Raising a Glass to Clean Label: Rowanberry Extract in Non-Alcoholic Wine

Responding to the Demand for a Cleaner Label

As the market for non-alcoholic beverages continues to grow, so does the demand for a product that aligns with consumers health and wellness goals. One beverage company found themselves facing pressure from both retailers and consumers to reformulate its product to better meet clean-label expectations.

The owner of the company stated:

“When you think about it. Many customers drink non-alcoholic wine for health reasons and having a ingredient declaration with less chemicals, of course, aligns with their health goals. Along with this a lot of major retailers are starting to require beverages to be clean label.”

Although their product already appealed to health-conscious consumers, it still contained synthetic preservatives. Several major retailers flagged this as as incompatible with their labelling requirements. The company set out to find a preservation solution that allowed for a clean label without compromising shelf life or product quality.

The Challenge: Finding a Natural Preservative that Really Works

The ideal solution for a clean label preservative had to be able to meet a couple requirements:

• Naturally derived

• Label friendly

• Taste & colour neutral

• Compatible with real fruit juice

• Stable during mild pasteurization

• Effectively extends shelf life

The team tested other natural preservatives including mushroom extracts, rosemary extracts, and other natural compounds, but none met all of their requirements. Each alternative either negatively impacted taste, beverage clarity, or failed to meet shelf-life expectations. Their R&D lead explained:

“We couldn’t find anything compatible with our beverage,” their R&D lead explained. “We were committed to a clean label, but nothing we tried met our shelf life or flavor requirements, especially given the real fruit juice content.”

The company decided it was time to reach out to Think Ingredients to see if we could find a solution.

The Solution: Rowanberry Extract

Fortunately, they still hadn’t tried one option – Rowanberry Extract!

This clean label preservative, derived from rowanberries, contains naturally occurring sorbic acid that offers broad spectrum antimicrobial protection against yeasts, molds, and bacteria. It’s particularly effective in acidic beverages like fruit-based non-alcoholic wines, and best of all, it can be simply labeled as “rowanberry extract,” supporting transparency without sacrificing performance. Naturally present sorbic acid makes rowanberry extract an effective clean-label preservative with benefits that go beyond many others currently available on the market. It stands out for both its clean-label appeal and its potency. The extract is water-soluble, pH-tolerant, and heat-stable, making it easy to incorporate into a wide range of formulations and processing conditions.

To ensure the best outcome, we worked closely with the company’s development team—helping determine the right concentration levels for their application and guiding them through the reformulation process.

The Testing Process

To evaluate the effectiveness of rowanberry extract, the company conducted a shelf-life study using their non-alcoholic wine. All samples were kept unpasteurized and stored at room temperature to assess efficacy of the preservative without relying on additional processing steps. Varying concentrations of Rowanberry Extract were tested alongside a control sample. The samples were held for 6–8 weeks, during which all formulations were closely monitored. Several parameters were measured throughout the testing period, including:

• Brix

• pH

• Sensory attributes

• Turbidity

• Microbial stability

By the end of the study, the company found that rowanberry extract performed exceptionally well—preserving the non-alcoholic wines without compromising clarity, flavor, or aroma. Its water solubility, pH tolerance, and heat stability made it easy to incorporate, even in formulations that included real fruit juice.

Cleaner Label = Happier Customers

With the new formulation in place, the brand could finally move forward with a preservative that matched both consumer expectations and retailer demand. Rowanberry extract allowed them to maintain product quality while proudly listing a single, recognizable ingredient: “rowanberry extract.”

“Rowanberry looks a lot better on our label than any chemical preservatives. Our product is meant to read as natural as possible, so we’re happy we made the switch—not just to meet external pressures, but to create a label we genuinely feel good about.”

Said the company’s owner.

Let’s Think Differently About Formulations

At Think Ingredients, we partner with brands to uncover clean label solutions that work. Whether you're dealing with preservation challenges or looking to simplify your ingredient declaration, we’re here to help.

We are proud to be the exclusive distributor of Millbio’s clean label preservatives in Canada. Contact us and see how we can help you achieve success in your formulations.