Ingredient Snapshot: Olam Food Ingredients (“OFI”) has launched 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 U.S. Southwest.

The launch comes at a time when 50 percent of U.S. consumers are looking to try new, exciting flavors. Each blend 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.”

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.