Berry on Dairy

The Big Apple on Saturday and Sunday, then Vegas Monday through Thursday, that’s my schedule for the next week. I hope to see many Daily Dose of Dairy subscribers at either the Summer Fancy Food Show or IFT, or both, if you are adventurous, a.k.a, insane, like me.

Like with any exposition, in the weeks leading up to the event, editors get inundated with press releases announcing new products. This is true for both finished products at Fancy Food and ingredients at IFT. Having the two shows overlap has been helpful with confirming some real opportunities for dairy foods companies.

Here are five themes that will dominate the Fancy Food show. IFT exhibitors will be demonstrating ingredient technologies to assist with your on-trend innovation efforts to complement these themes.

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1. Provide a sensory experience. This is in terms of both flavor adventure and texture.
I just finished writing an article on managing the texture of dairy foods for Food Business News. Every ingredient supplier interviewed said the same thing: texture targets must be identified early in the product development process and formulations designed to meet those targets. That’s because in many dairy products, texture can change over shelf life. These changes are usually not viewed favorably by consumers.

Today’s consumers want to explore texture and they want to know upfront what to expect in a product. New products—not just dairy, but everything from chips to beverages—are making texture a selling point. Ingredient technology assists with developing unique textures and maintaining them until consumption.

2. Highlight clean and simple. These descriptors are being used to describe finished products, the ingredients that go into the products and even the process used to make them. In a growing number of instances, even packaging gets addressed.

IFT exhibitors will be showcasing their ingredient technology solutions for clean and simple formulating. Find out more, such as if the sourcing of the ingredient has an interesting story. Communicate this sourcing to consumers via packaging and social media. Explore ingredients that serve multiple functions, which in turn enabler simpler ingredient statements.

3. Talk about the sweetener. A growing number of products are using language such as “slightly sweetened with cane sugar” or “naturally sweetened by stevia.” Products are also starting to declare added sugars.

Just because the FDA extended its compliance date for the revised Nutrition Facts label does not mean that you need to wait if you can comply sooner. Label-reading consumers are looking for this information and it’s a way to differentiate and stand out in the marketplace.
IFT exhibitors will be showcasing their tool box of sweetening solutions. Many offer technologies that are clean, and simply allow for a reduction in added sugars.

4. Premiumize the product. Fancy foods, as the name suggests are fanciful, or special. Such specialty foods are becoming a larger, more integral part of the American diet, according to “Today’s Specialty Food Consumer,” an annual report from the Specialty Food Association. Dollar sales hit $127 billion this year, a 15% jump in total sales between 2014 and 2016. By comparison, all food sales at retail grew by only 2.3%.

Specialty foods are defined as foods or beverages of the highest grade, style and/or quality in their respective categories. Their specialty nature derives from a combination of some or all of the following qualities: uniqueness, origin, processing method, design, limited supply, unusual application or use, extraordinary packaging or channel of distribution/sales.

Specialty foods are outpacing their non-specialty counterparts in almost every category, as consumers continue to become more aware of quality in their food choices. Categories aligned with better-for you options, health and wellness, and freshness are growing fastest.
According to the research, mainstream retail channels are heating up. Millennials, a convenience-oriented consumer group, buy specialty foods wherever they shop. This trend has helped drive sales in multi-unit grocery and mass merchants, where growth outpaced that of natural or specialty chains for the first time.

Consumers are especially focused on specialty foods in the refrigerated sections. Categories with the biggest sales growth in this area include refrigerated juices and functional beverages up 30.7%, refrigerated lunch and dinner entrees up 33.0%, and yogurt and kefir up 27.2%.

Exhibiting suppliers at IFT will have an array of ingredient systems to assist with premiumizing dairy foods. This includes everything from flavors to inclusions.

5. Market lifestyle, lifestage or daypart. Health and nutrition are on top of mind, even with consumers who don’t necessarily follow what they know is best. It’s a growing trend to promote components of finished foods for how they contribute to a healthful lifestyle, assist with nutritional needs during a specific lifestage or fuel the body at different times of day.

Ingredient suppliers will be showcasing macro and micro nutrients at IFT that can be promoted in product formulations. Be open to learning about functional nutrients with proven benefits.

Hope to see you this week!

It was wonderful to visit with so many Daily Dose of Dairy subscribers this week at either the Fancy Food Show in New York City or IFT in Las Vegas. And welcome to the new subscribers who I met at these events. If you attended either or both shows (like crazy and exhausted me), you observed that food and beverage innovation is on full speed.

Specifically, the dairy foods industry is overflowing with entrepreneurs, which is a beautiful thing. Innovative product development and healthy competition keeps the dairy case exciting and consumers interested in all things dairy.

I was asked numerous times at the Fancy Food Show about co-packers, and it seems in the past month, calls and emails on this topic were significantly up. It seems like a good time to discuss the variables to consider when shopping for a co-packer.

Early in the process of innovation, startups must decide whether they want to invest in processing, packaging and warehousing (to have control over the operation as well as secure any proprietary technology) or to partner with a contract manufacturer, a.k.a. a co-packer.

More times than not, entrepreneurs and smaller manufacturers choose to partner with an expert to manufacture their products. There are many reasons why this is the smarter option.

http://www.pitchmediagroup.com/vid/gocfhyxesxxa_h

The most obvious reason is that this option reduces capital investment and assists with cash flow, freeing up dollars for marketing efforts to build brand awareness. Co-packers are also experts at what they do. This frees up man power and brain time, reducing energy spent on learning the process and troubleshooting common production issues.

Before you begin interviewing potential co-packer partners, it is paramount that you identify those criteria that are non-negotiable and those where there’s flexibility. Keep in mind, co-packers vary in capabilities. Decide if you want to source ingredients and packaging, or if you prefer the co-packer do this for possible bulk pricing benefits.

Speaking of pricing, determine your cost structure. Discuss potential hidden expenses.

Set quality standards. Identify product and package specifications, including shelf life requirements, as well as certifications such as allergen-free lines, kosher, organic, etc.

Safety, quality and record keeping are not negotiable in this day and age. Do your homework. Evaluate the co-packer’s safety and sanitation procedures. Do they have a HACCP plan? Are they compliant with the Food Safety Modernization Act? Is the manufacturing facility regularly audited by an accredited firm? Is the co-packer prepared to properly handle a recall?

Ask for referrals. Find out how reliable the co-packer is for scheduling production. How far in advance do you need to confirm schedules?

Then there’s that gut feel we all have when doing business. Do you feel that the co-packer will work with you when issues arise? Troubleshoot with you? Communicate in a timely manner? In general, the more transparent a co-packer is willing to be, the more trustworthy the partnership will be. This is even more important when proximity is an issue.

Remember, if you are prepared and do your homework, it will be easier to identify the best co-packer for your innovation. Your chance of success increases.

Link HERE to a list of co-packers that specialize in milk and dairy foods manufacturing.

Photo source: USDEC

Many editors attended IFT two weeks ago in Las Vegas. We returned to our computers with slightly different views of highlights from the annual exposition, and now that our July 4th celebrations are over, are writing about them. (Hope you had a lovely and restful holiday!)

The consensus appears to be that clean-label formulating is a trend with longevity. Unlike in past years when exhibiting suppliers emphasized managing specific nutrients or eliminating individual additives, this year at IFT, that managing and eliminating melded into the bigger agenda of clean-label formulating.

After clean label, editors have different takes on the expo. In my eyes, protein was a leading theme, with animal protein—from cows, eggs and even chickens—in the spotlight. Yes, plant proteins had a very, very strong presence, but when it comes to beverage applications, animal proteins stole the show.

Dairy proteins, followed by fiber, will continue to be key drivers of innovation, specifically in the beverage sector, as convenience grab-and-go lifestyle are only speeding up. It’s time to add protein beverages to your product line up.

According to Euromonitor, the protein beverage market grew by 5.6% from 2015 to 2016 and is expected to grow by 6.1% from 2017 to 2020. The growth is attributed to protein beverages targeted to sports nutrition, adult nutrition and meal replacement.

http://www.agropuringredients.com/about-us/true-solutions-provider/nutrition-solutions/

“The trends show that new introductions are focused on less sugar, clean label, higher protein levels, personalized nutrition, flavor innovation, weight management and more plant-based products,” says K.J. Burrington, dairy ingredient applications program coordinator for the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research. “Protein beverages using a dairy source of protein are the most predominant. Dairy proteins continue to outperform plant proteins on flavor and functionality but that doesn’t mean that dairy proteins are without their own challenges.”

At IFT, attendees learned that protein beverages can be much more than sports nutrition and meal replacement solutions. This was apparent at the U.S. Dairy Export Council exhibit, where USDEC’s team, which includes Ms. Burrington, sampled a Milk & Honey Bedtime Beverage.

The concept addressed consumers’ desire to relax after a long, busy day.

“People are drawn to beverages that reduce stress and promote better sleep,” explained Shannon Koski, account manager with USDEC. “The proteins derived from U.S. milk provide unmatched nutrition, which may help consumers wake-up refreshed and energized.”

The milk and honey bedtime beverage prototype contains 20 grams of protein and provides half of the U.S. daily value for calcium. The chai and honey-infused beverage is made with reduced-fat milk, milk protein isolate (MPI) and micellar casein concentrate (MCC). This creamy and nutritious drink can be served warm or cold for a delicious way to wind down after a busy day or intense workout. The taste and nutrition of dairy makes it the complete package for a product that promotes rejuvenation.

Ms. Koski explained that there are two main trends creating the need for beverages made for nighttime consumption.

“The desire to reduce everyday stress, mentally and physically, is influencing more evening-focused innovations formulated for relaxation,” she said. “Creating a product to meet these needs starts with finding a high-quality protein source. The consumption of slow digesting protein stimulates the rebuilding of muscle tissue while at rest and keep consumers’ metabolisms working for extended hours at a time, including while they sleep. Pairing U.S. dairy proteins with spices can achieve a sense of calm and relaxation before bedtime.”

Photo source: USDEC

The other trend is the at-home café experience, which extends beyond the evening relaxation daypart. This presents an opportunity for café-style dairy protein beverage innovation. After all, consumers rely on café style drinks to get them through the day. Why not make this experience available when the café is closed for the night?

Globally, 53% of consumers believe hot drinks can offer health benefits, unlocking new opportunities for hot drinks that claim to improve health and general well-being. Additionally, 71% of consumers consider re-creating café-style hot drinks achievable or very achievable, increasing the popularity of premium hot drinks for at-home consumption.

“Unlike most protein sources, high-quality dairy proteins such as reduced-fat milk, MPI and MCC contain the essential and nonessential amino acids, releasing them slowly to meet the body’s needs until breakfast,” said Susan Larson, associate researcher, Center for Dairy Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a member of the USDEC team. “Among many things, MPI provides a clean dairy flavor without adding significant levels of lactose, while MCC is an excellent fit for shelf-stable, protein-fortified beverages because of its heat stability. In this beverage, all nutrients and viscosity come from these ingredients so no separate vitamins, minerals or stabilizers are needed.”

Ms. Burrington is an authority on dairy protein beverage formulating. She explained in a recent article published for the American Dairy Products Institute that it is important to understand some basic tips for working with dairy proteins to optimize their performance in a ready-to-drink beverage.
“The first tip is to understand the differences in functionality between whey protein ingredients and milk proteins,” she explained. “The pH of the drink is one of the main determining factors in your choice of protein.”

To read an article I recently wrote on protein beverage formulating for Food Business News, link HERE.

Functional considerations include protein hydration, solubility, stability, and of course, flavor. The latter is where dairy shines in the protein ingredient toolbox. If you are interested in learning more, you can attend the Dairy Protein Beverages Short Course at the Center for Dairy Research on October 19. For more information, link HERE.

Remember, the dairy industry must stay strong and showcase its inherent powers in the crowded protein beverage marketplace. Get creative. Milk can be so much more than simply milk.

