The free-from surge

Over the past decade, we have witnessed the growing number of consumers who demand simpler, cleaner food products. Products that contain ingredients they know and feel comfortable with.

Importantly, we have seen more and more consumers suffering from food intolerances, allergies, and digestive sensitivities. This puts tremendous pressure on food manufacturers to offer products that are free from artificial additives, and free from certain natural ingredients such as grain, gluten, dairy, and soy. By 2016, foods with free-from claims accounted for 22% of new food and beverage launches¹ globally. In 2017, the fastest growth rates across Europe within the free-from categories were dairy-free and gluten-free, up by 13.4% and 12.9 % respectively².

An opportunity gap for meat-based proteins

For many food producers this increased awareness among consumers to adopt a healthy lifestyle builds a compelling case for using meat-based proteins and meat-derived taste solutions as they deliver huge advantages over many other sources of protein - they contain no known allergens and are highly digestible in the human body. For decades, categories like dairy, bread and juice have dominated the ’high in protein’ status. These categories, however, are increasingly falling out of favor as consumers opt for products that are low in sugar and fat, and free from lactose, gluten, and artificial additives. This leaves an interesting gap for allergen-free alternatives.

No known allergens

Unlike many other protein sources, the meat-based proteins from Essentia Protein Solutions contain no known allergens. They are the obvious choice for manufacturers looking to strengthen their brands with a series of clean label ingredients with no negative impact on consumers’ health.

Additional health benefits

Essentia Protein Solutions is actively supporting consumer health with our range of health solutions that boost the nutritional value of a host of food and beverages. Essentia’s HydroBEEF™, HydroBEEF+™ and HydroCHX™ products are protein ingredients derived from natural raw materials. They fit well into many nutrition applications. Clinical studies³ have found that consumption of these essential amino acids before and after exercise helps maintain and restore muscle strength and bone density. Also, Essentia’s OmniBroth™ and OmniCol™ products are unique clean label solutions targeted at people who seek an active and healthy lifestyle. They are loaded with bioavailable collagen, the most abundant protein in the body.

New organic bone broth

Worth mentioning here is OmniBroth™, a bone broth powder with all its well-known and natural health benefits. It comes as a powder that fits nicely into such applications as ready-to-drink bone broths, protein enriched soups, and other applications featuring fitness. OmniBroth™ is available as chicken and beef broth. And recently launched to organic food producers, - OmniBroth™ BBB (beef) is now available with organic claim.

In other words, meat-based proteins and natural stocks and broths provide answers to many of the challenges food manufacturers face under ever-increasing consumer demands for a healthy lifestyle. Demands that are most probably here to stay.

1. Innova Market Insights, Top Ten Trends For 2018
2. Euromonitor.
3. The University of Tampa, USA