Clean Labels: From Trend To Movement

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Today’s consumer is more interested in eating fresher and cleaner foods. Industry experts have noticed that many food companies have adopted the movement for cleaner foods.  Companies like Campbell’s Soup and PepsiCo have implemented food transparency through clean labeling. There is also a rise in food start-ups applying clean labels with their new products.

Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, Suzanne Ginestro from Campbell Soup, noted that modern consumers are moving towards cleaner labels, transparency, as well as opting for products that are healthier and have ingredients that are easier to understand. People want transparency on all kinds of products from household cleaning supplies to electronics. Consumers just want to know what is inside the products they are using.

Why Transparency And Clean Labeling? 

So why are people so particular about clean labeling and transparency? Becky Frankiewicz from Quaker Foods North America indicated that consumers want to have more choices and this can only be achieved if they know the ingredients of the products they are buying.

While clean labels promote companies to indicate all ingredients on their labels, it does not mean that they should only focus on healthy ingredients yet. Companies have adopted the clean label movement to prove that they care about their consumers and their products. It also enables consumers to make informed decisions about their purchases.

Some food manufacturers still include ingredients that will make their products more palatable and that means using fat and sugar. The clean label is there to educate consumers about the types of ingredients utilized in the product. It is all about giving customers access to different food choices.

Clean Label: Trend or Movement?

What started out as a fad has become a movement that will surely stay. Today, many food startups have found success in introducing healthier foods and beverages to consumers. Large food companies are also capitalizing on the opportunity by introducing healthier product choices to their customers. Executives from large food manufacturing companies noted that the clean label movement had pushed brands to go back to their old business practices.

For instance, the 140-year old company Quaker Foods first started using fresh ingredients and developed ways to package their products so that it is easier for the consumers who live in urban places to enjoy healthy foods—similar to those living on the farm.

From trend to movement, clean labels are here to stay. Brands that focus on delivering healthy food with simple ingredients will win, plain and simple. Don’t be surprised to see more acquisitions of small, successful brands over the next five years as large companies like PepsiCo try to a secure a competitive advantage in this evolving space.

Inspired by fortune.com

Vegetables Can Improve The Nutrition Content Of Kid’s Juices

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Fruit juices are perceived as healthy beverages, but the media has reported that many smoothies and kid’s juices contain higher amounts of sugar than carbonated drinks like soda. Sugar is now well researched as the culprit to different metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes. The fruit juice market has been hit hard by the negative aspects of sugar with a decline in sales over the past few years.  Juice producers have a new opportunity to bring back the healthy image that they present to their customers by adding more vegetables to their juices in turn lowering the sugar and calorie content.

The Trend Of Juicing Vegetables

In recent years, many consumers have developed an interest for vegetable juices for health reasons. With public campaigns encouraging people to consume more vegetables daily and more celebrity chefs preparing vegetable recipes, consumption of vegetables have been glamorized.

The vegetable trend has led to the rise of different diet movements like flexitarians (semi-vegetarians), vegetarians, and vegans. It has also opened many opportunities for restaurants and the food industry to provide products that meet these new needs of consumers. We are starting to see products like vegetable spiralizers, cold-pressed juicers, and ready-made vegetable juices on market shelves.

Brands Have Joined In The Vegetable Bandwagon

Multiple brands have acceded to the bandwagon of incorporating vegetables into their fruit juices. One such company is a Japanese corporation, Kagome. The Japanese consumer demands healthy options and new flavors in their fruit juices and what better way to provide it to the customers than putting vegetables into their fruit juices.

Another company that has incorporated vegetables in its juice products is Coldpress Ltd. The fruit juices are not heat-pasteurized to retain the taste and nutrients of the finished product. Sugar is no longer added to their juices as they rely on the natural sweetness of the fruits for the sugar content.

Newer Trends In Fruit Juices

Aside from fruit juices, some trends are being adopted by beverage brands. As vegetables have been incorporated to add more health value to fruit juices, other trends have also sprung to improve the nutritional profile of fruit juices. Below are the new trends that have taken the fruit juice industry by storm.

