Comax Flavors has announced the appointment of Eric Junwu Xi, Ph.D., Vice President of Innovation. In this role, Xi will be responsible for managing global product and flavor development in the US and international markets with a focus on Asia. Xi will share his time between Comax’s corporate headquarters in the US and Shanghai Comax Flavors Co., Ltd. in China where he will be the company’s General Manager.

Beverage Industry’s 2016 New Product Development Survey, published in January, reported that strawberry was the second most popular berry flavor used in beverage formulas with 55% of beverage formulators using it in 2015.

The high demand for vanilla and the supply shortage has resulted in a volatile vanilla market with soaring costs. Vanilla is a staple ingredient in flavorists’ palettes and a beloved flavor in food and beverages.

Comax Flavors has introduced four new flavor collections to address consumer food and beverage taste trends in 2016.

Fermented and pickled foods and beverages are on the radar and gaining momentum. According to the National Restaurant Association’s annual survey of nearly 1,300 professional chefs, “pickling and fermenting are making a modern-day comeback, with an in-house pickling process, non-traditional veggies, and specialty vinegars high on the list.”

It’s been reported that the average American eats nearly 23 sticks of butter a year and in 2013 they spent $2 billion on the fat-laden ingredient.