The company, based in Hamburg, Germany, which supplies food stabilisers globally, came together recently to discuss sustainability, a healthy lifestyle and natural functionality at its Sales Network Meeting, to present current trends and expectations in the different markets.
Market potential
According to this year’s attendees the plant-based trend continues to have extraordinary potential around the world.
“We reacted to the growing demand for plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy products some years ago, and continue to develop solutions for this market segment,” said Dr Matthias Moser, CEO, Hydrosol.
“We recently bundled our expertise in research and development, marketing and sales in our Plant-Based Competence Center.”
Hydrosol’s specialists underlined the importance of the “plant-based revolution,” as Innova Market Insights called it in this year’s Top Trends. Hydrosol’s sister companies OlbrichtArom and SternVitamin contributed information about additional value creation through flavouring and enrichment with selected micronutrients.
In addition to plant-based alternatives, the ‘free-from’ products is another growth area, whether free from lactose, gluten or soy, with less sugar, salt and fat, or free from animal ingredients, the free-from trend and the plant-based segment have turned into an important market for differentiated products.
The primary motivation driving consumers’ purchases of clean and clear-label products is indulgence with a good conscience. Consumers want to treat themselves well, act sustainably, boost their own health, and preserve resources and the environment.
Indulgence
Indulgence plays a decisive role in the success of food products, and removing certain ingredients from a recipe can ruin a food’s appeal.
“Consumers are more aware of certain ingredients. For example, phosphates are frequently criticised as being a risk for people with kidney disease,” added Moser.
“At the event we presented to our sales network partners products in every category that don’t contain phosphates, yet meet accustomed consumer preferences. Sugar reduction is another important free-from topic – everywhere in the world there are foods people can’t resist, because they love the taste and texture. Sugar-reduced products need to offer the same indulgence if they are going to have sustained market success.”
Plant-based meat and dairy alternatives have long since become fixtures in mass markets, and for many consumers they are established parts of a balanced diet. Plant-based alternatives to fish filets, fish sticks and tuna fish salad are a further step.
“We recently added plant-based alternatives to breaded fish products and bread spreads like tuna deli foods,” said Moser.
Plant-based and free-from will remain major growth drivers at Hydrosol. In addition to the new products it presented, the company offers preservatives and injection systems for meat and meat products, as well as stabilising systems for dairy products, deli foods and convenience foods.
The company generated worldwide growth of 30% last year and with its trend-driven concepts, looks forward to a further 15% growth.