Global beverage market analysis indicates that milk is diversifying. The market for mixed milk drinks is growing rapidly, especially outside Europe, according to the organizers of drinktec, which will be held in Munich from September 11 to 15, 2017. Mixed milk drinks and dairy protein beverages will be a dominant theme at the exposition. More than half of all exhibitors at drinktec 2017 announced during the run-up to the trade fair that they would present solutions for the milk industry.

The last drinktec was held in 2013 and was attended by more than 12,000 visitors from the areas of milk and liquid milk products. This represented an increase of 58% compared with the previous event. During drinktec 2017, exhibitors will present the entire range of treatment of milk, whey and liquid food. This will extend from cooling and storage by means of thermal preservation, and separators and equipment for skimming, standardization and homogenization through to complete systems for milk and liquid milk products. The soft drinks segment will also be providing milk producers with new possibilities, as carbonized drinks containing milk and fruit juice, coffee or tea are gaining traction in Europe and elsewhere.

The drinktec expo is my next trip. Hope to see you there!

National Ice Cream Day is this Sunday, July 16. This U.S. celebration is observed annually on the third Sunday in July and is a part of National Ice Cream Month.

Legend has it that ice cream was introduced to the U.S. by Quaker colonists who brought their recipes with them when they traveled across the Atlantic to the New World. Their ice cream was sold at shops in New York and other cities during the colonial era.

Here are some noteworthy ice cream dates:

1813–First Lady Dolley Madison served ice cream at the Inaugural Ball.
1832–Confectioner Augustus Jackson created multiple ice cream recipes as well as a superior technique to manufacture ice cream.
1843–Nancy Johnson of Philadelphia received the first U.S. patent for a small-scale hand-cranked ice cream freezer.
1920–Harry Burt puts the first ice cream trucks on the streets.
2017–Protein-packed ice cream became a new segment in the crowded freezer case.

That’s right! For the past five years or so, I have reported on protein-enriched ice cream innovations, some going by the descriptor frozen dairy dessert because of standards of identity. These innovations are available around the world, with the U.S. and U.K. leading the trend.

In the past six months I’ve noticed an uptick in their popularity, as well as recognition in the press. Most recently, CNBC wrote about the success of Halo Top (a frozen dairy dessert) from Eden Creamery LLC. You can read the article HERE.

The article explains how Halo Top’s success grew in 2016 after a GQ journalist wrote about eating nothing but Halo Top ice cream for 10 days. He lost weight and body fat, not muscle.

The low-calorie, low-fat, low-sugar brand promises shoppers the indulgence of ice cream without the guilt or empty calories. And consumers are eating it up. In 2016, Halo Top sold 28.8 million pints, which generated $132.4 million in sales, according to data from IRI.

Pints of Halo Top, which contain four half-cup servings, provide 220 to 360 calories, 20 to 24 grams of protein, and 20 to 28 grams of sugar, depending on variety, of which there are 17. Most pints also contain 12 grams of fiber. Between the protein and the fiber, this dessert is designed to satisfy the sweet tooth and curb hunger pangs.

The base mix for Halo Top consists of milk, cream, eggs, erythritol, prebiotic fiber, milk protein concentrate, organic cane sugar, vegetable glycerin, organic carob gum, organic guar gum and organic stevia.

To read more about Halo Top, link HERE.

I have long advocated that marketers need to do a better job of promoting ice cream—all ice cream—as a healthful dessert. After all, it inherently contains calcium and protein, and depending on the flavor, can function as a delivery vehicle for healthful foods such as nuts and fruit.

Some recent protein-packed ice cream innovations include other nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and even probiotics.

Such better-for-you ice cream is not for everyone, but it’s definitely alluring to the growing health- and wellness- seeking consumer. This is why some of the larger players have taken note and are entering the category.

As stated in the CNBC article, “There’s no turning back here. This is not a fad,” said Jack Ringquist, principal and global consumer products leader, Deloitte Consulting. “This is truly an evolution that’s occurring and (big companies) need to truly adjust to become positive players as opposed to resistors.”

After all, Nielsen data shows that retail ice cream sales reached $6.6 billion in 2016, up 3.4% from 2015. Conventional products are not the driver of this growth. It’s the better-for-you segment. CNBC reported that sales of products that fit within the FDA’s definition of “healthy” grew 85% in 2016.

The biggest name to enter the category, and just in time for National Ice Cream Month, is Unilever with its new Breyers delights, which contains 260 to 330 calories and 20 grams of protein per pint. Available in four flavors, Breyers delights is promoted as being made with high-quality ingredients, naturally sourced flavors and all American dairy. Flavors are: Creamy Chocolate, Cookies & Cream, Mint Chip and Vanilla Bean.

Supermarket giant Kroger wants part of the action and is rolling out private-label Simple Truth Low Cow Lite Ice Cream. It contains 75% less fat and 55% fewer calories than regular ice cream and is described as non-GMO, gluten free, and made with absolutely no artificial ingredients or preservatives.

One pint contains 240 to 280 calories, depending on variety, and 24 grams of protein. Flavors are: Birthday Cake, Chocolate, Lemon Cake, Mint Chocolate Chip, Sea Salt Caramel and Vanilla Bean.

At this year’s Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting and exposition, held in Las Vegas June 25-28, the U.S. Dairy Export Council showcased a frozen matcha dairy sandwich. It featured a milk protein isolate-enhanced Greek yogurt filling flavored with matcha green tea wedged between crispy oat wafers. A single serving contains 15 grams of protein and is ideal as a frozen breakfast food or a high-protein snack.

Also at IFT, Agropur Ingredients sampled Fro’duce, a scoopable fruit and vegetable probiotic sherbet with half the sugar of traditional sherbet. The lactose-free sherbet is made with whey protein isolate and milk protein isolate, with one pint providing about 10 grams of protein.

Never Forget: Ice Cream Should Be Fun

To kicking off National Ice Cream Month, Carvel is growing its retail line of ice cream cakes with Carvel Ice Cream Cookie Cake. The new, original treat is a first at grocery and combines two classic American desserts–vanilla ice cream and chocolate chip cookie cakes–to create the ultimate, sharable indulgence. Complete with Carvel’s famous crunchies around the outside, the new cake resembles a giant cookie ice cream sandwich. Similar to the ease of sharing a pizza pie, the ice cream cookie cake can be sliced, served and enjoyed without needing utensils.

During National Ice Cream Month, Ben & Jerry’s fellow neighbors from Vermont, Phish, are gearing up to kick off a historic 13-night run of shows—dubbed the Baker’s Dozen--at Madison Square Garden in New York City. To celebrate the 20-year partnership with Phish, Ben & Jerry’s is honoring the band with a new very limited-batch donut-themed ice cream flavor: Freezer Reprise. The flavor is a sweet cream ice cream with a vanilla glaze, chocolate donut swirl, chocolate donut pieces and fudge fish. It will be available during the opening night of the run, July 21st, and on select days at special events surrounding the concerts.

Tillamook is playing up its special-batch Monster Cookie for National Ice Cream Month. This fun favorite is cookie dough ice cream swirled with peanut butter and chock full of crispy oats, chocolate flakes and crunchy candies.

This week, Blue Bell rolled out a new flavor to satisfy sweet, salty and crunchy cravings. Aptly named Sweet ‘n Salty Crunch, this new flavor is vanilla ice cream loaded with chocolate-coated pretzel bites, chopped roasted almonds and milk chocolate chunks. Sweet ‘n Salty Crunch is available in half gallons and pints for a limited time.

“Our new flavor was inspired by the popular snack mixes that combine sweet and salty foods,” says Wayne Hugo, vice president of sales and marketing for Blue Bell. “When developing Sweet ‘n Salty Crunch we tried many different recipes, and combinations of ingredients. But in the end, the mixture of chocolate, pretzels and almonds in a vanilla ice cream received rave reviews from our taste panels.”

Earlier this week, General Mills made a big splash at its Annual Investor Day at the New York Stock Exchange with the launch of a global refresh of its Häagen-Dazs brand. The makeover encompasses everything from packaging to advertising to the shop experience and reflects the brand’s status as a leader in super-premium ice cream and more broadly, an international lifestyle icon, according to the company.

The Häagen-Dazs mission is to make every day extraordinary. The refresh is all about staying relevant with consumers, especially today’s millennial consumers who are looking for brands that share their values and that have a deep, relatable story. Colorful, worldly and fun, the Häagen-Dazs brand refresh includes updated packaging designed by more than a dozen up-and-coming artists.

To read and see more, link HERE.

Need Ice Cream Innovating Assistance?

The Frozen Dessert Center, housed within the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Food Science, will hold its first Frozen Dessert Center Conference October 23 to 24 on the UW-Madison campus. Speakers, including myself, will address the scientific, manufacturing and technical aspects involved in the production of ice cream and other frozen desserts. This includes packaging, dairy and non-dairy ingredients, food safety and other trends.

The event’s keynote speaker is Doug Goff, a professor of food science at the University of Guelph. Goff’s talk will cover trends in ice cream ingredients and manufacturing, and the future of frozen desserts.

Participants will be led through an ice cream sensory evaluation and taken on a guided tour of the UW-Madison’s Babcock Hall Dairy Plant and the Frozen Dessert Center’s pilot plant and lab space.

The conference is designed for manufacturers, product developers, researchers, distributors and sales personnel involved in the field of ice cream and frozen desserts. Attendees will gain relevant and up-to-date information on production, ingredients, equipment and distribution.

For more information, link HERE.

Among many disheartening news items this week, there was a story out of San Francisco announcing that The Golden City’s middle and elementary schools, effective this August, will have their flavored milk privileges revoked. In the spring, high schoolers will also no longer be able to enjoy the nourishment and rehydration of nonfat chocolate milk, the only type of flavored milk that had been served the past few years. The reason cited: sugar content.

The Los Angeles school district tried a similar ban in 2011, but after watching students dispose of either unopened or barely consumed white milk cartons, the school brought either nonfat chocolate or strawberry milk back this past school year. It’s been reported that school officials found waste was reduced by 23%.

San Francisco officials say they tested the new policy in some schools this past year and the waste was very minimal. The dairy industry knows better. Study after study has shown most school-aged milk drinkers prefer flavored—usually chocolate—milk.

Here’s something else the dairy industry knows. Low-fat milk, even as low as 1% milkfat, tastes better than nonfat milk. This is true for white and for flavored. And guess what? Delicious and healthful milkfat, as it contains many essential fatty acids, typically makes it easier to lower added sugar.

Here’s the good news. In case you missed the big announcement, on May 1, 2017, the USDA’s new secretary--Sonny Perdue—said the agency will provide greater flexibility in nutrition requirements for school meal programs in order to make food choices both healthful and appealing to students. This includes getting 1% low-fat flavored milk back on the menu.

http://go.kerry.com/chocolatemilk?utm_source=Berry%20on%20Dairy%20blog&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=BerryDairy07-2017

“This announcement is the result of years of feedback from students, schools and foodservice experts about the challenges they are facing in meeting the final regulations for school meals,” Perdue said. “If kids aren’t eating the food, and it’s ending up in the trash, they aren’t getting any nutrition--thus undermining the intent of the program.”

The most important “flexibility,” as Perdue refers to this deregulation, for dairy processors is the ability to serve 1% low-fat flavored milk through the school meals programs. USDA is phasing this into the school milk policy.

Another flexibility worth noting for dairy processors, namely cheese marketers, is with sodium. For school years 2017 to 2018 through 2020, schools will not be required to meet “Sodium Target 2,” which was part of the current school nutrition policy. Instead, schools that meet Sodium Target 1 will be considered compliant.

Lastly, there’s now flexibility in meeting whole grain requirements. This is for schools experiencing challenges in finding the full range of products they need and that their students enjoy in whole grain-rich form.

Sounds great, right? Flexibility is one thing, school boards are another! There are a lot of parents who prefer to not believe the consumption studies and the nutrition facts and simply want to make sugar—and fat—the enemy.

Fluid milk processors need to invest in product development to produce a great-tasting, reduced-sugar 1% low-fat chocolate—and maybe other flavored—milks for school. There are technologies available to do this.

