Press Release

Chicago, IL

• Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) launches 17 new spice blends that celebrate the varied and vibrant flavors of the Americas
• Designed for culinary, savory and snacking applications – the new blends aim to help manufacturers innovate with authentic flavors in new product development
• The fully clean-label blends add their own unique twists on classic taste experiences and will offer a year-round consistent flavor profile
• OFI’s extensive supply-chain, decades of application expertise and processing capabilities help the new spice blends solve common challenges for food manufacturers, while providing a world of product and recipe inspiration.

Olam Food Ingredients (“OFI”)¹, a global leader in natural and sustainable ingredients and solutions, today launches the first collection in its new spice blends range – ‘Blends of the Americas’. The 17 ready-to-use dry blends give food manufacturers, foodservice companies, and retailers a simple, clean-label solution for creating consistent and authentic flavors inspired by some of the continent’s popular cuisines – those of modern Mexico, the Caribbean and the US Southwest.

The launch comes at a time when 50% of US consumers are looking to try new, exciting flavors². Each blend³ has been expertly formulated by OFI’s top chefs to help food manufacturers add an authentic spice kick to everything from grilled meat, fish and vegetables to traditional stews, sauces and snacks. Alongside these applications, OFI has also developed a range of seasoned recipes using the new blends in collaboration with its nuts innovation team, such as Blanched Almonds with Spicy Citrus Coast and Candied Cashews with Warm Sedona Sunset.
  

CEO of OFI’s spices platform, Greg Estep said:

“Our new spice blends are crafted with ingredients grown in their true provenance, including chiles from the Hatch Valley in New Mexico, and warming cinnamon powder sourced from the Đồng Nai province of Vietnam. Thanks to our decades of experience in sourcing these high-quality ingredients and our unrivalled relationships with growers, we’re able to respond to growing demand for vibrant taste experiences that respect the spirit of regional food traditions while promising a consistent, repeatable flavor all year round. As a ready-to-use solution, the spice blends also help streamline the new product development process for manufacturers, removing the need to establish a large inventory to create complex, multi-layered flavor experiences.”
 

As the world’s number one producer of dried garlic and onions, as well as a global leader for chiles, pepper and tropical spices, OFI’s worldwide network and boots-on-the ground presence across origins ensures the new spice blends are sourced from the best raw ingredients all year round. The company maintains complete oversight of growing practices, storage standards and ingredient transportation by working directly and transparently with farmer-partners, helping ensure higher-quality, sustainable spice solutions that food producers and their customers can trust.
 

Daniel Espinoza, Corporate R&D Chef of OFI’s spices platform, added:

“Throughout my career as a chef, I’ve dedicated myself to honoring authentic flavors and cooking techniques from around the American continent and beyond – particularly when it comes to my own Mexican American heritage. These new spice blends do exactly that, on an unmatched scale.

“Informed by the latest consumer research, they’re bursting with potential for experimentation and innovation, helping food producers deliver a bold flavor kick to everything from snack coatings and cooking sauces to meat rubs, marinades and dips. And what’s more, we genuinely understand the stories behind the ingredients we use thanks to our global team of culinary experts, with members hailing from across the regions.”

To learn more about the new Blends of America spice range, OFI’s wider portfolio of naturally authentic spice solutions, or for co-creation support in using these blends alongside the company’s cocoa, coffee, dairy and nuts ingredients, visit: https://olamspices.com/shop-by-category/blends.html

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¹ OFI is the new operating group, created after the re-organisation of global food and agri-business Olam International, with revenues of S$12.5 billion and sales volume of 3.8 million metric tonnes in 2020.

² Innova Market Insights. (2021). Top 10 Flavour Trends for 2021.

³ The new range of spice blends includes Spicy Citrus Coast, a modern Mexico blend featuring a scorpion chile kick, ground red pepper and lime; Warm Sedona Sunset, a Southwest blend that radiates sweet heat through turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and green cardamom; and Citrus Habanero Jerk, bringing a Jamaican flavor hit to foods with a blend of allspice, habanero and lime.