  • More Superfoods in Juices: The fruit juice industry predicts that there will be a rise in super-fruit juices into 2020. For example, some companies have already added superfood chia seeds to their fruit juice products since 2015. Other superfoods that have been incorporated in fruit juices include Aloe Vera, coconut water, and maple water.
  • Fresher Fruit Juices: While bottled fruit juices have already been sterilized to increase their shelf-life, more fruit juice producers are developing more refreshing fruit juices to provide more nutritional value to their customers. Using cold-pressed juicing is a method that allows juice companies to create fresher and more nutritious juices. Moreover, juice bars have also become popular to provide juices from kitchen to mouth
  • Natural Vitamins in Juices: Companies like NutriFusion are helping beverage and drink brands add real vitamins from whole fruits and vegetables to their products. Since most juices are going through pasteurization, their nutrients are lost in the process. NutriFusion products are stable in heat and allow juice companies to quickly add back plant-based nutrition that is typically lost in processing.

Inspired by blog.euromonitor.com

Beverage Manufacturers Leaning Towards More Natural Ingredients

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With the continuing rise of “better-for-you” products, beverage companies have incorporated healthy ingredients to their new drinks. Today, the latest trend in the industry is functional beverages.  Functional beverages are defined as refreshing drinks that come with a multitude of health benefits. To incorporate these benefits into their products, beverage brands have used herbal extracts and natural sugars to amplify the nutritional value of the drinks and improve the natural flavor of the beverage.

Diversity in Natural Beverages

Although the use of natural ingredients is on the rise for many beverage companies, the challenge lies on how companies should reinvent flavors. With many fruits and vegetables in their arsenal, it is quite challenging to find great matches for vegetables like cucumber, beets, and carrots. Traditionally, they have worked with different fruits and spices like berries, apples, mint, and ginger.

In today’s society, where modern consumers are empowered with tons of new information connecting their health to the food they eat, consumers have a high affinity towards a healthy diet and a good quality of life. It is the reason why they are not hesitant to spend extra for nutritious foods and beverages. There are also many people who have shifted their diets to vegan and vegetarian. These people follow a particular diet with many restrictions. In the United States alone, the number of vegans and vegetarians continues to rise.

The healthy drink industry has diversified to meet the demands of many clients. Today, you can find healthy energy drinks that are not laden with caffeine, artificial sugar, and other derivatives. Healthy energy drinks are now made up of natural ingredients that are much cleaner and better fo you than traditional energy drink ingredients. Examples of ingredients that are used in creating healthy energy drinks include tea, guarana, and other natural sweeteners. 

healthy beverage fruits vegetables fruve 15 nutrifusion grandfusionThe Effects of  Healthy Beverage Development

So, what is the effect of this shift observed in beverage companies? The use of healthy fruits and vegetables has triggered new impulses regarding drinking such beverages. For instance, beverage companies would never dare to use vegetables in making their drinks. But now, vegetables are the main ingredients in creating healthy drinks and, surprisingly, it provides a harmonious complement with fruits. A fantastic example is a fast growing company called Fruve, with a variety of fruit and vegetable based ingredients, Fruve is developing 15 servings of fruits and vegetables per bottle.

Clean Labeling Trend

As mentioned earlier, the other trend that beverage manufacturers are keen to implementing is clean labeling. Clean labeling encourages companies to become transparent with the ingredients that they use to make their drinks. It emphasizes the customers’ demands to choose products that are made from natural sources. Significant growth is possible in healthy and natural beverage development. It will be interesting to see how the industry players strategize to win this new market share.

Inspired by http://www.foodingredientsfirst.com

PepsiCo Adding to Healthy Options Portfolio With KeVita Acquisition

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The trend continues for big beverage companies to purchase smaller companies that manufacture healthier drinks. PepsiCo is no different. Recently, it revealed its intention to buy KeVita. This California-based company makes probiotic drinks and is famous for making kombucha, apple cider vinegar, and other healthy beverages.

KeVita offers nutritious drinks and it is known for its three product lines – Master Brew Kombucha, Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic, and Sparkling Probiotic Drink. These drinks contain live cultures of organic probiotics that can improve the condition of the gut microbiota. Healthy gut microbiota is crucial for stronger immunity and overall health. The company serves not only the health-conscious individuals but also those who follow dietary restrictions like vegans and celiacs (those who consume gluten-free products).

