Puratos products used to make pastries sold in grocery instore bakeries include egg wash alternatives, sweet glazes, plant-based lamination fat, icings, freshness improvers and fruit, cream and chocolate fillings.

Top sellers include Sunset Glaze, Puratos’s ready-to-use egg wash alternative that offers a premium golden shine; Puratop Icings that are now completely free of Titanium Dioxide; and Topfil and Vivafil fruit fillings, which are available in a variety of styles, ranging from jam-like consistency to high fruit content.

All of the products, said Karim Houssenbhay, director of R&D, patisserie, were designed for “ease of use and peace of mind” and created with a focus on functionality. Vivafil fruit fillings, Deli cream fillings and Cremfil Ultim chocolate fillings, for instance, are low in water activity, which translates to a non-soggy pastry and a longer shelf life.

They’re also bake and freeze thaw stable, ensuring they don’t leak during the baking process and that they maintain their integrity while being frozen and transported.

Puratos’s latest addition to its ISB pastry roster are Topfil Gourmet Fresh Apple fillings, an exclusive range of premium fresh apple fillings sourced from Washington’s Yakima Valley.

The fillings, said Jessica Blondeel, product director, patisserie, deliver a perfect blend of sweet and tangy flavors, coupled with a crunchy texture. They’re available in 3/8” diced and half slices with a minimum of 60% and 70% fruit, respectively.

Free from artificial additives, the fillings are ideal for pastries, pies, and cakes.

In recent years, said Blondeel, there’s been a noticeable trend toward cleaner label options in pastries.

“With consumers becoming increasingly informed, there is a growing demand for foods that are not only more natural and less artificial but also for transparency from companies. Companies are gradually distancing themselves from artificial flavors, colors like titanium dioxide and preservatives. And, in response, so has Puratos.”

Another trend Puratos is tracking closely is consumers’ increasing interest in experimenting with new flavors, textures, and formats.

According to the company’s Taste Tomorrow studies, 55% of U.S. consumers express interest in trying exotic flavors from around the world, while 52% are keen on exploring new or unusual flavor combinations.

In addition, 65% of U.S. consumers enjoy trying foods with different textures.

All of that is not to say, however, that classic flavors should be ignored, Houssenbhay said. Two-thirds of consumers polled by Puratos say they still want a familiar element when trying new types of food.

This article is an excerpt from the February 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Pastries feature and more in the digital edition here.