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With more than 5,600 new product introductions globally, the humble peach has some broad reach and some not-so-humble versatility. There are hundreds of varieties that vary greatly in color and flavor, and the taste ranges from very sweet with little acidity to types that are mostly acidic with mild sweetness. Whether starring in a cocktail, a spicy sauce or indulgent dessert, peach flavor has a versatility that is nearly unmatched. We’re seeing peach appear in a host of product launches and recipes. Let’s take a look at the various forms of peach on the menu, in social media, and in new products.

Peach Print & Social Media Highlights

There are several mentions of peach in social and print media. Here are some of the highlights.

• While scrolling through Pinterest, peach pins appear in a wide variety of food and beverage recipes but especially baked goods. These pins include peach sorbet, peach upside-down cake, balsamic peach chicken skillet, brown butter peach cupcakes, peach iced tea, peach vanilla jam, peach margaritas, and of course peach cobbler.

• A Twitter search shows tweets mentioning peaches, including this one by @bakerylife1: “raspberry ice lollies, made with fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and honey.” Also mentioned by @recipesquicks “peach raspberry crumb bars have a buttery crust and sweet fruit filling and a delicious crumb topping,” with attached recipe.

• The July 2017 issue of Country Living features an article for 50+ Juicy Peach Recipes for (an Endless) Summer. Recipes include spicy peach and avocado salad, raspberry peach lemonade, one skillet peach glazed chicken and peach mango coconut oil banana bread.

• On Food.com 2,924 recipes appear when you search for peach. Recipes include peach cobbler, peach and ricotta crepes, simple peach pie, peach jam, chicken with peaches and basil, baked peach oatmeal and a peach smoothie.

Peach on the Menu

We're spotting 502 peach mentions on the menu nationwide with casual dining as the top restaurant segment. Beverage, appetizer and entrées are the top three menu sections for peach-flavored items.

Beverages account for 79% of all peach flavored menu items.

• White Peach Cosmo is Russian Standard Vodka, Cointreau, fresh lime and white peach cranberry juice at Bistro Boudin, San Francisco.

• Peach Tres Leches Cake with passionfruit gel, dulce de leche ice cream ad candied walnuts at Norman’s, Chicago.

• Peach Chutney Chicken is a lightly seasoned grilled chicken breast topped with warm peach chutney and served with mashed sweet potatoes at O’Charley’s, Nashville.

• Tennessee Summer with Jack Daniel’s, Domaine Canton ginger liqueur, PAMA pomegranate liqueur, peach syrup, juice of pomegranate, fresh lime and a splash of soda at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, Indianapolis.

The Growth of a Beverage Staple

Peach was featured as the Flavor of the Week in July 2017 by Nation’s Restaurant News. Peach iced tea adds a fruity twist to the classic cold beverage. Many consumers are already familiar with peach iced tea, but the drink’s popularity continues to climb on restaurant menus. According to Datassential, peach iced tea has shown 37% growth on menus over the past four years and positioned in the proliferation stage of the menu adoption cycle.

Peach Global New Product Introductions

We're spotting 5,658 Peach-flavored new product introductions, with the top product categories of dairy, juice drinks and sugar/gum confectionery

• Europe is the top global region for peach new product introductions with 43% of all new products.
• Spoonable yogurt is the top product sub-category globally for peach flavored new products.
• Passion fruit is the top flavor paired with peach.

Products of Note

• Heinz Peach & Apricot Smoothie: is 100% fruit, including apple, apricot, peach and banana with vitamin C and no added sugar. Contains 1 apple, 2/3 apricot, 1/4 peach, 1/10 banana. UK

• Peach, Brazil Nut & Peanut Bar: this product contains natural dried peach, is enriched with 2g of collagen per bar, and provides only 120 calories. Brazil

• Activia Infusion Peach & Green Tea Extract Yogurt: the smooth and creamy yogurt contains natural bifidus, and features a unique recipe containing 100% natural plant extracts. Spain

• H-E-B Peach Cobbler Premium Ice Cream: is made with carefully selected ingredients such as ripe peaches, a peach swirl and buttery cinnamon shortbread. Mexico

Peach North America New Product Introductions

In North America, we're spotting 574 peach-flavored new product introductions, with the top product categories of dairy, alcoholic beverages and juice drinks.

• North America accounts for 12% of all peach flavored new product introductions.
• Spoonable yogurt is the top product sub-category for peach flavored new products.
• Mango is the top flavor paired with peach.

Products of Note

• Turmeric Peach Organic Coffee Fruit Tea: golden turmeric is enlivened with crisp apples and sun-sweet peaches with a hint of spicy ginger to awaken your senses. USA

• Kevita Master Brew Pineapple Peach Kombucha: the handcrafted, non-alcoholic verified product is USDA organic and kosher certified, contains active live cultures and is lightly carbonated. Canada

• 7-11 7-Select Peach Cobbler Kettle Chips: described as a crunchy summertime dessert chip with full fruity flavor of old fashioned peach cobbler. USA

• Dreaming Cow Lush Peach, Ginger, Pumpkin & Carrot Grassfed Yogurt Drink: a full-fat yogurt drink with 1 serving of vegetables, 12g protein and made from 100% pasture raised, barn-free and grass-fed cows. USA

The Takeaways

Looking for a sweet yet tangy accompaniment that consumers seek out in droves? The taste of peach might be right for your product. Or, are you looking for an out-of-the-box taste that will scream "new and different"? Based on the level of popularity, perhaps another taste is for you. However, using the versatility of peach and combining with something novel and unusual could be a winning approach. As we’ve shown, product developers have experimented and found successful uses for peach in everything from potato chips to protein bars. With more than 5,000 launches globally in a few short years, there is no doubt of its audience. How can you leverage that in the best way for your product?

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