The Benefits Of The KeVita Acquisition

It is not only PepsiCo that has acquired smaller companies that cater to the health niche. Large corporations all over North America have seen the opportunity for mergers and acquisitions. PepsiCo’s acquisition of KeVita will help expand the food giant’s wellness and health offerings and also provide scale to a growing business.

 

Will this change the natural products offered by KeVita? Bill Moses, KeVita’s CEO,  noted that the company is transforming the industry of functional beverages and its acquisition by PepsiCo will still deliver the same products to KeVita’s loyal customers. The company will also be able to continue to operate its bottling facilities independently.

Reasons For Acquisition

Big food companies are always on the lookout for small, innovative businesses that are attracting an untapped market segment.  Smaller food companies better understand the needs of millennial consumers, so they are the faster to innovate. Many of these businesses are focused on the quality of higher margin products made from whole food, simple, and organic ingredients. These small businesses tend to have stable followers so that the bigger companies can absorb the clientele of the acquired smaller companies.

Small brands offer a sense of intimacy that larger companies do not have. KeVita, for instance, is popular among its customers as it delivers high-quality probiotics without any compromises. The small size of the group makes it easier to follow the highest standards in making their products. This is in contrast with the situation in most food manufacturer giants.

A Win-Win Situation

Aside from big business getting an advantage with the acquisition, the purchased company can still enjoy many benefits. Bill Moss added that joining the giant food and beverage corporation will give KeVita the opportunity also to reach PepsiCo’s broader audience. PepsiCo has the power to introduce KeVita to the global market. This action can put leverage on both companies regarding their marketing and distribution capacities. The acquisition is a win-win situation for both companies.

Inspired by www.foodbusinessnews.net

Most Demanded Superfoods: Avocado, Turmeric, and Kale

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Superfoods are considered nutrient powerhouses that have a lot of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and other compounds that are known to be highly beneficial to the body. Eating superfoods can decrease the risk of diseases, extend life, and improve overall vitality of the body. According to Search Laboratory, there is a growing trend to consume more superfoods in the foods we eat every day.

Superfoods have become very popular in with people dedicated to a healthy lifestyle. Superfood consumption is very common among young adults who want to embrace healthy eating habits. It is interesting to take note that you can probably already find superfoods in your home.  In fact, a Google trend reports reveals that while there are many superfoods that you can buy from the supermarket, there are three that top the list–avocado, turmeric, and kale.

1. Superfoods: Avocado

Avocado is a buttery green fruit that is an essential ingredient in guacamole. As one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world, Avocado contains high amounts of fiber, Vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, and folate.

Avocado also contains copious amounts of monounsaturated fat, a healthy kind of fat. The amount of monounsaturated fat in avocado is almost similar to the amount found in olive oil. The monounsaturated fat found in avocado is oleic acid. Oleic acid helps lower your cholesterol level particularly low-density lipoproteins (LDL), which are considered as the bad cholesterol. It can also increase the amount of good high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

2. Superfoods: Turmeric

turmeric superfoodsTurmeric is a favorite spice in Asian cuisine. For centuries, it has been used in South Asia as a medicine. Turmeric has a lot of health benefits, and it is known to treat arthritis, acne, heart diseases, and Parkinson’s disease. This particular spice contains high amounts of curcumin—a powerful antioxidant. Curcumin is also a potent anti-inflammatory compound that can relieve different types of inflammation in the body. It can help improve the condition of patients who have diabetes and even cancer.

Turmeric milk wherein turmeric powder is added to milk with honey is not the only way of enjoying this superfood. Turmeric can be prepared in other ways to get its benefits. You can make it into a tea and add a hint of black pepper to improve its potency.

3. Superfoods: Kale

kale superfood

Kale is a leafy green vegetable related to other cruciferous plants like cabbages and cauliflowers.  It is a powerhouse packed with beta-carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamin C, quercetin, and kaempferol. It is one of the few vegetables that have a high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) value. This rating measures the ability of the plant compounds to scavenge free radicals.