At the recent IFT held in Las Vegas, Kerry sampled a sugar-reduced chocolate milk solution that allows for up to a 30% reduction, while still delivering a rich, creamy taste. This solution works for flavored milk sold through all channels.

Source: IRI, provided to Dairy Management Inc., and courtesy of the Midwest Dairy Association

Flavored milk is one of the bright spots in the retail fluid milk case. Retail sales data from IRI provided to Dairy Management Inc., and courtesy of the Midwest Dairy Association, for the first quarter of 2017, show that flavored milk sales were up 3.5%. Whole-fat milk sales were also up (3.3%), as was lactose free (12%). These three formulations present a growth opportunity in the fluid milk category.

What the data from the first quarter also showed was that the retail decline for overall fluid milk was a bit more pronounced than we have seen in the past two years, with sales down 3.3%. Volume leader, white gallon milk, is driving overall fluid milk declines.

Other IRI data show that the volume of flavored milk sold through retail grew 15.8% between 2014 and 2016 and growth is continuing in to 2017. Flavored milk currently accounts for 10.5% of milk through all channels and 5.6% at retail. Four in 10 households purchase flavored milk during the course of a year. Flavor innovations, value-added formulations, and yes, lower sugar contents, may entice more households to give flavored milk a try.

It’s important to note the life stage that is indexing as high volume users. It’s households with families, both young families and those raising teens. In fact, usage of flavored milk by households with 12 to 17 year olds is 77% higher than the national norm. This data suggests there’s a huge opportunity to formulate for such households.

Something else to also consider when marketing flavored milk, as well as all food and beverage, is touting the product’s clean-label attributes. “All-natural,” “non-GMO” and “no additives or preservatives” are the most common product attributes consumers associate with clean label, according to new research from Kerry. These are also attributes of most flavored milks.

“Clean label has been a purchase driver for more than five years, yet confusion still abounds among consumers as well as manufacturers and brands looking to meet consumers’ needs,” says Renetta Cooper, business development director at Kerry. “Building on our legacy of market insights, we’re working to pinpoint consumers’ specific drivers as they relate to clean label and understand the commercial opportunities related to those drivers.”

While more than half of consumers surveyed reported being familiar with the term “clean label,” just 38% indicated a strong understanding of its definition. Respondents connected product attributes ranging from “farm grown” to “sustainably produced” to “minimally processed” and “made with real ingredients” to “clean label,” demonstrating what a truly multidimensional opportunity it is for food manufacturers and brands.

Keep inherently clean and simple farm-fresh flavored milk on the menu—in schools, in foodservice and the kitchen table.

The average American consumes more than 34 pounds of cheese annually, according to USDA. This is a 43% increase over the past 25 years. In addition to innovative applications and recipes—beyond burgers, pizza and tacos—new forms and flavors are driving this consumption.

What’s helping are the multiple placements of cheese around the perimeter of the supermarket, beyond the dairy and deli departments. Creative merchandising keeps cheese relevant with today’s consumers, in particular Millennials and Gen X.

http://www.chr-hansen.com/en/food-cultures-and-enzymes/cheese/cards/product-cards/cheddar/a3000?cid={7279EF7C-C92C-4BB7-9153-6D3578965EF4}&pid={772BEDAE-50B9-46F8-861D-E13763FDE010}

Here are five trends fueling cheese innovation to help further drive sales.

1. Charcuterie. From prosciutto to salami, cured and dried meats and sausages are a booming business. Some of this is because making charcuterie is as much of an art as it is a science and today’s foodie consumers are fascinated by the time and technique involved.

“There are so many levels to making charcuterie, and so many steps along the way,” said Missy Corey, former head butcher and sous chef at Publican Quality Meats, Chicago. “It’s a long process and you invest a great deal of time, and you don’t know until after it has aged if it is even any good.”

What best accompanies charcuterie? Cheese. Restaurants and consumers are seeking out convenient cuts and bold flavors to make appetizer boards and trays. Sharp cheddars, which come in many degrees of sharpness, complement the tangy, fermented tastes of many charcuterie products. Get creative with packaging and merchandising. Work with retailers to have product near charcuterie cases. Offer pairing ideas and even recipes.

2. Mediterranean Cuisine. The growing popularity of Mediterranean cuisine, which includes the flavors of countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Levant and Syria, is apparent by the number of supermarkets that now offer antipasti, charcuterie and olive bars, foods that are indigenous to this region. Many retailers also offer an overwhelming array of dips, sides, condiments and cheese, namely feta and fresh mozzarella.

Source: IRI, courtesy of Midwest Dairy Council

This food trend presents service deli operators and in-store cheese mongers with the opportunity to provide snacking and meal solutions featuring marinated and seasoned cheeses for Mediterranean dishes. It also creates an opportunity to offer such seasoned cheeses on food bars, alongside traditional Mediterranean foods such as gyros, kabobs and shawarma.

3. Breakfast. Wake up and smell the bacon or sausage and taste the melted cheese. That’s what’s trending during the breakfast daypart. Today’s consumers know that protein is a great way to start the day and they are embracing all types of breakfast meats and cheeses. Similar to other dayparts, consumers also crave flavor adventure in the morning. This presents an opportunity for cheesemakers to offer new flavors, formats and pairings for the first meal of the day.

“Today’s consumers seek simplicity on their approach to breakfast. They want no fuss, no drama, no confusion and no time wasted,” says David Sprinkle, research director, Packaged Facts, Rockville, Md. “For many, breakfast choices involve removing pain points that could clog the flow of their day and weighing breakfast choices in terms of value for time. In each case, cost lurks in the background, since the breakfast someone normally has is not a splurge or a special occasion. It’s part of the weekly budget for everyday spending. But simplicity drives choice.”

This is driving innovation of protein-dense foods designed for dashboard dining, as well as heat-and-eat meals for convenience. What about a bacon and cheese bar or maple syrup and waffle-battered cheese curds?

For example, Johnsonville, Sheboygan Falls, Wis., has a new Western omelet breakfast sausage in distribution in Canada. Starting with a base of ground pork, this sausage packs in onion, green bell pepper, cheese, scrambled egg and spices that would be included in a Western omelet.

4. Natural, Minimally Processed, Simple. Natural has remained a top influence for shoppers around the world, but communications are shifting, according to a new report from HealthFocus International. Increased scrutiny of vague natural claims and the general overuse of the term within the food and beverage industry has fueled the clean-labeling trend as shoppers look towards other cues to signal that a product is more natural (e.g., organic, non-GMO, fewer ingredients, minimally processed, no artificial ingredients, etc.). Front-of-pack statements are becoming more specific in order to communicate to shoppers what the product is free from as well as what it contains.

Although communications are changing, according to the report, the importance of natural remains as shoppers demand transparency and increasingly seek out “real” foods. It’s no wonder why there’s so much innovation taking place in the natural cheese sector. Consumers recognize the simplicity and naturalness of cheese and are embracing it as an all-day snack. It helps that cheese is also loaded with satiating protein and bone-building nutrients.

5. Snacking. That brings me to snacking, which continues to eat away at the traditional three meals a day dining format. For many consumers, cheese is an important snack. Just look at the plethora of multi-compartment cheese packs invading the dairy department. Many new cheese snacks include meat, nuts and dried fruit.

“We know that the snacking trend is going strong, with only about 14% of consumers eating just breakfast lunch and dinner, according to The NPD Group,” says Rachel Kerr, public relations manager, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. “For most of us, snacking throughout the day is a part of our regular routine, and cheese makes an excellent choice for a healthy snack. If you’re looking for a snack that’s minimally processed and nutrient dense, cheese is a smart choice. The average serving of cheese contains 10 grams of protein and 20% of your daily calcium needs. Pair it with fresh fruit, crunchy vegetables, hearty crackers or lean meat for a filling snack that will leave you feeling great.”

To read more about snacking and view a slide show of cheese snacks introduced at IDDBA, link HERE to an article I wrote for Food Business News.

The time is now to get creative with cheese!

Make sure you keep dairy proteins relevant to Gen Z, powerful young consumers who are now coming of age.

Protein…it’s the buzz word in most of the back-to-school product and promotional news releases I have been receiving the past few weeks. This protein comes from many sources and in many shapes and forms and is shaking up the food culture in America.

Gen Z, which is comprised of boys and girls born from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s, is also increasingly a leading topic in my newsfeed. They were raised during a recession by parents who often stressed about money. They learned to appreciate eating family dinners at home, while at the same time they are an on-the-go generation that seeks out convenient, value-priced portable food options. They often opt to pack a snack rather than pay a premium while out and about.

They also know protein. Protein-rich foods have been an integral part of most of their life and this is likely to continue. They appreciate the nutrition, the energy and the satiation that protein provides. It’s important to keep dairy proteins relevant to these powerful young consumers who are now coming of age.

http://idahomilkproducts.com/products/mpc/idaplus/

Based on the many Gen Z research reports I have read, here are five food facts about Gen Z and their influence on dairy foods innovations.

1. Gen Z grew up drinking yogurt.
Dannon’s Danimals drinkable yogurts debuted right around the time the first Gen Z’s learned to hold a beverage bottle. They’ve been drinking yogurt ever since and continue to appreciate this format. The time is right to offer new concepts that speak to their changing taste preferences and nutritional needs. This includes higher protein and caffeinated (for energy) products.

2. Protein bars replaced candy or granola bars in their lunch boxes.
You say tomato, I say tomahto…Millennial parents thought giving their kids a granola bar was a healthier choice than a candy bar. More often than not, this was not true. Both are loaded with sugar and not much else. Then entered the protein bar, the favorite go-to-snack for parents of Gen Z and eventually Gen Z’ers. Gen Z knows that choosing protein is smart. It’s always been a part of their life and they are open to trying new formats. Protein-powered ice cream, cheese snacks, puddings and cultured dairy are great portable concepts for this convenience-driven demographic.

New Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Sandwiches are a product with Gen Z appeal. The portable protein treat come in Mint (mint frozen Greek yogurt between dark chocolate cookies) and Vanilla (vanilla frozen Greek yogurt between dark chocolate cookies) varieties. A 3-ounce sandwich contains 5 grams of protein from the Greek yogurt and added milk protein concentrate.

3. Soda machines were removed from their schools and school-provided lunches got healthier.Real-life nutrition education made its way back into the classrooms of Gen Z. Teachers and coaches influenced what snacks could be shared at birthday celebrations, holiday parties and after the big game. Gen Z learned to read food labels to make sure the snack met the criteria. They are saying goodbye to sugar—La Croix is their preferred carbonated beverage--and artificial additives. Dairy foods are real, whole foods.

4. Gen Z leans towards real foods to refuel and energize versus supplements and quick-fixes. Chocolate milk—especially protein-enhanced versions--for refueling resonates with Gen Z. Cold-brew lattes beat Red Bull hands down.

5. They value authenticity, simplicity and sustainability more than customization and organic, but the latter two are still important. Environmental education has Gen Z asking critical questions about their food. Many of their schools have edible gardens, aquaponics and composting. They want to know who is growing their food and how, as well as the waste stream. This is a generation that only knows life with a recycle bin, maybe multiple bins to separate the various streams. They are attracted to sustainable food practices and foods from Mother Nature. Organic sounds nice, but it’s just another label, and Gen Z does not like labels. To them, the story is more important. They want transparency from farm to fork, which makes dairy very relevant.

Trader Joe’s, with its on-trend, lower-cost private-label products, resonates with Gen Z, a generation who was raised during a recession and understand the concept of value. The retailer recently rolled out Avocado Citrus Greek Whole Milk Yogurt. Known for its tart flavor and thick texture, Greek yogurt becomes even thicker and richer when made with whole milk and blended with buttery-soft avocados. This product is brightened with real blood orange concentrate and sweetened with cane sugar. A 5.3-ounce cup contains 11 grams of protein, 190 calories and 15 grams of sugar. It sells for sells for 99 cents.

Gen Z promises to be an enjoyable demographic to innovate for and market to. They are curious, adventurous and transparent, and they want their foods to be the same. It’s time to start brainstorming and getting creative for this group.

