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Natural
Flavouring substances obtained from plant or animal sources by physical, enzymatic or microbiological processes. The basis for a clean-label position, and the focus of this page.
Natural Flavours
Natural flavours for
food and drink brands.
An educational guide to natural flavours for Australian and New Zealand brands: what they are, how they are declared on pack, and the range VKA® Australia develops and supplies from Southport, Queensland.
Briefs from NPD and procurement teams welcome.
The Short Answer
What are natural flavours, and how do brands use them?
Natural flavourings are obtained from plant or animal sources by physical, enzymatic or microbiological processes (the IOFI definition). Under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code they are declared on the ingredient list as "flavour" or "flavouring"; the Code does not define "natural" for flavours, and the ACCC polices "natural" claims under the Australian Consumer Law. Brands use them to build a taste and a clean-label position. VKA Australia develops and supplies natural flavours for AU and NZ.
Natural, Nature-Identical, Artificial
Three terms, one practical difference.
The labels describe where the flavouring substances come from, not how they taste. They are an industry shorthand from IOFI, useful for sourcing and labelling decisions rather than a legal grade.
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Nature-identical
Substances chemically identical to those found in nature but made by synthesis. Often chosen for tighter batch-to-batch consistency, lower cost, or stability through harsh processing.
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Artificial
Flavouring substances not found in nature. Useful where a profile cannot be built any other way, at the cost of a natural claim on pack.
Our Natural Range
Natural flavours, built for the brief in front of us.
We develop natural flavours to a brand's target profile rather than picking from a fixed catalogue. The work runs from brief to commercial supply, in liquid and powder formats.
Across the profile families
Fruit, citrus, dairy and cream, brown notes, botanical and beverage characters. Tuned to Australian and New Zealand palates and the brand you are building.
Liquid and powder formats
Water-soluble and oil-soluble liquids, spray-dried and plated powders. We match the format to your dosing, your process and your pack.
Label-ready specifications
Specifications, allergen information and labelling guidance written for the Food Standards Code, with our technical team available to work through claim wording with your QA.
Custom development
Most briefs are bespoke. Send us the application and the target, and our flavourists work the bench in Southport from first sample to commercial supply.
Applications By Category
Where natural flavours go.
Each category brings its own process, pack and shelf-life demands. We trial every flavour in the application so it holds up where it counts.
How It Sits Under AU and NZ Law
The plain reading for a label.
Most natural-flavour guidance online is US-style. Here is how it actually sits in Australia and New Zealand.
On the label, the Code recognises "flavour", not "natural".
Under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, a flavouring substance is listed using the word "flavour" or "flavouring" (or a more specific name). The Code does not separately define or restrict "natural" for flavours.
The natural distinction is an industry term.
Natural, nature-identical and artificial come from international industry practice (IOFI), not from FSANZ. They are shorthand for sourcing and formulation, not a legal classification.
The ACCC polices "natural" claims.
Calling a finished product or a flavour "natural" is a representation under the Australian Consumer Law. The ACCC expects it to be true, accurate and able to be supported. We back any "natural" wording with the formulation, not the copy.
Sources: foodstandards.gov.au (FSANZ), legislation.gov.au (Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code), iofi.org, accc.gov.au.
A Closer Look
Natural flavours for water.
Flavoured and functional water is one of the most demanding places to put a natural flavour: nothing to hide behind, and a clean label expected. We have a dedicated guide to how natural flavours behave in water.
Why VKA, And How To Source
An Australian flavour house, close to the bench.
VKA Australia is a flavour house in Southport, Queensland, developing and blending flavours since 2002, with five decades of flavour-science depth behind it. R&D, applications and manufacturing sit on the one site, so the people who make the flavour are close to the people who pack it. When you are ready to source, our supplier page and our team are the next step.
Work with us as your supplier
Custom development, application support, AU and NZ regulatory fit and local lead times. The supplier page covers how we take a brief through to supply.
Bring us a brief
Tell us the application, the target profile and any constraints. We aim to come back inside one business day on whether it suits and what to sample next, from our team in Southport.
Start The Conversation
Building with natural flavours?
Bring us the application and the profile you are after. We'll come back with a direction, from our team in Southport.
Briefs from NPD and procurement teams welcome.