Consumption of kale has many health benefits. It can prevent cardiovascular diseases, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis to name a few. It can also keep the integrity of the skin; that keeps it looking great. Kale also contains flavonoids like glucosinolates, sinigrin, glucobrassicin, and glucoraphanin that convert isothiocyanates in the gut that helps prevent or suppress the growth of multiple types of cancerous tumors.

Inspired by www.fooddive.com

Mintel’s 2017 Global Food and Drink Industry Trends

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Now that 2016 is over, it’s time to look at the food and beverage trends shaping up to make an impact in 2017. Mintel recently announced the top six trends that they believe will see fast growth this year. Check out their predictions below!

1. Traditional Processing

While our food today is made using modern processing, many people are now opting for foods made by conventional processing techniques. Companies are looking at using age-old formulation as well as classic flavors. People tend to view these foods as safe, reliable, and recognizable. This trend can be attributed to the recent rise of ancient recipes, cooking practices, and traditions that have resurfaced to incite the feeling of familiarity in the kitchen and food.

2. Plant-Based Formulation

Plant-based diets are becoming more popular, and Mintel expects this to be a huge area for growth in the industry. As a result, the food and drink industry is developing more products that emphasize using plant-based ingredients. This trend will not only be perfect for vegans and vegetarians but also flexitarians. We predict there will be an increased consumption of vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, grains and other botanical products.

3. Zero Food Waste

The year 2017 will be the year of the environment. But how does that relate to food? The answer is zero food waste. Today, many food manufacturers and restaurant owners want to address the growing problem of food waste. There will be an increasing awareness among people to use “ugly” produce as well as repurposing food ingredients to avoid wastage.

4. Night Shift Market

In today’s fast-paced life, many people have to work at night when we are all asleep. This lifestyle creates a new market niche for food manufacturers. Companies are developing products that are solely dedicated to nighttime workers as well as those who stay up late at night. Products such as teas made from lavender and chamomile are now introduced to night owls so that they can relax better just before their bedtime.

5. Healthy Food for Everyone

In the past years, only people from the higher income brackets could afford to eat healthily. Fortunately, 2017 will be the year when even lower-income consumers can afford to eat healthily.  2016 helped drive this change with companies like Annie’s leading the Everybunny campaign and other organizations lobbying for subsidized fruits and vegetables to keep prices low.

6. Convenient Healthy Foods

Convenience has been driving change in food for over 30 years, but the new opportunity is in creating fast, healthy foods. People want to eat food conveniently so many food and drink manufacturers are developing new ways to deliver their products faster without compromising the taste and nutritional content.

If you have noticed, the trends of 2017 revolve around the idea of eating convenient, healthy, and reliable foods. It’s not that surprising if you’ve watched the market over the past few years. It will be interesting to see which companies take advantage of these growth opportunities in 2017 and beyond.

Inspired by www.mintel.com

Vegetable Powders: A Game Changer in The Healthy Food Movement

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The whole food movement has increased people’s consumption of fruits and vegetables. This trend has also led food producers to offer fruit and vegetable powders that are used to flavor and enhance food and beverages. Dehydrated vegetable and fruit powders are more practical than their fresh counterparts for food manufacturing. They have a longer shelf life and some powders like NutriFusion are packed with essential vitamins and minerals.
While powders are high in demand, the problem is that most of them exist with bland flavors and washed out colors. This is caused by poor extraction, processing, and storage. The developing food powder industry uses different drying techniques to produce vibrant fruit and vegetable powders.

vegetable powder fruit powderSensient Natural Ingredients, a company in Turlock in California, manufactures fruit and vegetable powders. They use methods like air, vacuum, and freeze drying. The drying technique employed depends on the types of ingredients used. For instance, air drying is utilized to dry herbs while vacuum drying is used to retain more nutrients from the dried food.

Challenges in Making Whole Food Powders

Drying fruits and vegetables is not a walk in the park. Several types of fresh fruit and vegetables can be powdered, and manufacturers face a few obstacles. For instance, high sugary foods are difficult to process because they stick to everything. Moreover, the sugar found in sweet fruits can be difficult to deal with in high-temperature drying because they burn even from the start. Drying leafy greens and herbs are also very delicate to handle and are more at risk to spoilage or decay.