Want to learn more about Gen Z? Use this LINK to download a complimentary white paper from Millennial Marketing.

Photo source: Starbucks

Ready-to-drink, dairy-based, cold-brew coffee, tea and cocoa beverages have the power to grow sales in the refrigerated dairy case as consumers increasingly embrace minimal processing and the fresh perimeter of the supermarket. The fact is, cold brew has changed the coffeehouse landscape. This trend is powerful enough to make an impact on retail fluid milk sales if dairy processors are willing to invest in adding a line extension or two.

While I very much appreciate unique packaging, enticing brands and millennial-centric marketing, cold-brew offerings—for fluid milk processors--might be best as a line extension in their flavored milk line up, right there with the chocolate, strawberry and maybe other flavors, in pint and half-gallon paperboard cartons or plastic jugs.

Crazy, right? Or maybe not. Think about it. Retail flavored milk sales are up. Milk users are shopping the flavored milk dairy case. Make the latest flavor trend readily available to them, in a customary format.

Any coffee, tea or cocoa expert knows this: if it’s quality product, it does not need sweetener (with cocoa, just a little). Hence, as consumers make an effort to reduce added sugar intake, they will seek out premium products with no or less added sugar. The cold-brewing process, which works on coffee and cocoa beans and teas leaves, makes this possible.

www.sdcoffeetea.com/extracts-ingredients

Cold brew, also known as cold press, is beans or leaves brewed without heat. Cold brewing requires steeping in ambient- to cold-temperature water for a long period of time. The type of beans and leaves, the ratio of beans and leaves to water, the temperature of the water and the steeping time all impact the final product.

This is getting noticed and embraced by consumers.

Market penetration for cold-brew coffee rose to 21% in 2017 among those drinking coffee daily in the U.S., up from 15% in 2015, according the New York-based National Coffee Association. Data is not available for cold-brew tea or cocoa yet, but beverage analysts are projecting the two will be “hot” spots in 2018.

The key takeaways are:

1. Don’t let packaging prevent you from getting into cold-brew, milk-based coffee, tea and cocoa beverages. Offer them alongside chocolate milk.

2. Keep added sugars low, and avoid if possible. Communicate this on the package. Quality cold brew tastes great without sweetener.

3. Offer a seasonal/limited-edition flavor to entice shoppers to try. It’s not too late to make your debut with a cinnamon spice winter offering. It works in coffee, tea and cocoa.

4. Embrace a fruity, milk infusion. Cold-brew coffee, dairy and coconut is a great combo. Cold-brew tea, dairy and berries works, too. Cold-brew cocoa, dairy and almost any layer of flavor makes for an amazing beverage. Think limited-edition offering to create excitement in the category and encourage purchase.

5. With value-added beverages, single-serve, eye-catching packaging is paramount. Co-packers can assist. (Link HERE for co-packing assistance.) There is a real opportunity to take a functional foods positioning with cold-brew, dairy-based beverages. I’ve recently become aware of some functional cold-brew coffee-milk beverages that will soon enter the marketplace. In the near future, they will be featured as a Daily Dose of Dairy. There’s a probiotic drink, an energy beverage and a meal replacement.

Photo source: U.S. Dairy Export Council

In the egg and egg replacement industries there’s a common saying, which is “no single ingredient can replace the functional and nutritional properties of eggs.” The same is true of whey protein ingredients, albeit the attributes are different than those of eggs. No single ingredient can replace the functional and nutritional properties of whey proteins.

The dairy industry needs to do a better job of formulating with whey proteins and touting their superiority. This is allowed and encouraged.

If your company produces, distributes, uses or plans to use whey proteins, the place to be this September 17 to 20 is Chicago, where the International Whey Conference will take place. Held every four years, this is the meeting of the minds to discuss the past, present and focus on the future of commodity and specialty whey protein ingredients.

Topics include the state of the whey protein industry, overcoming processing issues when formulating foods and beverages with whey proteins, and developing affordable dairy foods enriched with powerful whey proteins. Regulatory, marketing and current research will be focal points over the three days of packed sessions. You can view the entire program HERE.

The fact is whey proteins are powerhouses. They can make a difference in the nutritional profile and ingredient list of many dairy foods, including cheese spreads, milk beverages, frozen desserts, yogurts and cultured dairy foods. They can boost protein levels and clean up ingredient legends.

At one point in time, whey was considered a byproduct of cheese. Today, cheese is often made for the sole purpose of obtaining whey for the growing global market. On Monday, September 18, Polly Olson, vice president-new business, sales and marketing, Agropur, will discuss emerging markets and innovation opportunities for whey proteins.

The last whey protein conference I attended was two years ago in Jerome, Idaho. Sponsored by Davisco, now Agropur Ingredients, the Alpha Summit provided a comprehensive overview of the specialty whey proteins market. Link HERE to an article I wrote on the summit for Food Business News.

At the summit, Paul Moughan, distinguished professor and director of the Riddet Institute in New Zealand, explained the importance of dietary protein quality in nutrition and health. He will speak again on this topic on Tuesday, Sept. 19 at the International Whey Conference.

“Protein is vital to support the health and well-being of human populations. However, not all proteins are alike, as they vary according to their origin, animal vs. plant, as well as their individual amino acid composition and their level of amino acid bioavailability,” he said. “High-quality proteins are those that are readily digestible in a form that can be utilized and contain the dietary essential amino acids in quantities that correspond to human requirements.”

In 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations recommended that a new, advanced method for assessing the quality of dietary proteins--Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS)--replace the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) as the preferred method of measuring protein quality.

“The recommendation of the DIAAS method is a dramatic change that will provide an accurate measure of the amounts of amino acids absorbed by the body and an individual protein source’s contribution to a human’s amino acid and nitrogen requirements,” said Dr. Moughan. “This will be an important piece of information for decision makers assessing foods that should be part of a sustainable diet for our growing global population.”

He explained that with the PDCAAS method, values are truncated to a maximum score of 1.00, even if scores derived are higher. Using the DIAAS method, researchers are now able to differentiate protein sources by their ability to supply amino acids for use by the body. The DIAAS method is able to demonstrate the higher bioavailability of dairy proteins when compared to plant-based protein sources.

Dr. Moughan did say that even with the DIAAS score, you don’t get the whole story about the quality of the protein. “The single score is based on the limiting amino acid in the protein,” he said. For example, the leucine component of alpha-lactalbumin—a type of whey protein--has a DIAAS score of 2.00 and the tryptophan component is 5.50. By reporting only the single score of 1.14, which is based on the limiting amino acid valine, the quality of the alpha-lactalbumin is not accurately communicated.

“High-quality data on the bioavailable amounts of individual amino acids in proteins and foods will maximize the information to consumers and health professionals,” said Dr. Moughan. “This will become a lot more important as the food industry increases efforts to support health and different physiological needs.”

According to Donald Layman, professor emeritus of nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, data indicate all humans need to make about the same amount of new protein every day for basic lean muscle repair and remodeling. But as we age, the efficiency of building new protein decreases. To reap the benefits of healthy muscles, one must consider the quality of the protein and the quantity of the protein at every meal.

“Below the age of 30, hormones drive growth. Even with a low-protein diet, children can still grow and produce new muscle,” he said. “But as you age, hormones no longer drive muscle growth and the essential muscle replacement is driven by the quality of the diet. Aging reduces the efficiency of protein use, but does not impair the capacity to respond.”

For optimum muscle health and function, research suggests that 30 grams of high-quality protein—like the protein you get from whey--should be consumed at every meal, and preferably proteins high in the essential amino acid leucine.

Whey proteins make a positive difference in dairy foods formulations. Learn more at the International Whey Conference. Hope to see you there.

photo source: Midwest Dairy Association

Go ahead, grab yourself a cold one. Make it a nice chilled, flavored dairy beverage.

From milk to kefir to fruit smoothies, flavorful dairy beverages are growing in popularity and yes, selling in the marketplace.

On the same note, plant-based dairy alternatives are rolling out in droves. But here’s the deal, most are competing in white milk space, not the flavored dairy beverage sector.

I hear the frustration from milk processors. In a previous post on the topic of the premiumization of flavored milk, I received the comment: “Plant-based alternative beverages are the rage. Millenials are moving away from cows milk at an unprecedented rate.”

This is the case because the dairy industry is allowing it. Get loud, wake up and make dairy exciting again. Those companies that are creative with flavors, forms and packaging are not complaining. It pays off.

Here’s a personal story on why I believe investing in milk and dairy beverages makes sense.

This summer I have been volunteering at Lincoln Park Zoo’s Farm in the Zoo. Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is one of three large urban zoos in the country that is free 365-days a year. That’s possible through volunteers, donations, fundraising, etc. I chose to work in the farm to gain inspiration for my writing and to “hear” what moms, dads, grandparents, teens and children of all ages and backgrounds think about the food they get from the farm. I give presentations on cow milking and help guests feed the cows afterward. There’s an interactive demonstration where I teach guests how cows have one stomach with four chambers. They always walk away knowing that the only milk that comes from the cow is white and packed with essential nutrients.

I also assist with goat petting, pony grooming and chicken chats. One of my favorite interactive demonstrations is called Backwards Shopping, where I have the young guests pick up a piece of play food and identify its source, either animal or plant. Never once has a guest picked up the glass of milk, the slice of cheese, the ice cream cone, the stick of butter or the cup of yogurt and pointed to the photo of the field. It’s always the dairy cow. Good news!

Retail sales data from IRI provided to Dairy Management Inc., and courtesy of the Midwest Dairy Association, for the second quarter of 2017, show that total milk sales were down 2.6% year-to-date through June vs. prior year. However, the decline in the second quarter moderated, with nearly all regions posting softer losses than in the first quarter. Good news, again!

It’s no surprise, the volume leader, white gallon milk, is the driver of the decline. This is where the plant-based alternatives are hitting the dairy industry the hardest. However, non-dairy alternative beverages continue to grow but at a more moderate pace (+1.7% year-to-date), according to the IRI data. Almond and coconut are the growth engines. I’ll take this as more good news!

There’s some really great news occurring in the milk category that’s worth talking about, according to Cindy Sorensen, senior vice president of business development at the Midwest Dairy Association.

All segments outside of the white gallon have seen volume growth. This includes: flavored milk (+4.2%), lactose free (+11.5%), omega 3 (+6.4%), glass bottle (+2.7), grass fed (+66%) and refuel (+21.9%).

Chart source: IRI provided to Dairy Management Inc., and courtesy of the Midwest Dairy Association
“We’re also seeing continued growth in whole-fat milk, which is in its fourth year of increases (+3.5% 2017 year-to-date),” says Sorensen. “In fact, whole milk is getting very close to surpassing reduced-fat milk as the leader in the category. The whole-fat trend links both to a growing body of research indicating that whole fat may be beneficial to health as well as consumers’ desire for more natural foods.”

There’s a great deal of opportunity to innovate in the flavored dairy beverage sector. This includes flavored milk, in particular flavored whole milk; flavored cultured beverages, including drinkable yogurt and kefir; and fruit and dairy smoothies.
Recently LaLa introduced a line of dessert-inspired yogurt smoothies called Craveables. The 6.7-ounce bottles are sold in packs of four and come in flavors such as Lemon Bar, Strawberry Cheesecake, Tres Leches and Vanilla Cupcake. A single bottle contains 140 calories, 4 grams of fat, 5 grams of protein, 17 grams of sugar and 2 grams of fiber.

Flavored milk once again shined at the Wisconsin State Fair. Supplied by Prairie Farms Dairy, a leading innovator in flavored milk, the Milwaukee Bucks Milk House at the State Fair annually serves more than 160,000 cups of milk during its 10-day stint. In addition to the mainstays of Chocolate, Root Beer and Strawberry, this year’s milk line-up included Chocolate Peanut Butter and Sea Salt Caramel. (There is no peanut component in the Peanut Butter Chocolate flavored milk. It is a flavor additive, not actual peanut derived extract.) Last year, the two special flavors were Banana Cream and Orange Creamsicle.

