generates further demand for syrups. Janka Kovács, marketing manager of Qperator Kft., the distributor of Monin agrees and adds that increasingly bold cocktail creations exist, with increasingly bold syrups like jasmine, aniseed, guava, rose and elder supplied by Monin. Syrups can also be used for flavouring tea and alcohol-free cocktails. There is also a huge potential in using syrups in gastronomy. . Thierry Finet, the Michelin star holder chef of Monin is assigned to work out ways of using Monin syrups in cuisine. Sándor Suha, owner of Suha Kft, the distributor of FABBRI products believes that cocktails will become cultic in 2008 and syrups will play a key role in this process. Product development is focused on increasing the fruit content of syrups. Accordingly, FABBRI ha syrups with 30, 40, and 100% fruit content. Ferenc Dobó expects the range of syrups available to expand dynamically in the future, with many complex flavours, like those in the Philbert Routin assortment.