The problems encountered during the drying process drive manufacturers to optimize their harvest timing by processing the materials within a short yet specified time frame to prevent spoilage and decay. They also use technology like infrared light to kill pathogens and preserve colors, nutrients, and texture.

The Future of Fruit and Vegetable Powders

fruit powders vegetable powders greens powders vitamins mineralsOver the next ten years, we will see a lot of fruits and vegetables turned into powder for nutrition, flavor, and texture in our packaged foods. One of the reasons why this trend will continue to flourish is because of the convenience. Whole food powders like NutriFusion tend to last for a long time without losing their nutritional value. They can be used in augmenting the nutrient content of the food that you are cooking or can be utilized as emergency food.

Astronauts will not be the only ones to benefit from powdered fruits and vegetables. The industry is already buzzing with wild dried fruits and vegetables like powdered coconut water, watermelon juice powder, tart cherry, and shiitake mushroom powder. NutriFusion separates itself from the pack by delivering blends of fresh fruit and veggies for optimal nutrition content. In many of our blends, you will find apple, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, shiitake mushroom, broccoli, tomato, carrot, orange, spinach, beet, and strawberry. The combination of those fruits and vegetables can deliver up to 12 different plant-based vitamins for food and beverage brands.

Food manufacturers also see an increasing trend in superfoods being turned to powder. Ingredients like acai berry, Camu Camu, cranberry, goji berry, and acerola will be mainstream in the future. The challenge here for food scientists is how to maintain a high ORAC value (an indicator of antioxidant capacity) despite the drying process.

Source:  http://www.wholefoodsmagazine.com/suppliers/features-suppliers/powder-play/

NutriFusion Fruit and Vegetable Powders Nutritional Claims FDA

Imposing Soda Tax: A Solution for The Ballooning Diabetes and Heart Disease Problems

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Global diabetes and heart disease rates have ballooned over the last 25 years. Among the countries that have the highest rate of diabetes and heart diseases, Mexico tops the list according to Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo. She is a UCSF professor medicine and director of UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations. Another problem in the country is obesity. With the global obesity rate growing at 11% and 15%, respectively, for both men and women, Mexico harbors a lot of obese individuals in the world. It is strikingly alarming to take note that around 75% of adults in Mexico are obese.

To solve the problem, the Mexican government proposed a solution to address this chronic health issue by imposing a 10% excise tax on sugary drinks in 2014. This tax rate is designed to curb the consumption of sugary beverages. Thus, decreasing the number of people who have diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, this strategy allows the government to save about $1 billion in direct health care cost due to these conditions.

Is the Sugary Drink Tax Effective?

In a study published in PLOS Medicine, simulation models of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes in Mexico was done. The simulation model was developed on the well-established model used in the United States in 1980.

Researchers from the Instituto Nacional Salud de Publica (INSP) in Cuernavaca in Mexico and from the UC San Francisco estimated that the sugary drink tax in the country will likely prevent 20,000 cases of heart attack, 190,000 cases of diabetes, and 19,000 deaths among adults from the age of 35 to 90 within the next ten years.

The sugary drink tax is not the only tool to turn around this health epidemic in Mexico, but it will also mean a lot of savings for the people and the government according to senior researcher, Simon Barquera. For instance, it will reduce healthcare spending such as clinic visits and hospitalization by as much as $983 billion. The health benefits will strongly be felt among young adults who are avid consumers of sugary drinks.

Backed by The World Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a report that indicated that imposing sugary drinks could decrease Type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, and obesity. Increasing the retail price to 20% can trigger a reduction in consumption because people will have second thoughts about buying expensive drinks.

Obesity is a rising problem in many rich and developing countries. The problem started more than a decade ago, and it has affected mostly people from the middle-income and lower-income bracket.

The sugary drink tax imposed in Mexico in 2014, according to WHO spokesman Paul Garwood, was favorable wherein the agency observed a substantial drop in the consumption of not only sugar but also caffeine.

Inspired by www.ucsf.edu/