So what’s trending in dairy beverage flavors? Based on my global marketplace observations, all types of fruit flavors, but in particular citrus (orange, lemon and even lime—think key lime) and tropical (banana, coconut and mango), are being used, as they add to the healthful halo. It goes without saying that coffee, specifically cold-brew coffee is a “hot” flavor. The next-generation cold-brew coffee lattes will likely have a layer of flavor in them. Think flavors beyond caramel, chocolate and vanilla. Try maple and praline. Indulgent flavors are booming, too. Limited-edition products create excitement in the category and encourage purchase.

It’s time to sell the story of dairy and simply liven it up with flavor!

There’s a growing trend to use glass pots, clear plastic tubs and parfait cups to showcase the clean, simple naturalness of refrigerated yogurt. Glass pots, in particular, are gaining traction in the U.S.

General Mills now offers Oui by Yoplait. This new thick, creamy offering is made using a traditional French recipe and comes in French-made 5-ounce glass pots. It’s made with simple ingredients, such as whole milk, pure cane sugar and real pieces of fruit. It contains no artificial preservatives, no artificial flavors and no colors from artificial sources. Oui by Yoplait is an artisanal yogurt made by pouring ingredients into individual glass pots that set after eight hours, creating a unique texture. It is designed to be spoon cut slowly, not stirred, in order to preserve its satisfyingly thick, subtly sweet, fresh taste.

La Fermiere, a family-owned French yogurt company, has been a part of France’s yogurt scene since 1952. The company has started producing its yogurts in New York for U.S. distribution. The Le Fruit On The Bottom line is a two-layered whole milk yogurt that comes in four varieties. They are: Apple Kiwi, Mango Passion Fruit, Pineapple Coconut and Raspberry Blueberry.

https://connect.lycoredfoodhub.com/super-stable-colors

There are a number of others entering the market. They will be featured in the near future as a Daily Dose of Dairy.

Before entering the clear container yogurt segment, it’s important to evaluate your fruit ingredient component to ensure it is visually appealing throughout shelflife. In layered yogurts, this includes maintaining vibrancy as well not bleeding into the white mass. Using artificial colors in the fruit prep typically helps; however, the trend in food colorings is to go natural. This is especially true in simple dairy foods with a healthful halo. The addition of artificial colors can be a deal breaker for some consumers.

Recent research by Lycored compared the use of various naturally sourced colors in fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt. The accelerated shelflife tests evaluated color vibrancy and bleeding. The study compared appearance over one month, with samples containing 100 grams of full-fat Greek yogurt and 40 grams of fruit prep: apricot, lemon, peach or strawberry. Some fruit preps contained natural color, while others contained no color. The samples were all tested in two different stability environments. Both were held at 4 degrees C (39.2 degrees F) for 30 days, with one sample held under light of 2,200 Lux. (Typical retail refrigerators are about 750 Lux.)

In the yogurt containing lemon prep, there was significant fade and migration in the sample colored with paprika as compared to the sample colored with a beta-carotene clear emulsion. The fade in the paprika sample was intensified under light conditions.

In the strawberry samples, there was severe migration from the carmine-based colorant, compared to the samples colored with tomato-sourced lycopene. This was the case even in the samples containing pectin. There was also significant fade and distortion in the sample containing fruit prep with no added color.

Similar stability was observed in the beta-carotene-colored fruit preps used in the apricot and peach samples. As expected, fade intensified under light conditions.

The company also assessed the stability of natural colors under the stronger and longer heat process of scaled industrial production. In each of the samples, the colors remained stable at 95 degrees C (203 degrees F) when held at that temperature for more than 30 minutes.

Beta-carotene can be tailored to achieve multiple fruit shades for lemon, pineapple, apricot, peach and mango. Lycopene delivers red shades for authentic strawberry and raspberry fruits that maintain their vivid hue and do not fade to purple when blended into yogurt. Both are process stable and stable to the ultraviolet light of retail refrigerators.

“Manufacturers who make the switch from artificial to natural colors reap the rewards,” says Christiane Lippert, head of marketing-food, Lycored. “When 506 health-conscious consumers were asked ‘Would you be willing to pay more for a product with natural flavorings and colors?’ almost nine in 10 said they would. On average they said they would pay up to 47% more.”

On August 31st, Taco Bell redefined the drive-thru breakfast by reconstructing and rebuilding the traditional American morning meal of eggs, bacon and potatoes. The new Naked Egg Taco delivers all these breakfast flavors in every bite. It features a fried egg shell—that’s right, a fried egg is the shell in this taco—stuffed with seasoned potatoes, bacon or sausage, cheddar and nacho cheese sauce. And it’s delicious!

This is the sort of deconstructing and rebuilding that the yogurt category needs to entice curious shoppers, those that may have an eye for plant-based alternatives or simply crave a new experience. All yogurt is made with the same basic ingredients, namely milk and cultures. It’s the extras and how they pull the fermented milk together that will redefine the category.

In the U.S., retail yogurt sales are down. Data from IRI provided to Dairy Management Inc., and courtesy of the Midwest Dairy Association show that yogurt retail sales were down 5% in the first half of 2017. This volume decline continues the softer sales trend observed for yogurt in the latter half of 2016. This early 2017 decline in yogurt sales was observed quite broadly across regions, channels and segments of yogurt.

There were a few bright spots. For one, yogurt drinks were up 18.8% over the first half of 2016. Whole-fat yogurt volume was up almost 25%, lifting its percent share of category to 13.4%. In addition, very strong growth continued for Australian and Islandic style yogurts, although these products are still niche in nature.

Source: IRI provided to Dairy Management Inc., and courtesy of the Midwest Dairy Association

Dairy foods innovators know one of the best ways to get creative is to explore what’s going on in foodservice. The challenge is to figure out a way to convert fresh concepts into retail products without losing too much in the translation. Packaging, graphics and merchandising are as important as the product.

Here’s a concept rolling out at Planet Smoothie. I’ve written about smoothie bowls before, and rumor has it that a major brand is about to introduce a product that resembles it. One of the three limited-time smoothie bowls from Plant Smoothie is Daybreak Crunch Bowl, which includes fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and whole grain oats.

Just in time for back-to-school menu planning, Dannon Foodservice launched Snack Hacks, a program with better-for-you snacking solutions that make it easier for operators to accommodate new consumer demands and eating patterns. The program’s recipes incorporate Dannon Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt, which is available in bulk sizes. Its nutritional content appeals to the growing number of consumers who are actively adding more protein to their diets.

The range of Snack Hacks recipe ideas encompasses parfait, overnight oats, hummus and salad options. The Citrus Avocado Parfait is yogurt mixed with avocado and honey, then topped with one layer each of kale, citrus salad and jalapeños, with a side of sunflower seeds in a to-go container. Creamy Tomato Bruschetta is yogurt mixed with garlic, basil and parsley, with a topping of diced tomatoes and balsamic glaze as a finishing touch. It comes packaged with parmesan crisps and crostini to create a portable afternoon snack. Peanut Butter Banana Crunch Overnight Oats combines crunchy peanut butter, banana slices and milk with a base of overnight oats made with vanilla-flavored yogurt, which gets topped with granola.

In France, General Mills recently introduced two reconstructed yogurt retail concepts. Yoplait Triple Sensation is a premium yogurt dessert line with half-candied fruit layered on top of creamy Yoplait yogurt. The third, bottom layer is a combination of two fruits. Combos are: passionfruit and mango, strawberry and raspberry, black currant and blueberry, and pear and apple. Sold in packs of two, Triple Sensation comes in clear parfait-style jars to showcase the three layers.

There’s a bowl version of just two layers. Champs de Fruit containers are fruit-on-the-top yogurt desserts. Flavors are: Blueberry, Mango Passionfruit and Strawberry. Champs de Fruit also comes in two packs. These bowls are 150-gram clear containers.

As with all deconstructing and rebuilding projects, it’s a good time to clean things up. Clean-label formulating continues to gain momentum, with the concept taking on different meanings in different food categories. Link HERE to read an article about “The complexity of clean label” that I recently wrote for Food Business News.

Milk protein powders are increasingly being used in next-generation yogurt concepts to boost protein levels while replacing stabilizers such as gums and starches. Remember, the flavor of yogurt is determined by the ingredients in the yogurt base as well as the added flavorful ingredients. Stabilizers in the yogurt base can mute the natural flavor of yogurt as well as any added flavors. Milk protein powders can stabilize the yogurt through water binding, increased viscosity and a stronger yogurt gel, all while contributing natural dairy flavor that complements the yogurt rather than detracts.

Milk protein powders, whey proteins and other dried dairy ingredients will be the focal point of the International Whey Conference taking place September 17 to 20 in Chicago. Held every four years, this is the meeting of the minds to discuss the dairy proteins marketplace.

Topics include the state of the whey protein industry, overcoming processing issues when formulating foods and beverages with whey proteins, and developing affordable dairy foods enriched with powerful whey proteins. Regulatory, marketing and current research will be addressed over the three days of packed sessions.

You can view the entire program HERE.

The fact is dairy proteins are powerhouses. They can make a difference in the nutritional profile and ingredient list of many dairy foods, including cheese spreads, milk beverages, frozen desserts, yogurts and cultured dairy foods. They can boost protein levels and clean up ingredient legends.

Hope to see you in Chicago!

Pictured: World Gelato finalist flavor: Cocco Sogno

The ice cream and related frozen dairy desserts sector is experiencing a revitalization thanks to innovations in single-serve packaging and better-for-you formulations. The retail market has been relatively flat for the past two decades. That’s changing. Year-to-date (July 8, 2017) retail sales from IRI show ice cream sales were up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2016. Frozen novelties were up 1.5%.

Low-sugar, high-protein ice cream is a driver of this growth.

To read more about protein ice cream, link HERE to the July 14, 2017, blog titled “Protein Ice Cream: It’s Officially A Thing…and some cool ice cream flavors to celebrate National Ice Cream Day.”

Visit Double H Plastics at Pack Expo Booth 6615

Enhancing ice cream or frozen dairy desserts with milk proteins, while at the same time decreasing added sugars, is an excellent approach to promoting ice cream as a healthful dessert, a snack or even a refuel food. Such better-for-you ice cream is not for everyone, but it’s definitely alluring to the growing health- and wellness- seeking consumer. This is why some of the larger players have taken note and are entering the category, which really just started gaining traction a few years ago when a number of entrepreneurs recognized this as an opportunity.

After all, Nielsen data shows that retail ice cream sales reached $6.6 billion in 2016, up 3.4% from 2015. Conventional products are not the driver of this growth. It’s the better-for-you segment. Sales of products that fit within the FDA’s definition of “healthy” grew 85% in 2016. As competition continues to grow in the better-for-you ice cream category, brands are looking for ways to differentiate their offerings. Protein is proving to be one of those ways.

This week at Expo East in Baltimore, a number of those original players in the low-sugar, high-protein segment introduced new flavors to their product line. A few other companies made their debut.

One such player is ProYo, which launched two new indulgent flavors: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Salted Caramel Crunch. At the trade show, the company also unveiled new packaging for its full line of nine High Protein Low Fat Ice Creams that more clearly touts the unrivaled amount of protein found in each container: 35 grams. ProYo High Protein Low Fat Ice Creams are now available in nearly 4,500 stores across the U.S., and the company continues to support its fast expansion with robust marketing and sampling programs.

The two newest flavors were developed in response to consumer and retailer requests for indulgent flavors and increased inclusions. Like all existing flavors of ProYo, the two new flavors provide 2 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein and 120 calories per serving. A 14-ounce container has a suggested retail price of $4.99 to 5.49.

The original seven flavors are: Blueberry Pomegranate, Coconut, Dark Chocolate Toffee, Dutch Chocolate, Mint Chip, Mocha and Vanilla Bean.

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor: Pistachio

Need Innovative Flavor Ideas?
The “World’s Best Gelato,” was crowned on Sept. 10, 2017, in Rimini, Italy, at the Grand Finale of the Gelato World Tour organized by Carpigiani Gelato University and Sigep Italian Exhibition Group. The winning flavor—Pistachio—is the fusion of three different Sicilian pistachios, two from Bronte and one from Agrigento. It was created by the artisan Alessandro Crispini from Gelateria Crispini in Spoleto (Perugia), Italy. The flavor innovation includes refined Cervia salt to enhance the taste by giving the flavor an extraordinary sapidity.

