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Prebiotic fibre inulin among 10 key food and nutrition trends for 2020
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Friday, 15 November, 2019, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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The demand for the prebiotic fibre inulin is on the rise, thanks to the strong consumer desire for less sugar, more protein and products that support digestive wellness. This was stated by food and beverage consultant Julian Mellentin, author of 10 Key Trends in Food, Nutrition and Health 2020, a new report that highlights the key consumer trends driving growth in the industry.
“The confluence of the protein, low-sugar and digestive wellness trends is causing inulin to power ahead,” he added, stating, “Inulin has become a success as a natural sugar replacer, used in an ever-growing number of products, and its presence means that companies can also flag up the enhanced fibre content on the label.”
Sugar reduction plus more protein is a big driver, as pioneered by brands like Halo Top ice-cream, which grew from nothing to $350 million in retail sales in five years on the back of offering these twin benefits.
“Protein is now a permission to indulge ingredient, increasingly widely used in ice-creams and desserts, where it is often paired with inulin,” Mellentin said.
Sales of breakfast cereals have suffered in recent years, both from the lower sugar and lower carb trends, but many brands are discovering that they can gain sales in a challenging market by using inulin to offer both a digestive wellness benefit and a low sugar promise, which according to him, are two of the biggest consumer growth trends.
Troo Granola, for example, uses inulin syrup in its products, because it serves both as a prebiotic fibre and a sweetener, giving a more appealing taste to consumers, while keeping the sugar low.
“For companies who choose to use inulin in their brands for digestive benefits, a big plus is that it delivers a feel-the benefit effect – one of the most compelling reasons for someone to keep buying a product and one of the biggest marketing advantages you can have,” stated Mellentin.
“These benefits have caused the demand for inulin to surge. The number of products launched that feature inulin doubled between 2012 and 2019,” he added.
Here are three examples:
- In the United States, Koia’s plant-based keto-friendly drink range uses a combination of monkfruit and chicory root fibre to deliver a no-added-sugar product that is high in protein
- Mondelez-backed Uplift Foods products use inulin as a transporter for probiotics and flag up 0g of sugar on pack
- In the UK, Graham’s Family Dairy’s Graham’s Goodness ice cream is an indulgent ice cream that you can enjoy without the guilt. The salted caramel flavor for example, has (per 450ml tub) 22g of protein and 320 calories (with a calorie count front and centre of the pack) – roughly a quarter the calories of regular ice cream
The brand is lower in sugar, resulting in about 8g of fibre per pack. Sales have out-stripped the company’s expectations, with consumers buying as many as six or eight tubs of product in each shop.
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