More than one-in-three consumers seeking tastier plant-based products
Taste is key when it comes to selecting plant-based food solutions, with one in three consumers looking for better tasting products according to new proprietary research carried out by Kerry.
Though 42% of plant-based food consumers are choosing plant-based products on a more regular basis, consumers are seeking tastier products and a broader range to select from.
With the European plant-based market growing and expected to reach a value of €18.3bn ($21.4bn) by the year 2023, Kerry has undertaken research among regular consumers of plant-based products, which revealed 42% are choosing meat alternatives more often than they were 12 months ago, 37% of plant-based protein consumers in Europe want better tasting products, 26% want a better range of products to choose from, 28% are looking for meat alternatives with better texture, and 50% view plant-based products as healthier or better for you.
The research confirmed though sustainability and animal welfare concerns are important motivators, the distinguishing features of successful innovation will be the creation of products boasting improved nutrition, taste and texture, with consumers citing these as areas for improvement.
Darren O’Sullivan, director of plant-Protein at Kerry said, “Manufacturers need to deliver innovative and creative solutions to meet consumer needs and win in this space. We are seeing the emergence of the flexitarian consumers, who are unwilling to accept anything less than a delicious product. This means that products really need to taste great order to succeed.
“With the market growing at a rapid pace, brands want to capitalize on the rising demand for plant-based foods. However, in order to stand out in the marketplace, they need to make sure that plant-based foods provide nutrition, functionality and great taste, and are sustainably produced.”
O’Sullivan said the company’s plant-based portfolio, Radicle by Kerry, addresses all these needs.
“It is designed to meet taste, texture, nutrition and functionality needs in plant-based products as we partner with companies to create great tasting products with cleaner and shorter labels.”
More details on the research can be found in Kerry’s new eBook, which contains the key information that brands need to know to create winning plant-based products.
The 25-page eBook looks at consumer and market trends, as well as innovation in the sector and taste trends. It also contains interviews with Kerry on sustainability, nutrition, culinary and RDA.
“Innovating in the plant-based food space can be challenging in many ways, from complex processing procedure to the cost of creating a product to the time it takes to launch to market. For these reasons, failure rates are high for launches of new vegan products. Our new eBook contains a breadth of information from our experts, as well as exclusive proprietary research, insights, and an innovation framework to help manufacturers successfully launch a product,” O’Sullivan said.
Fonterra introducing NZMP Milk Phospholipids range to manage the effects of stress
New Zealand dairy company Fonterra will be participating in the upcoming Food Ingredients Europe online event, FiE Connect.
Fonterra is launching two variants of NZMP Milk Phospholipids at FiE Connect by showcasing the ingredients in various sports and active lifestyle consumer applications possibilities, from nutritional bars to ready-to-mix beverages.
NZMP will further showcase its broad ingredient portfolio tailored to address leading consumer needs within the sports and active lifestyle, paediatric nutrition, and medical nutrition categories.
Found in especially high concentrations in the brain and the building blocks of all cell membranes, phospholipids are complex lipids that play important structural and functional roles in the brain and nervous system. During aging, brain phospholipid levels decline, a condition potentially ameliorated by phospholipid supplementation as dietary phospholipids absorb easily in humans and cross the blood-brain barrier.
Naturally present in milk as part of the milk fat globule membrane, NZMP Milk Phospholipids are complex lipids clinically proven to manage the effects of stress, helping maintain performance by staying focussed and positive.
Suitable for use as a standalone product, or as an addition to a range of applications for consumers seeking functional health benefits in their food and beverages.
Fonterra has also evaluated the characteristics of a wide variety of ingredients (dairy proteins, probiotics & prebiotics) to form its new NZMP nutritional bar ingredients portfolio. The company said it can help brands formulate bars that deliver a range of consumer benefits, including increased energy, supporting muscle recovery after exercise, providing low calorie meal replacement solutions, managing the effects of stress and even offering healthy indulgence snacking.
NZMP is introducing new bar ingredients into its portfolio, such as its SureProtein Flexbar 515 whey protein isolate, SoftBar 1000 milk protein isolate and ShortBar Lactalbumin. As well as its nutritional bar solutions, NZMP will also be profiling a range of healthy snacking applications for active lifestyles from yogurt to dessert applications and meal replacement.
Tate & Lyle on the importance of fiber
Tate & Lyle PLC, a global provider of ingredients and solutions for the food, beverage and other markets, is hosting a webinar next week on understanding the power of prebiotic fiber in gut health, digestive support and overall wellbeing.
Concern over the lack of sufficient fiber in people’s diets is growing globally: studies show that almost 90% of Brazilians are concerned with digestive function and 49% would pay more for food containing fiber.
Earlier this year, Anvisa (the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency) approved the claim that the company’s PROMITOR Soluble Fibre “assists in the absorption of calcium in food and its retention in bones. Its consumption must be associated with a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.” It is the only fiber to have such a claim approved in Brazil.
This followed Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) publishing the health claim that “PROMITOR Soluble Fibre supports a positive change in gut microbiota.” This benefit is now listed as a general level health claim, which means that food and drink manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand can include it on packaging for products containing PROMITOR Soluble Fibre.
The product can be used in sugar and calorie reduction strategies as a partial substitute for sugar, helping food companies to meet consumer demand for healthier foods. In addition, the product has a neutral flavor and color and adds body to food, which enables manufacturers to use it without compromising the taste and texture of food. The product is available in liquid and powder formats, facilitating the use by industries in a wide variety of foods and beverages.