“I am really excited and I didn’t expect to win,” says the winning artisan. “Pistachio may be considered a trivial flavor, but through an in-depth study of the raw materials I created something only apparently simple but in fact very complex. The three varieties of pistachio are roasted for 24 hours, then seared with sugar and Madagascar vanilla berries. I’m honored the flavor was so much appreciated.”

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor: Tribute to Venice

Guido and Luca De Rocco, father and son of Italian origin, residing in Germany, won the second place with their flavor “Tribute to Venice,” an Uva Fragola grape sorbet with caramelized nuts.

The third place was won by “Amor-Acuyà” by the Colombian gelato artisan Daniela Lince Ledesma from Medellín. This exotic flavor mixes three different sensations: the sweet and sour taste of passion fruit, cream and Colombian 65% dark chocolate. The gelato possesses a unique bittersweet balance.

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor: Amor-Acuya

There were 36 flavors competing, presented by just as many teams for a total of 58 gelato artisans from 19 countries.

Here are the flavors, the country they are from and their description. Hopefully they inspire you for some future innovations.

ARGENTINA – “Membrillo a la Crema” by Santiago & Riccardo Nieto from Portho Gelatto in San Juan (Camus, Rivadavia), is quince gelato with pistachio brittle.

AUSTRALIA – “Gorgonzola & Pear Variegate with Figs and Walnut” by Michael, Brian and Teresa O’Donnell from 48 Flavors in Adelaide, is a balance of classic Italian flavors: Gorgonzola dolce made from pasteurized cow’s milk aged for three months mixed with pear and finished with walnuts and organic figs.

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor: Membrillo a la Crema

AUSTRIA – “Queen of Summer” by Katarina Rankovic, Manuela Strabler and Linda Peterlunger from Eismanufaktur Kolibrì in Wolfurt, is a light blackberry gelato made with fresh yogurt and lime juice. It has a light hint of organic lime zest and fresh organic mint.

BRAZIL – “Grandiflorum” by Filipe Carniel and Mary Cellura from MU Gelato Shop in Florianapolis, is fondant cupulate (chocolate made with the roasted beans of cupuaçu) combined with another sorbet of Capuaçu’s pulp.

CANADA – “Rich Chocolate, Bourbon, Truffle Swirl & Maple-Candied Pecans” by Tammy Giuliani from Stella Luna Gelato Cafè in Ottawa, is rich, decadent chocolate complemented by single barrel bourbon, which lends deep notes of vanilla, apricot and caramel. A velvet ribbon of dark chocolate ganache casts its spell, whilst pecans candied in pure Quebec maple syrup add a tickle of tantalizing crunch.

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor: Rich Chocolate, Bourbon, Truffle Swirl & Maple-Candied Pecans

CHINA – “Chinese Tea Gelato” by He Quingxia and Xu Dianmond from Ci Gusta! in Shenzhen, is a combination of Jasmine and Liupao tea flavored gelatos.

CHINA – “Love of Rose” by Guo Hongwu from Ami Gelato in Zhangzhou, is a rose, sea salt and cheese gelato.

COLOMBIA – “Amor-acuyà” by Daniela Lince Ledesma from Amor-acuyà in Medellín, is an exotic gelato that combines three different sensations: passion fruit with its sour and sweet taste, which binds perfectly with the cream, a homemade passion fruit variegate to enhance aroma, and a 65% Colombian chocolate.

COLOMBIA – “Mediterráneo” by Lorenzo and Marcello Luciano from Arte Dolce in Medellín, is a gelato full of the Mediterranean flavors of orange, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, pistachios and almonds.

GERMANY – “Tribute to Venice” by Guido and Luca De Rocco from Eiscafé De Rocco in Schwabach is a sorbetto base made with Uva-Fragola, or strawberry grape, from the countryside near Venice, and caramei, which is candied walnuts made following a traditional Zoldani art.

GERMANY – “Golden Almonds” by Ezio Piccin and Fabio Cividino from Caffè & Gelato in Berlin, is almond gelato flavored with orange peel with a dulce de leche cream made with a hint of Himalayan salt that is mixed throughout along with caramelized peanuts and Dacquoise meringue pieces.

GERMANY – “Kiepenkerl” by Aurora Perenzin and Manuel Rütter from Eiscafè Arcobaleno in Stadtlohn, is a Viennese almond gelato with a fine note of cinnamon and vanilla, marbled with a raspberry cream and topped with crunchy caramelized and chocolate-covered sunflower seeds.

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor: Salted Caramel Peanuts

GREECE – “Salted Caramel Peanuts” by Dimitris Charalampous from Palladion in Rhodes, is sweet milk gelato with the finest Greek peanuts and soft salted caramel with a variegate of smashed peanuts and milk chocolate.

HUNGARY – “My Chocolate” by Renáta Somogyi from Bringatanya Fagyizó in Gyenesdiás, is a sweet and sour gelato made of 70% saothomé dark chocolate, which originates from a specific region in Africa, and South American passion fruit. It is variegated with crispy crépe flakes and homemade chocolate sauce.

ITALY – “Pistachio” by Francesca Mombelli and Cinzia Gazzolo from Il Vizio del Gelato in S. Nicolò (PC), is a premium pistachio gelato.

ITALY – “Pistachio” by Alessandro Crispini from Gelateria Crispini in Spoleto (PG), is the fusion of three different Sicilian pistachios, two from Bronte and one from Agrigento, topped with refined Cervia salt.

ITALY – “Cream of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil” by Alessandro Leo from Alexart in Corato (BA), is sweet mill gelato blended with extra virgin olive oil.

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor: Sapore d'Amatrice

ITALY – “Pistachio” by Bruno Di Maria from Ristorante Madison in Realmonte (AG), is an organic pistachio gelato with a hint of salt.

ITALY – “Mandorlivo” by Francesco and Salvatore Manuele from Nuova Dolceria di Siracusa (SR), is a refined fior di latte gelato with almond nougat, extra virgin Tonda Iblea olive oil, grated lemon peel, a hint of citrus variegation and candied olive cubes.

ITALY – “Sapore d’Amatrice” by Daniele Mosca from Il Gelatiere di Amatrice (RI), is a ricotta cheese gelato with chestnut honey and nuts.

ITALY – “The Soul of Alto Adige” by Elisabeth and Alexander Stolz from Osteria contadina Hubenbauer in Varna (BZ), is a sorbet using ingredients produced by the Stolz family with a base of Tyrolean organic apples and flavored with crispy Schüttelbrot bread and Speck salumi.

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor: Delizia al limone

ITALY – “Milk & Wild Mint” by Silvia and Lara Pennati from Formazza Agricola in Formazza (VB), is a wild mint creation using local ingredients from the family farm.

JAPAN – “Natsumatsuri (Summer Festival)” by Akira Hattori from le Verdure in Yokohama, is a combination of strawberry, rose, mascarpone and pistachio gelato.

JAPAN – “Delizia al limone” by Yoshifumi Arita from Arita in Nagasaki, is a flavor inspired by the traditional Italian dessert of mini sponge cake filled and topped with a smooth lemon custard.

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor: Pineapple, Celery & Apple Sorbet

JAPAN – “Pineapple, Celery & Apple Sorbet” by Taizo Shibano from Malga Gelato in Nonoichi, is a sherbet that combines pineapple, apple and celery with basil and mint leaves, lemon and orange juice.

LEBANON – “Rose Loukoum” by Nathalie Massaad and Walid Boustany from Caprices Du Palais in Keserwen, is made of rose water, rose syrup and rose loukoum.

MALAYSIA – “Vanilla of the East” by Keewin and Seow Huan Ong from Cielo Dolci in Kuala Lumpur, is Pandan gelato accentuated with Tahitian vanilla beans, topped with hazelnut crumbs caramelized in coconut caramel and finished with a drizzle of Melaka Sugar.

THE NETHERLANDS – “Honey-Yogurt Ice with Raspberry and Walnuts” by Erik and Hermien Kuiper from De Ijskuip in Denekamp, is yogurt gelato made with milk from Jersey cows combined with a flavor of spring honey and variegated with locally grown raspberries and walnut pieces covered in a homemade honey/sugar marinade.

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor: Dark Smoke

SINGAPORE – “The Asian Story” by Sharon Tay from Momolato in Singapore, is coconut milk and palm sugar with salty ribbons of homemade palm sugar caramel variegate with sea salt and crispy flakes of savory sweet bean curd.

SLOVENIA – “Dark Smoke” by Ardit Ejupi from Sladoledarna Pingo in Šentilj, is dark chocolate gelato made with chocolate that has been smoked with cherry wood and flavored with bourbon whiskey.

TAIWAN – “La Dolce Vita di Tè” by Yu Lee and Amber Lin from Ninao Gelato Classico, is honey black tea gelato sprinkled with pop-black rice.

USA – “Cocco Sogno” by Angelo Lollino, Giuseppe Lollino and Ali Caine Hung from Vero Coffee & Gelato in Elmwood Park, Illinois, is a blend of creamy fresh coconut, velvety white chocolate and rich vanilla bean variegated with caramelized almond crunch.

Pictured: World Gelato winning flavor:Bacche di Marsala

USA – “Saffron Pistachio with Candied Lemon Peel Gelato” by Gianluigi Dellaccio from Dolci Gelati Cafè in Washington, D.C., is saffron pistachio gelato with candied lemon peel.

USA – “Breakfast at Nonna’s House” by Michael Meranda from Gelato D’Oro in Addison, Illinois, is fior di latte gelato with a marmellata of red currant (ribos rosso) and a vanilla almond granola coated with white chocolate amaretto.

USA – “Bacche di Marsala” by Kelly Chu and Doran Matthew Cook from Cirsea in Charleston, South Carolina, is a honey and marsala wine gelato accented with a blend of lemon and goat cheese, infused with swirls of berry jam and cookie.

USA – “Caramelized Fig” by Spin Mlynarik from Black Market Gelato in North Hollywood, California, is fior di latte gelato marbled with balsamic caramel soaked figs.

Need Ice Cream Innovating Assistance?
The Frozen Dessert Center, housed within the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Food Science, will hold its first Frozen Dessert Center Conference October 23 to 24 on the UW-Madison campus. Speakers, including myself, will address the scientific, manufacturing and technical aspects involved in the production of ice cream and other frozen desserts. This includes packaging, dairy and non-dairy ingredients, food safety and other trends.

The event’s keynote speaker is Doug Goff, a professor of food science at the University of Guelph. Goff’s talk will cover trends in ice cream ingredients and manufacturing, and the future of frozen desserts.

Participants will be led through an ice cream sensory evaluation and taken on a guided tour of the UW-Madison’s Babcock Hall Dairy Plant and the Frozen Dessert Center’s pilot plant and lab space.

The conference is designed for manufacturers, product developers, researchers, distributors and sales personnel involved in the field of ice cream and frozen desserts. Attendees will gain relevant and up-to-date information on production, ingredients, equipment and distribution.

For more information, link HERE.

Visit Double H Plastics at Pack Expo Booth 6615

Miles. Miles is the three-year old boy who likes to visit me with his nanny at Lincoln Park Zoo’s Farm-in-the-Zoo, where I volunteer every Tuesday. (That’s why I did not make it to the International Whey Conference on Tuesday. It was wonderful to visit with so many of you on Monday.)

Miles ran up to me at 10:55am on Tuesday at the dairy barn, afraid that he missed the cow feeding program that ends at 11:00am. I kept it open a little longer for him because Wynnd, Janey, Flascha and Lucia were exceptionally hungry after their milking a half hour earlier, despite the unseasonably warm temperature. While he ran back and forth with handfuls of alfalfa-enriched hay, he informed me that he now drinks cows milk.

