Do you use “natural” flavours?Updated 2 hours ago

Yes, sometimes we use natural flavours, but the term “natural flavour” deserves more explanation than most give it.

What does “natural flavour” actually mean?

Natural flavours must be derived from natural sources — plants, animals, or microorganisms — rather than synthesised from petroleum or purely chemical processes. But here’s where it gets nuanced: the extraction process can involve multiple steps including cooking, pressing, distillation, solvent extraction (e.g. ethanol), fermentation, or enzymatic processing. A natural flavour compound can end up chemically identical to its artificial counterpart — the difference is purely in its origin, not its final form. Food brands are also not required to disclose the exact source or processing method used, so “natural flavour” on a label tells you very little about what’s actually inside.

What are they carried on?

Flavours (especially powdered ones) need a carrier ingredient to make them stable and usable. Most brands use maltodextrin, a refined starch with a high glycaemic index. We use acacia fibre instead, which is a prebiotic fibre. It’s a better option, and it’s one of the ways we try to do better.  

For liquid flavours, carriers are typically alcohol (not Halal-suitable) or propylene glycol — the latter is what ours use. Carrier-free flavours exist but aren’t viable for powdered formats, and in liquid form they’re highly concentrated and significantly more expensive. We’re continuing to assess what’s possible here.

Where we draw the line

When we can, we prefer minimally processed flavouring ingredients where the sourcing and process are clear - things like essential oils, vanilla extract (not the same as vanilla flavour), and yeast extracts. These are closer to whole-food ingredients and sit more comfortably with how we think about formulation. We’re not perfect, but we’re transparent about the trade-offs and keep pushing toward cleaner options as they become viable.