Ingredients manufacturer Kerry has made public its Botanicals Collection ZERO 2.0, a line of preservative-free, 0% ethanol botanical extracts for the alcohol beverages industry. This ingredient can be incorporated in mocktails, alcoholic drinks and help producers maintain low or zero alcoholic content. It also helps producers meet clean-label and authentic-quality requirements.

Compared to what’s traditionally used, the extract is stable, with no haze or sedimentation and delivers complex and unique botanical taste and mouthfeel. Distillates include fruit; floral; and spice and brown tonalities like cocoa, coffee, cumin and black pepper.

The new variants are produced via a proprietary extraction and distillation process, complementing the previously launched Collection ZERO in 2020.

Francis De Campos Ferreira, Global Taste Portfolio Director for Selected Extracts at Kerry, commented on the new botanical collection release: “Taste is extremely important to all consumers of low- and no-alcohol beverages. Our exciting second-generation Kerry Botanicals Collection ZERO 2.0 range delivers not only the fresh notes from the first generation but also now more complex flavours that remind us of those found in traditional alcoholic beverages. Another important consumer concern is that these types of drinks be naturally sourced, so it’s important to note that the ZERO 2.0 product range is created using all-natural, sustainable botanical sources.”

Adds De Campos Ferreira: “There is a rapidly growing global trend to moderate and control alcohol intake, and consumers are seeking authentic-tasting beverage options that address this desire. This has resulted in enormous growth in the global market for these kinds of beverages that is expected to continue for years. Producers able to offer tasty and healthier upscale beverage choices will see a significant and growing market opportunity in the years to come.”

“Due mainly to the fact that many no-alcohol drinks (like mocktails) resemble juices, consumer expectations are currently not being met by the prevailing no-alcohol options. Increasingly, consumers want the upscale experience of the glass, ice, and taste—simply without the alcohol content. The Kerry Botanicals Collection ZERO 2.0 portfolio delivers a premium drink that tastes great.”

Kerry is an expert in natural extraction, resulting in innovative “fusion distillates” that blend natural botanicals and magnify taste of the food or beverage. This also means they can tailor blends and make them according to specific tastes and other requirements.