I was confused so I queried his nanny. She explained that until Miles had spent time with me this summer at the zoo, his parents only bought a milk alternative, and for no particular reason other than personal choice. After I taught Miles all about milking, feeding and even how cows have one stomach with four chambers, he had been requesting cows milk. And now he gets it at home.

As you can imagine, this brought tears of joy to my eyes. It confirmed what I say and write often. Marketers need to tell the story of milk. Consumers will drink it up.

Here’s more promising news about dairy.

Protein content claims continue to influence retail food purchases as well as dining orders in establishments that list nutrition information. The Nielsen Company conducted research in early 2017 using its U.S. Homescan network and its Canada Panelviews database to better understand what consumers’ preferences are when it comes to protein selection. Both Americans and Canadians identified meat, eggs and dairy as their top-three protein sources, with seafood and legumes/nuts/seeds falling to fourth and fifth place, respectively.

The Nielsen survey also found that 83% of Canadians and 80% of Americans plan to eat the same amount of dairy, with an impressive 9% and 10%, respectively, planning on eating more. (Hopefully Miles converted his parents!)

This presents opportunities for processors and marketers to keep dairy proteins relevant through innovation. One of the ways to do that is to put dairy proteins back into dairy foods. Another options is to use dairy proteins as a base for functional beverages.

For example, Australian nutritional supplement company International Protein is debuting the Ready to Grow (R.T.G.) range of premium protein drinks. There are three drinks in all—Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla—for, of course, those on the go who need a quick protein boost. Each 375-milliliter drink contains a massive 30 grams of protein derived from casein, whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate. The drink is also loaded with 10 essential vitamins and minerals and only 90 calories per serving. It’s liquid protein, liquid dairy protein.

The fact is that dairy foods are naturally loaded with nutrients and possess a fresh-from-the-farm image to complement many of today’s consumers’ dietary objectives, including weight management/satiation, clean-label/simple ingredients and local/authentic recipes. With all that, value-added products continue to gain traction as shoppers seek out foods and beverages that deliver above and beyond daily fuel. They crave flavor, nutrient density and convenience. And dairy foods can deliver. They can especially be designed to deliver the protein consumers want.

The Nielsen data shows that half of Americans and Canadians have protein at every meal. About a third agree that source matters. Make sure they know that dairy makes protein sense.

Advancements in ingredient technologies make on-trend innovations easier to develop. This was apparent at The International Whey Conference, which took place this past week in Chicago. Numerous developments in dairy fractionation and their applications—even beyond fresh and frozen dairy foods--were discussed.

For example, scientists from Abbott Laboratories explored research showing how partially hydrolyzed dairy proteins can be added to infant formula powders enhanced with brain-health long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These fatty acids are highly susceptible to oxidation, with inappropriate storage and poor packaging accelerating breakdown. This causes the fatty acids to oxidize, producing undesirable fishy notes and potentially harmful byproducts.

Chemically derived antioxidants can be used; however, in efforts to produce cleaner label products, naturally sourced options are being explored. Because it makes sense to put dairy back into dairy, researchers investigated the use of various dairy ingredients. They found that casein hydrolysate, as well as whey protein hydrolysate, functioned as effective antioxidants while also working synergistically with lecithin to ensure proper dispersion.

Researchers from Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Germany shared results from an investigation of using enzymes to improve the value of acid whey produced during the straining of Greek yogurt. The researchers identified that the Cryptococcus laurentii DSM27153 enzyme can convert lactose, the major constituent in acid whey, to galactooligosaccharide, a polysaccharide with prebiotic properties. With this conversion, acid whey goes from being a byproduct to the raw material for a value-added ingredient with application back into dairy foods and other foods and beverages.

Scientists from Technical University of Munich in Germany shared pilot-scale results from a study to develop a preservation process for fluid whey concentrate, a viscous protein produced by membrane filtration. This is an energy-efficient alternative to whey powder produced by evaporation and spray drying. The challenge with whey concentrate is its water activity, which is too high to prevent microbial growth and therefore requires heat treatment for preservation. This negatively impacts the whey proteins in the whey concentrate, as they are very heat sensitive and will denature in extreme heat.

The researchers developed a preservation process consisting of sterile filtration and thermal treatment to yield whey concentrate with high whey protein nativity of about 90% as well as an extended shelf life of about four months. Large scale experiments showed potential of this energy-efficient process in industrial manufacturing.

Scientists from School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork in Ireland presented findings on how including permeate enhances the solubility of plant proteins in foods and beverages. Their study explored the interactions between milk permeate and quinoa-based protein. Initial findings were positive and may transfer to whey permeate and other plant protein ingredients, such as those derived from beans, chia, hemp and pea.

Specialty dairy proteins, both casein and whey, are being explored by processors in all dairy applications for their ability to increase protein content while stabilizing systems. This is particularly true in beverages, including refuel milks and meal replacements. Dairy proteins are high-quality proteins, also known as complete proteins, which means they are in a readily digestible form that can be utilized by the body. They contain all of the dietary essential amino acids in quantities that correspond to human requirements.

Innovators should understand that proteins have different rates of digestion. This contributes to the unique function that an individual protein has on the body. For example, many health and wellness beverages combine a faster-digesting protein such as whey protein with a slower-release protein such as casein in order to deliver sustained energy.

Get on board. Put dairy proteins back into dairy foods to make sure dairy is a consideration when protein intake is a priority.

Chances are that sometime today you will snack. You are not alone. Research from The Hartman Group shows that a whopping 91% of consumers snack multiple times throughout the day. The notion of three square meals a day is long gone, as the boundaries further blur between what constitutes as a snack and as a meal. Snacking has become the most significant food and beverage occasion and dairy processors are wise to develop products that meet this need.

This occasion is now being fine-tuned into the concept of mindful snacking. Research shows that taste is the number-one driver of snack selection; however, nutrition and health, or what the snack provides, is increasingly important. This is particularly true to the nearly nine out of 10 consumers who snack multiple times per day.

The Future of Snacking survey from The Hartman Group showed that grazing has become the new normal. In fact, 7% of snacking consumers foregoing traditional meals altogether in favor of all-day grazing.

There are three main drivers for snacking. More than half (56%) of the survey respondents indicated they snack for needs related to nourishment. This is all about hunger abatement, managing hydration, health and diet conditions, as well as snacking for sustained energy. Other motivators include seeking satisfaction and performance optimization.

“Forty-nine percent of respondents said they snack for needs relating to pleasure, which fulfills emotional desires for enjoyment, craving, variety and comfort,” says Laurie Demeritt, chief executive officer at The Hartman Group. “Snacking for pleasure also includes satisfaction of needs for discovery when consumers want to explore food types, tastes, provenances, preparation methods, food purveyors and new products.”

One third (34%) of respondents indicated they snack for needs relating to optimization in order to satisfy physical and mental performance demands.

“Optimization snacking might be for quick energy, or to recover and rejuvenate,” says Demeritt. “It is also undertaken to help mental focus and manage stress.”

It’s important to note that snacking drivers change across the day, as do snack forms, flavors and even nutrition profiles. Morning snacks may be more about satiation and nourishment to get through a hectic start. An afternoon snack might be for energy or to satisfy a sweet craving. For the evening snack, maybe it’s about relaxation and pleasure.

The fact is, what you eat between meals as snacks can and does affect health. To attract shoppers, dairy processors are exploring better-for-you formulations, bold flavors and convenience in order to grab share of the snacking dollar. Products are designed to meet these varied needs throughout the day. Many products, in particular in the dairy foods space, make natural, simple and clean label part of the mindful nutrition platform.

“The demand by consumers for products with natural ingredients is continuing to grow because of an overall focus on the lifestyle benefits derived from making healthier choices,” says Jon Peters, president, BENEO. “With 65% of consumers in the Americas considering natural products as better and 47% actively looking for natural products when making food purchase decisions, according to our research, clean label and natural claims are becoming more important in the creation of food products.”

These healthier choices include increasing consumer interest in energy, weight and blood sugar management. Dairy-based snack foods can be formulated to easily address these attributes.
In addition to boosting protein content with high-quality complete dairy proteins, other ingredients to consider including in dairy-based snack foods are chicory root fiber-based inulin and oligofructose. These ingredients help manufacturers improve a product’s nutritional profile by reducing sugar, fat and calories while adding a valuable fiber source from nature. Being soluble and having a moderate sweet taste, they can be easily applied and maintain the taste and texture of the finished product.

Slowly digested and absorbed sugars such as isomaltulose also make sense. A natural ingredient derived from beet sugar, isomaltulose provides balanced and sustained energy with a lower blood glucose rise and less insulin release.

“It creates an improved metabolic profile with more stable blood glucose levels and a higher concentration of fat utilization in energy metabolism,” says Peters. “It can be used as a sugar alternative, replacing sucrose of other high-glycemic carbohydrates on a gram-to-gram basis.”
For more information on formulating mindful snacks, link HERE.

A New Concept in Dairy Snacking: Jouzge
Jouzge represents confidence and serves as the inspirational name behind a new line of dairy-based snack bars developed to promote healthy eating and a healthy self-image among young women. Created by University of Wisconsin-Madison alumnus and Oregon, Wis., resident Dana Wendt, with formulation assistance from the Center for Dairy Research (CDR), Jouzge bars were born out of Wendt’s desire to create a dairy-based snack for young girls that would fuel their self-love, rather than disparage it.

“Years ago, I was eating a particular bar that had a weight management message attached to its name and marketing,” says Wendt. “My daughter, Hadley, saw me eating this bar and asked if she could take it to school as a snack. While the nutrition was acceptable, I began to worry about the message the bar was trying to send to my daughter. It basically said, ‘you’re not the right size, but if you eat this, you’ll be better.’”

Disillusioned by the messaging, Wendt worked with her daughter and her mother to develop the initial plans for a bar that would pair a positive message with an ingredient list and flavor profile young women and their caregivers could support. In terms of the messaging, Jouzge became a natural name for the bar, as it was the phrase Wendt’s father used as a self-affirmation each day before he headed to work at his B-to-B dairy company.

Growing up in the dairy industry, Wendt was aware of the health benefits of milk and milk products, so she was eager to create a dairy-based bar. Wendt was also looking for that campus connection, so she reached out to CDR, located on the UW-Madison campus, to see if they could help her formulate a nutritious and flavorful bar.

Experts in the application of dairy ingredients, CDR Dairy Ingredients, Beverages & Cultured Products Coordinator K.J. Burrington and CDR Associate Researcher Susan Larson, helped Wendt develop her product. For several months, the team experimented with a variety of different formulas, bar shapes, sizes, coatings and drizzles.

Utilizing dairy proteins was an important part of the formulation process, which included the use of whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, milk protein isolate and whey protein crisps, which created a crunchy texture in some of the bars.

“Dairy proteins are high-quality complete proteins that contain all the essential amino acids,” explains Larson. “Essential amino acids are ones that must be provided by your foods as your body cannot make them. Specifically, whey proteins have an especially high concentration of branched chain amino acids-- leucine, isoleucine and valine--that are used for building and maintaining lean body muscle.”

The CDR team helped Wendt to create three flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Mint and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Filled with dairy goodness, each clean-label bar contains no more than 130 calories and 7 to 8 grams of dairy-based protein and no more than 7 grams of sugar.
The CDR also assisted with identifying a co-packer to bring the bars to market. Burrington suggested that Wendt also consider collaborating with industry to help the Jouzge business grow. In particular, Burrington shared the opportunities put forth by the Land O’Lakes, Inc. Dairy Accelerator program, which supports U.S. dairy entrepreneurs by providing access to business resources, financial support and more. Interested companies must apply and be accepted into the highly competitive program. A successful applicant, Wendt recently became a part of the program.

“The Land O’Lakes, Inc. Dairy Accelerator program will serve as a mini-MBA,” Wendt says. “We expect it will accelerate the launch of Jouzge and advance dairy.”

All about positive messaging for girls and for dairy, Jouzge has been growing quickly. Launched in August, the bar is sold locally as well as on Amazon. Jouzge was recently accepted into the Amazon Launchpad program, which provides start-ups with the resources they need to succeed on Amazon.
For more information on Jouzge, link HERE.

