Sahibabad-based Ultra International, a leading player in flavors and fragrances, exhibited its range of flavors for beverages, ice creams, and seasonings at the Fi India show from 3-5 September 2025 in Greater Noida.
For the beverages industry, on-trend fruity and exotic profiles such as green mango, tamarind, marvel peach, and tropical storm, alongside innovative blends such as coconut blue, indigo burst, pacific punch, and yellow spark were showcased. For younger consumers, the company has crafted playful options such as bubblegum blush, love struck, and spark flow.
For the ice creams segment, gelatos, including salted butter caramel, chocolate truffle, Sicilian pistachio, and a vegan/sugar-free creation – nuts about hazelnut were shown, apart from sorbets in raspberry, mango, and strawberry.
For seasonings, Ultra displayed authentic blends such as dill pickle, sour and sweet tomato, taco seasoning, kerry chatpata mix, cheesy cream onion lemon, lady mint, herbs de provence gochujang, marjoram pudina mint, and the ever-popular magic masala.
Launched in 1929 by the late Prahlad Roy Sanganeria, the company ventured into flavors and fragrances on a global scale in 1987.
Current flavor trends
Bhuvana Nageshwaran, director – flavors and fragrances, Ultra International, told IndiFoodBev that the company sees four big shifts shaping the market in flavors. First is health and wellness – Consumers prefer natural flavors, clean labels, and products with functional benefits such as botanicals and immunity boosters. Second is unconventional pairings, including fusion of contrasting flavors, such as sweet with spicy and fruity with herbal, which are gaining traction, especially in beverages and snacks.
The third trend is nostalgia with a twist. Traditional Indian profiles—tamarind, pickle spices, regional masalas—are being reimagined in contemporary formats. The fourth is premium indulgence, especially in desserts and ice creams, where rich and sophisticated flavors such as pistachio, caramel, and truffle are in high demand.
Flavors gain traction
According to IMARC, the Indian flavors market was estimated at Rs 4,591.5 crore in 2024 and expected to reach Rs 8,512.5 crore by 2033, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate of 6.75% from 2025 to 2033.
In Nageshwaran’s opinion, the growth is being driven by two forces working in parallel. On the one hand, startups are introducing fresh ideas, experimenting with regional flavors, and serving health-conscious, younger consumers. Established players, on the other hand, are scaling fast, partnering with flavor houses such as Ultra International to deliver customized, locally relevant solutions.
“This balance of innovation and reach is accelerating growth. Today, flavor is no longer just an add-on; it’s central to product identity, and companies are investing to get it right,” she said.
Nageshwaran was optimistic about the growth of the flavors segment. With the rapid growth of India’s food processing sector and government initiatives such as PLI and PMFME, opportunities for flavor and fragrance companies are expanding significantly, she noted.
Lifestyle changes are driving demand for convenient, tasty, and healthier ready-to-eat formats. While plant-based, fortified, and functional products will gain traction, Indian flavors on the global stage present strong export potential for authentic, well-crafted profiles, she explained.
“In the coming decade, India is well-positioned to emerge as a global hub for flavor innovation—serving both the domestic and international markets,” she added.
Ultra International’s plans
Nageshwaran said Ultra International plans to expand on multiple fronts. The company will invest in stronger R&D capabilities to co-create bespoke flavors with its clients. It will launch a new range of functional and botanical-based solutions for health drinks, plant-based foods, and sugar-reduced/clean-label formulations. It is working on broadening its seasonings portfolio with more regional Indian spice blends, and developing eco-friendly, nature-inspired fragrance options aligned with global wellness and sustainability trends.
Ultra International would also explore export opportunities in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas—with growing interest from Germany, Canada, the UK, Brazil, and Singapore.
“Innovation will remain at the heart of our strategy, as we continue to anticipate and shape the future of flavors and fragrances,” Nageshwaran concluded.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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