FDBusiness.com

In the soft and milk drinks sector, there are currently two trends that food manufacturers simply cannot ignore: as far as possible, beverages should be made 100 per cent from natural ingredients, and they should contain no added sugar. Against this background, malt beverages promise plenty of potential, because the products are in line with both trends. Especially in the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia, malt beverages are very popular. Malt can be used creatively in a huge variety of product formulations. So malt beverages can be positioned very widely.

Kalayanee Poon-asawasombat, Ph.D., Head of Cluster Marketing Asia-Pacific South at SIG
Combibloc: “In the beverage industry, manufacturers can give innovative extra value to products in a wide range of different segments using malt as an ingredient. Combinations of milk and malt are possible, as are formulations using fruit and malt, or yoghurt and malt. And malt extracts are also ideally suited for crossing with various natural flavours. Chocolate or coffee flavours are a perfect complement to malt, and it also combines well with fruit. There are all kinds of possibilities for healthy and delicious beverage creations, and right now they promise good prospects of success”.

Malt is produced by germinating and drying cereal grains such as barley, wheat, rye or spelt in a
malting process. For the subsequent processing into foods, the grains are crushed or ground. In food applications, malt is best-known world-wide for its use in making alcoholic beverages – primarily in brewing beer. Malt is used in the production of whiskey as well. And it is also used as an ingredient in bread and pastries, sweets, and alcohol-free malt beer or so-called ‘Nährbier’ (nourishing beer).

Another classic is the use of malt in breakfast drinks. The caffeine-free, sweet alternatives to coffee products are drunk not only by adults but by children as well. Brand names such as Ovaltine and Horlicks are well-known players in the sector that have made a name for themselves in various parts of the world over many decades, with instant powder for malt drinks; but these branded beverages are also available as ready-to-drink products. In Vietnam, for instance, FrieslandCampina markets Ovaltine beverages in aseptic carton packs.

High-quality protein

Malt beverages were originally strengthening, restorative products for growing children, as well as for sick people and the elderly. But athletes soon discovered the products as well. Malt beverages are a good energy source, because malt is packed full of vitamins, minerals, starch, protein and trace elements. The nutrients in malt beverages are quickly absorbed and processed by the body. Malt beverages, which naturally have a nutty-sweet, slightly buttery taste, are therefore an ideal source of energy for mental and physical activity. Due to the high-quality proteins, malt beverages can also alleviate stress. They are healthy and great-tasting alternatives to sweet and thus high-calorie soft drinks.

Modern malt beverages in particular have the potential to sell well. They are best-sellers in countries where malt beverages have been popular for a long time, such as parts of Asia. But they are currently also finding their way into countries where malt is largely a newcomer – for example in the Middle East and Africa. In Nigeria, for instance, malt beverages are establishing themselves as popular thirst-quenchers. Many people in the Middle East and Africa abstain from alcohol for religious reasons, but like the aromatic beer taste. The malt flavour is therefore extremely popular in these regions.

‘Hollandia Malt & Milk Drink’ new in Nigeria

The product concepts and innovations can often be customised to cater the taste preferences in the respective regions and the intended target group. For instance, with its Hollandia Malt & Milk Drink, Nigeria’s largest producer of Juice, Nectar, Still Drink & Liquid Dairy products, CHI Ltd., has its sights on dynamic consumers who are looking for natural, tasty and wholesome beverages to quickly and effectively top up the body’s own energy reserves between meals.
Hollandia Malt & Milk Drink is a ready to drink, premixed malt & milk combination that combines the energy of malt and the goodness of milk in one sip. Before now, consumers mixed malt drinks with milk to get this rejuvenating combination. Hollandia Malt & Milk Drink caters to this need gap in being the convenient premixed combination of malt and milk.

Deepanjan Roy, Managing Director at CHI Limited: “‘Hollandia Malt & Milk Drink’ combines the positive health associations of both milk and malt and is positioned as ‘The Great Naija Shake’. However, the Great Naija Shake is not just about Hollandia Malt & Milk as a product, but also about the active and adventurous lifestyle of the average young at heart Nigerian who is constantly looking for new things to explore. The Great Naija Shake nudges you to break out of routine and enjoy life in new ways. In other words, it’s premised on the view that magic happens when you shake up & find new ways of doing or expressing the seemingly ordinary things in life”.

Energy for your brain

A new malt drink on the Vietnamese market is ‘Super SuSu’ from Vinamilk. Under the slogan ‘Super SuSu – Energy for your brain’, the chocolatey malt drink from Vinamilk is intended primarily for children between 4 and 12 years old who need an energy boost when learning. These beverages come in volume sizes of 125 and 200 ml in the combiblocMini carton pack. The cartoon characters on the carton packs show sporty, smart active boys and girls, and express the idea that learning is fun with the right portion of energy.

Kalayanee Poon-asawasombat, Ph.D.: “Trying to make sure the foods you eat are as healthy and natural as possible is one of the major consumer trends that can be seen not just in Asia, but globally. Malt drinks are a healthy alternative to caffeinated and calorie-laden energy drinks. We expect that in the future a wealth of further malt beverages will appear on the market which explicitly contain potent substances from nature”.