Butterfly Pea Flower of deep blue flowering plant, known as Clitoria ternatea, native to Asia Pacific (APAC), is gaining traction for its purported nutritive and high medicinal value in the region, catering to the evolving consumer demand for its clean-label properties.  Generally known as Asian pigeonwings, this flower provides a varied opportunity to the f&b manufacturers and cosmetics-makers for being an innovative ingredient and developing new range of functional offerings, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

According to GlobalData’s 2018 Q4 Consumer Survey, in a bid to manage their health and appearance, consumers are becoming choosier about what goes into their diet, with 65% of APAC consumers always or often choosing products or services that are beneficial for their health..

Namrata Sain, Consumer Insights Analyst at GlobalData, says: “The ability of butterfly pea flowers to imbue a vivid hue and also being a superfood is pushing the consumers to embrace it to better balance their nutrient consumption to enhance their health, vitality, or appearance and ward off acute diseases.”

However, plant-based colors can help manufacturers align their products closely with consumer perceptions of using ethical products as revealed by GlobalData’s 2018 global survey, and comply with stringent regulatory standards. Therefore, by virtue of being a botanical source of blue, violet, and magenta colors, butterfly pea flowers are gaining demand among brands switching to natural colors.

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With this bluebellvine becoming a sensation, especially among millenials, its numerous health benefits have captured the imagination of food and beverage manufacturers, including major brands like Starbucks spawning a plethora of color-changing tea drinks, lemonade, cocktails, lattes, savory dishes such as unicorn noodles, edible flowers, ice creams, and others.

Sain adds: “One of the creative offerings such as:, edible flowers, resonating with the consumer expectations for natural and healthy ’garden-to-table’ food ingredients adds a feather to its cap by making it a good fit for vegan, paleo, and gluten-free diets.”

This nutrient-dense ingredient, also being a treasure trove of health and beauty with its bioactive compounds, has opened doors for cosmetic industry and are being incorporated into a host of beauty and grooming products such as shampoo, face cream, moisturizer, lip balm, and nail polish.

Sain concludes: “As Butterfly pea flower is rich in anthocyanins, an antioxidant that has gained acclaim for its health benefits, it is likely to attract the attention of vigilant consumers holding holistic perspective on wellness. Therefore, manufacturers and food operators, by leveraging bolder food colors obtained from this unique flower, can deliver a multi-sensory consumption experience, piquing the interest of consumers seeking novelty products.”