"Sales doubled in 2010 compared with 2009 and we have doubled last year's sales in the past half year," he said.
LycoRed SANTE, a tomato-based lycopene flavouring complex launched last year, was already exciting global interest as a way to enhance the flavour of salt in products while using less of it, he said.
It was present in roughly half of all European markets. "We are now expanding in the US and UK." LycoRed was finalising a marketing plan for UK distribution of SANTE, added Bernhardt.
"We have 100200 running projects with companies, some involving retail products, some looking at seasoning for processors," said Bernhardt. "A lot of businesses are putting the product into naturally flavoured potato chips."
The challenge had been to use enough of SANTE to flavour products, but not enough to unintentionally alter colour.
He said SANTE delivered a kukumi flavour profile. Traditionally recognised in Japanese cooking, kukumi ingredients enhance other flavours and make them last longer. "In the beginning we were dosing at higher levels around 1% of total ingredient content but the tomato flavour was masking other flavours. It took a long time of lowering the dose before the flavour enhancement came through."
Kukumi sits alongside the umami flavour profile, which is a mix of sweet and sour tastes that is also widely accepted in the Far East and is attracting a growing fan base.
SANTE best suited savoury products, but could be used selectively to enhance sweet tasting products such as fruit juices, said Bernhardt.
Other promising products for LycoRed included a growing natural colours range; LycoFibre, a fibre extracted from tomato skins; and soluble vitamin D to fortify beverages without clouding them.