In recent years, weighed down by the bad image of sugar and additives, syrups have begun a spectacular transformation to be able to take a dip in glasses of water again. The major syrup makers (Teisseire, Monin, but also supermarket brands) now all have at least their organic range. But some, like the small Bigallet company rooted in the department of Isère and with 150 years of experience, push the approach further.
“One of our main principles is the quest for naturalness, to which consumers are increasingly sensitive, explains Elisabeth Poisson, commercial director of the brand. We do not use preservatives and only natural dyes, from fruits and plants. We try to be part of a globally virtuous approach: as soon as we can, we make local companies work, this goes for the fruits we use, blackcurrant, raspberry, chestnut, but also the manufacture of bottles or labels. »
The family SME with 37 employees values its independence and remains far from mass distribution, even if it is very courted. “We don’t want to have to give up on the quality of our recipes to sell more of them”decides the commercial director.
The transformation of syrups also involves a hunt for sugar. Monin, for example, offers a range of “concentrates” (white tea, peach-apricot, etc.) which are almost totally devoid of it. “According to our surveys, many consumers consider water to be boring, we had to find a way to hydrate without boring”says Tugdual de Lambilly, director of innovation for the brand.
Coconut flower and brown sugar
When you dilute the concentrates, the taste is always very close… to that of water. But with delicately flavored water or very light cold tea. Enough to make subtle, refreshing drinks, far removed from the deliciously disgusting syrups to which we are accustomed. “There is no sugar taboo”, underlines nevertheless the director of innovation. Monin lightens but does not eliminate the precious ingredient (sugar is both a flavor enhancer and a preservative), while exploring new, more aromatic avenues: coconut blossom, to give a vegetal touch, brown sugar from La Réunion very unrefined, for a more full-bodied note.
The sector must in fact solve a complicated equation: gain in naturalness while offering a dose of “fun”. This goes through festive aromas like this lemon-cinnamon mixture proposed by Bigallet, which can recall the scent of a mojito (without alcohol). But also by bubbles. Because soda machines, in full swing, are now also betting on syrups.
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