Think of the last time you had an incredible meal. Chances are, the feast activated each of your senses – not just your sense of taste. Maybe the garnish delivered a dazzling rainbow of fruits and veggies. Maybe the meat was cooked to perfection, with picture-perfect golden brown edges. Maybe a stunning emerald-hued chimichurri was drizzled over your plate. Whatever the particulars, it was a meal worth savoring, and the visuals probably had something to do with that.
When it comes to value-added proteins, color and flavor are both important factors in piquing consumers’ appetites. A seasoned chicken breast might taste great, but if it looks unappealing in the prepared foods aisle, consumers are less likely to pick it up. The best way to deliver both color and flavor? Custom sauces. Read on for some tips on enhancing color and flavor for your value-added proteins with custom sauces.
How Color Goes Hand-in-Hand with Flavor
Today’s consumers – particularly those on the younger end – are more adventurous than ever before. They’re excited to try bold, trendy tastes and sips. They’re also highly visual, seeking out vibrant colors that signal freshness and quality. In fact, industry research consistently shows that a food’s color influences consumer purchasing decisions. Think of it this way: If you’re trying to eat healthier, you’ll probably reach for more greens. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something indulgent and comforting, you might look for rich golden-brown hues. Whether or not it’s intentional, a food’s color sends a powerful message to consumers. You just have to know how to send the right message. Custom sauces can help with that.
How Sauces Elevate Value-Added Proteins
Custom sauces offer the following in the value-added protein space:
- Flavor Complexity: Sauces can introduce complex flavor profiles by combining various taste elements, such as sweet, salty, sour, and umami. (Think smoky BBQ, tangy Teriyaki, or creamy Garlic Sauce.) Sauces are also a way to lean into the ongoing global flavor boom, which drives adventurous consumers toward diverse culinary influences.
- Visual Impact: Like we mentioned above, sauces can help enhance the visual appeal of proteins. And, no, that doesn’t mean throwing in an obscure mix of artificial colorants to mask a protein’s natural flavor – at least, not the way we do it. Our R&D team is dedicated to exploring natural colorants and flavor enhancers that comply with regulatory standards and cater to consumer preferences.
- Versatility: Sauces offer versatility, allowing value-added protein brands to cater to dietary trends and restrictions. Working with functional ingredients in sauces can boost an entree’s overall health benefits, but it can also provide a call-out for consumers with specific lifestyle needs, including keto-friendly, kosher, or halal foods.
Applying Color Theory to Value-Added Protein
Still not sure about the impact of color in the value-added protein space? Allow us to throw out a few suggestions. We dare you to make it through this list without drooling.
Chicken
Chicken is one of the most versatile proteins available, able to absorb a wide range of flavors without sacrificing its naturally juicy taste. We recommend leaning into bold marinades and sauces for chicken with vibrant hues, like red or golden glazes, such as the following:
- BBQ Sauce: This perennial favorite adds a smoky-sweet flavor. It also caramelizes during grilling, creating a rich mahogany sheen.
- Turmeric-Lemon Sauce: The bright yellow hue and tangy, earthy flavor of this sauce is sure to appeal to health-conscious consumers wanting a reprieve from heavy winter dishes.
- Buffalo Sauce: This fiery red-orange glaze signals a bold and spicy flavor.
Beef
When working with beef, dark sauces add richness to the meat’s appearance, while lighter glazes offer a glossy, caramelized finish. Try the following:
- Teriyaki Sauce: This sauce’s glossy, dark-brown coating suggests a sweet and subtle richness.
- Chimichurri Sauce: One of our favorite sauces for beef, the bright, springy green of a zesty Chimichurri Sauce will attract health-conscious and adventurous eaters alike.
Pork
Pork’s mild flavor is a blank canvas for sweet, savory, and tangy sauces. We’re especially fond of sweet sauces, which caramelize well and create a golden exterior. You can almost taste it as soon as you see it. We’re fans of these two vibrant sauces:
- Honey-Mustard Glaze: A golden, glossy glaze combines sweet and tangy notes, making it ideal for rich cuts like pork tenderloin or ham.
- Korean Gochujang Sauce: For the global eater, Gochujang offers a spicy-sweet profile with a signature red glaze. It’s ideal for pulled pork or pork belly.
While we’re at it, here are a few other ideas to explore the impact of color on value-added proteins:
- Seafood: Seafood’s delicate flavor benefits from sauces that are light but still pack a punch. We’d recommend bright sauces, like an Herb Pesto. Its stunning green color draws the eye to entrees like shrimp and cod, which may not look as appealing on their own in the seafood case.
- Plant-Based Proteins: Meatless mains like tofu, tempeh, and seitan all benefit from a bit of added depth and richness. Think of a Smoky Paprika Marinade, which infuses plant-based protein with a smoky flavor and a deep red-orange color that will appeal to plant-based eaters and meat lovers alike.
- Lamb: Lamb’s strong flavor pairs well with tangy, herbaceous, or slightly sweet sauces; for example, a classic Mint Yogurt Sauce provides a cool, tangy contrast with a light green hue, helping lamb dishes stand out to customers who are craving the flavors of springtime.
- Turkey: Turkey benefits from sauces that add moisture and richness, but that doesn’t mean they have to be calorically dense or even overly rich. For example, a Garlic Herb Butter Sauce delivers savory richness with a golden sheen without adding the heaviness of a glaze.
Why Partner with a Sauce Expert?
The right sauce can transform a basic protein into a culinary masterpiece. If you’re ready to explore eye-catching sauces for your value-added protein options, you’ll need the right partner. Collaborating with a custom sauce manufacturer ensures access to expertise in flavor development and color enhancement. Our experts can help you work through unique challenges like oxidation, cooking variability, and ingredient interactions, all of which can dull the colors of protein products and make them less appealing on the shelf.
As your sauce partner, we provide the expertise and innovative solutions needed to elevate your offerings. We invest in technologies that improve flavor stability and color retention, ensuring high-quality products that stand out in the market. Are you ready to revolutionize your value-added proteins?
Contact us today to explore sauce solutions that will captivate your customers.
