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

Confectionery Industry Goes Clean Label

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The confectionery market in the United States had an estimated value of $35.86 billion in 2016. The value is expected to rise to over $38.19 billion in the next four years. According to a market research company, Technavio, confectionery companies sold a total of 7.31 billion pounds of products last year.

The slow forecast of growth for the confectionery industry (0.81%) made industry leaders think twice about what they need to do to improve their sales. Strategies such as acquisitions, diversifying the portfolio, and alignment with consumer trends have been implemented. One of the strategies that this particular industry implemented was clean labeling.

Confectionery Challenges In Clean Labeling

The candy industry is known to use different flavors and vibrant colors of using artificial flavors and dye. The growing consumer demand for transparency and simple ingredients is a difficult situation for candy companies.

However, confectionery companies plan to stay true to their promise of clean labeling. In February this year, Mars, Inc. pledged to remove artificial colors from their gum, chocolate, and other food products within the next five years. Other confectionery giants like Nestle and Hershey’s followed suit.

Currently, most products produced by Mars, Inc. no longer contain artificial colors, but the company is still doing its best to clean their products from synthetic ingredients thoroughly. The challenge here is how candy companies will make their colorful candies like Skittles and M&M’s more natural.

While the purpose of clean labeling is to benefit the company and the consumers, the cost associated with it can be very immense. Using natural ingredients require substantial investments particularly for the smaller confectionery companies. It can be hard for smaller businesses to move in the direction of non-GMO and natural confectionery and it can take its toll in the economies of scale for the candy company.

Taste Still Rules in Priorities

With the challenges that lie in making confectionery without the use of artificial flavors and colors, most candy companies are now prioritizing the taste and quality of their products.  Marketing communications manager for Wrigley, Michelle Green, noted that consumers are not so keen at compromising the taste of their favorite sweets.

This has led companies to innovate on the types of products that they produce. In the recent Sweets & Snacks Expo, bold flavors were featured, and new lines of snack options were created including chocolate barks and bites that come with unusual flavor combinations like oranges, blueberries, and pomegranates.

Fruit combinations with conventional confectionary are not only an interesting take on healthy snacks, but it also helps improve the flavor without using artificial flavors and sweeteners. According to Susan Whiteside from the Washington chapter of the National Confectioners Association, chocolate and fruit combination will be the top trend in the confectionery industry that has increased forecasted revenue by as much as 116%.

Clean labeling is a popular trend in the food industry, and while some have quickly adapted to the trend, the confectionery industry finds a lot of obstacles for now.

Inspired by www.foodbusinessnews.net

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

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

Consumers Opt for Protein Alternatives: Meat Producers Follow the Shift

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Major meat producers in North America are now producing plant-based meats as consumers shift to protein alternatives. Tyson Foods followed the change by obtaining a 5% stake in plant-based protein food manufacturer, Beyond Meat. With this trend, other meat packers like Rügenwalder Mühle and Maple Leaf Foods are stepping up their production of plant-based meat made from soy, peas, and other crops.

Adam Grogan, senior vice president of marketing and innovation at Maple Leaf, noted that plant-based protein is very hot right now. In fact, the sales of alternative proteins jumped by 42% since 2010 which translated to $4 billion in sales this year. Moreover, there has been a decline in red meat consumption to 62.9 pounds per individual.

Reasons for The Meatless Shift

So, what is the reason behind the increasing trend of alternative plant-based proteins? Many diners have opted for plant-based proteins due to concerns about animal welfare as well as the environment. In fact, 38% of Americans are now eating at least one meatless meal weekly per the 2016 survey conducted by Innova Market Insights.

The plant-based lifestyle has been backed by famous celebrities and entrepreneurs. For instance, the California-based startup, Impossible Foods, was funded by Google Ventures and Bill Gates to create plant-based meats that have the same texture, flavor, and aroma of real meat.

The tremendous research that companies have been doing has led traditional meat packers to dedicate their research and development teams to develop competitive products for this growing market segment.

Necessity: The Mother of Invention

In Europe, there is a steep decline in meat consumption, particularly in Germany. The drop in red meat consumption has led many processing and packing companies to add meat substitutes in their product lineups. Products like soy-based schnitzels have been popping up in many stores in Germany. In fact, the sales of such plant-based products make up 20% of the annual sales of the company. This lucrative market has led to the company increasing their production to cater to more customers.

Other companies, while they haven’t produced any plant-based proteins yet, are now referring to their meat business as a “protein group” to signify the opportunity that they might also provide a variety of protein options in the future. But aside from producing plant-based proteins, companies are also making sure that the ingredients that they use are clean and GMO-free.

The Status of Real Meat

While Tyson has joined the bandwagon of producing plant-based proteins, it still develops strategies to ensure that the real meat business continues to earn money. They are now investing in the traceability of their meat sources and are opting for organic meats.

They believe that while plant-based protein is a major hype today, people might eventually be looking for the real thing. After all, a trend will always remain a trend, and conventional diners might be longing for the taste of actual meat. It will be interesting to see where the alternative protein market peaks in the future.

Inspired by: www.reuters.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