Dairy Accelerator Program
In addition to Jouzge, four other dairy companies were recently selected to participate in the new Land O’Lakes, Inc. Dairy Accelerator program. To qualify for consideration, each company was required to utilize dairy as a primary ingredient in their products.

Beehive Cheese: (Hand-made, artisan cheese)
Beehive Cheese owners Pat Ford and Tim Welsh traded the fast-paced world of software and real estate for a simpler way of life as artisan cheese makers. Based in Utah, Beehive Cheese produces artisan cheeses including award-winning Promontory cheese and hand-rubbed cheeses.

Dreaming Cow: (Grass-fed yogurt and yogurt drinks)
Dreaming Cow CEO Kyle Wehner grew up on rotational grazing dairies and assisted his family’s cheese company. Based in Georgia, Dreaming Cow is a family-owned company that produces low sugar, high flavor yogurt products using milk from local grass-based, New Zealand-style rotational grazing dairy farms. To read more about LUSH, link HERE.

Petit Pot: (Gourmet Pot de Crème)
Founded in San Francisco by French pastry chef Maxime Pouvreau, Petit Pot blends French and California culinary heritages in its creamy, rich and gourmet desserts. The company’s Pot de Crème and Riz Au Lait are packaged in glass jars and made with only a few, simple ingredients. To read more about Petit Pot, link HERE.

Yooli: (Artisan-style farmer’s cheese snacks)
Inspired by the farmer’s cheese she ate as a child in Eastern Europe, Yooli Foods co-founder and CEO Yuliya Flynn developed a protein-rich, creamy dairy snack that is a unique alternative to yogurt. Based in California, Yooli produces snacks made with artisan-style farmer’s cheese. The protein snack is available in a variety of flavors. To read more about Yooli, link HERE.

For more information on the Land O’Lakes, Inc. Dairy Accelerator program, link HERE.

At Health Ingredients Japan this past week, there were extensive discussions surrounding formulating foods for the aging population. Yogurt was identified as an attractive food to get pumped up with extra nutrition for smart aging. Let’s call this strong yogurt.

The concept is simple. As we age, the body needs help to function at its best. That help may come from foods such as yogurt.

According to a recent study published in the August 2017 issue of Osteoporosis International, greater yogurt consumption is associated with increased bone mineral density and physical function in older adults. Researchers correlated the intake of yogurt (any type) with bone mineral density in 4,300 older people in Ireland. After adjusting for body weight, physical activity, overall diet quality and other factors related to bone health, the researchers found that each additional weekly serving of yogurt was associated with higher bone mineral density, and thus a reduced risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Strong is the new skinny

If you have not noticed, there are very few overweight elderly people. Although maintaining a healthy weight helps with longevity, too skinny, a.k.a. frail, can be weakening. This is why building strength as one ages is important.

High-quality protein, such as that found in yogurt, is one of a number of strength-building nutrients. When combined with exercise, dietary protein helps reduce the risk of age-related muscle loss known as sarcopenia.

The active bacterial cultures, in particular those with probiotic functions, found in yogurt may also build strength. Some bacteria provide digestion benefits, while others boost immunity. Prebiotic fibers function as fuel for the probiotics. They also have their own positive impact on digestion. Some have been shown to improve absorption of calcium, further assisting with bone health.

Some fibers, namely chicory root fiber, may also assist with sugar reduction. Sugar content is an attribute yogurt manufacturers cannot ignore, as sugar content of flavored and fruited yogurts continues to be highly criticized. Clean-label reduction is important to maintain yogurt’s natural, simple, healthful halo.

According to a study from the University of Surrey published on September 18, 2017, by Clinical Science, healthy people who consume high levels of sugar are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The study found that a subject group of otherwise healthy men had increased levels of fat in their blood and fat stored in their liver after they had consumed a high-sugar diet.

The researchers’ findings provide new evidence that consuming high amounts of sugar can alter fat metabolism in ways that could increase risk of cardiovascular disease. And while most adults don’t consume the high levels of sugar used in the study, some children and teenagers may reach these levels of sugar intake by over-consuming soft drinks and sweets, and yes, even some yogurts. These findings support the belief that too much sugar is not good for the body.

This idea of strength and health is not new. It was back in 2003 when HealthFocus research identified the transition in healthy eating from simply removing negatives to adding positives. This transition showed the dynamic shift from avoidance to a proactive search for solutions and the compelling emergence from “better for you” to “good for you.”

A decade or so ago, HealthFocus first identified a change in direction in how consumers perceive their personal health. For many years prior, the percentage of the population that considered themselves in excellent/very good health was on a downward path. But beginning in 2006, HealthFocus saw this begin to reverse, and it continues to climb today. This higher self-evaluation of health reflects a shift in consumers’ confidence, a response to nutritional benefits and the beginning of recognizing the power—and strength—of total well-being and balance.

Less than five years ago, HealthFocus spoke aggressively about the emergence of protein as a more popular health-promoting nutrient, the darkening horizon for sweeteners and the formation of the eating clean revolution. Clean eating evolved from a growing consumer understanding that everything that goes into the body has implications, good and bad, short and long term. This includes the integral role of digestive health to total health and in building strength. Gut health was no longer about stomach-related problems or discomforts.

More currently, HealthFocus research shows that foods and beverages with GMOs are seen overwhelmingly as less healthy, less safe to eat and worse for the environment. This is the opinion of consumers, which is why many mainstream yogurt manufacturers—as compared to organic processors, as organic, by definition is non-GMO—are seeking out non-GMO ingredients.

“Consumer demand for non-GMO foods is on the rise and creating products that are in line with this trend is increasingly key to success for today’s producers,” says Carl Volz, president-America, Sensus, which now offers Non-GMO Project Verified chicory root fiber powders and syrups. “By enabling our customers to use a trusted and recognizable seal on pack, we can help them to provide consumers with greater transparency on ingredient sourcing and ultimately facilitate more non-GMO choices.”

It’s time for the yogurt conversation to include strong yogurt. This is yogurt made with simple, good-for-you ingredients that build strength for healthy aging.

Skyr was one of many cultured dairy product sensations in the spotlight at Anuga 2017, which was held this week in Cologne, Germany. This biennial food fair is the largest of its kind and has an entire exposition hall dedicated to dairy foods. While cheese dominated the hall, cultured dairy foods had a very strong presence.

Greek yogurt maintained a healthy showing; however, many global processors, in efforts to be ahead of the game in terms of what might be the next Greek yogurt, showcased numerous other cultured dairy formats. Skyr was one of them.

Skyr has been Iceland’s signature food for nearly a thousand years dating back to the 9th Century when it’s believed that Vikings brought skyr on their journeys. It has the consistency of strained Greek yogurt but is milder in flavor. It is high in protein, with traditional skyr made with nearly zero fat milk. In its traditional use it is diluted with water or milk and consumed as a beverage; however, modern-day skyr comes in a container and is consumed in a similar manner as yogurt.

In the past few years, skyr has been gaining traction in Europe and North America. It’s poised to become a bigger deal going forward, as curious consumers are growing tired of Greek yogurt and are seeking out the next healthful dairy food. U.S. processors are taking note.

For example, last month at Expo East in Baltimore, Maryland, Icelandic Provisions, which made its debut in the U.S. about 18 months ago, relaunched the line with a redesign and new flavors. The company’s initial rollout included five flavors: classic Plain and Vanilla, and three Nordic-derived varieties: Strawberry with Lingonberry, Blueberry with Bilberry, and Peach with Cloudberry. Soon after, Coconut, Key Lime and Raspberry were added. Cherry Black Currant will make its debut in January. The flavor was crafted in partnership with Chef Gunnar Gislason, one of Iceland’s most acclaimed chefs and a pioneer ushering in the Nordic food movement in the U.S.

Icelandic Provisions is made with preserved and treasured heirloom skyr cultures and local milk from cows on a largely grass-filled diet. Icelandic Provisions does not contain artificial preservatives, thickeners, sweeteners, flavors or colors.

The company was co-founded with MS Iceland Dairies, the oldest and largest dairy co-op in Iceland, made up of approximately 600 native farms and milk producers. A group of industry veterans were assembled for the U.S. development and management team.

“U.S. consumers are developing a palate for the thick, creamy taste of skyr,” says Einar Sigurðsson, chairman. “They value products with a high-protein content that aren’t packed with the sugar levels you find in the cultured dairy populating grocery shelves across the U.S. We are proud to launch Icelandic Provisions and expand the skyr category with a product that comes directly from the country that invented it and is made with ingredients that are native to the Nordic region.”
Steve Platt, CEO of Icelandic Provisions, says, “It’s important to us to honor and celebrate Icelandic culinary traditions. Working with Chef Gunnar on our flavor development keeps us rooted in native Nordic flavors that pair well with our skyr.”

The new flavor combines ripe black cherries with the tart punch of black currant, both of which are commonly found throughout the Nordics. When Chef Gunnar Gislason is not heading up the kitchen at Michelin-starred Agern in New York, he advises the brand on native Icelandic flavors and culture.

“Eating skyr with ripe berries is a tradition in Iceland that goes back centuries,” he says. “For this flavor, we wanted to craft a cherry that was more complex than what Americans currently have access to and pay homage to that Nordic food tradition of being playful in ingredient pairings.”

Similar in health benefits to the rest of the portfolio, the new Cherry with Black Current flavor boasts 15 grams of protein and 1.5% milkfat, all while remaining naturally low in sugar. Icelandic Provisions can be found in the refrigerated section of more than 4,500 U.S. retail partners nationwide.

Back to Anuga, Bohušovická mlékarna in the Czech Republic showcased its new “Islandska Tradice” (Icelandic Connection) line, describing the product as a high-protein alternative to yogurt and quark. Graphics showcase the quality fruits used in the product, and a Nordic snowcapped countryside gives a nod to the product’s origins.

The single-serve 140-gram containers come in Blueberry, Cranberry, Natural, Peach/Apricot, Raspberry and Strawberry varieties. Natural is also available as a 350-gram family-size tub. The product is 12% protein and 0.1% fat.

Ehrmann is entering the skyr category in its home country of Germany. The initial line is 7.7% protein and fat-free and comes in single-serve cups. In the near future, the company will roll out the first Skyr Snack to-go pouches targeted to adults looking for a healthful, convenient high-protein snack.

The company is also expanding its yogurt line and now offers 470-gram non-returnable glass bottles of whole milk yogurt under its Ehrmann Almighurt line. And, Tropical joins the company’s rather new yogurt drink line, which includes Mango, Raspberry, Strawberry and Wild Berries. Containing less than 1% fat, the clean-label drinkable yogurt beverages are positioned as an on-the-go snack.

Watch for some additional high-protein cultured dairy foods and dairy snacks from Ehrmann to be featured as a Daily Dose of Dairy in upcoming weeks.

Also from Germany, Emmi is growing its Onken brand with a blended product based on whole grains, fruit and whole milk yogurt. Varieties are Cherry, Red & Black Currant, and Vanilla. The product comes in 500-gram cups and features the brand’s special whole grain mixture consisting of rye, barley, oat, wheat and rice.

Koukakis Farm S.A. of Greece was an Anuga taste Innovation Show winner. Nearly 900 companies placed more than 2,300 products in the New Products Database on the Anuga website for consideration for the taste recognition. In total, the jury selected 67 products and concepts.

Koukakis Farm received the accolade for its new stevia-sweetened kefir. This probiotic effervescent cultured dairy beverage comes in Blueberry, Sour Cherry and Strawberry flavors and is promoted for its ability to support digestion and overall health. The fermented dairy beverage is made from fresh Greek milk and is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals.

Another Anuga taste Innovation Show winner is Graham’s The Family Dairy in the United Kingdom. The company’s Protein 22, which is fresh, award-winning milk cultured into smooth, fruity quark, received the accolade. The product comes in Blueberry, Peach, Raspberry and Strawberry varieties. It’s fat free with natural fruit flavorings, and contains no preservatives or additives. With 22 grams of protein per pot, Protein 22 is eaten just like a yogurt and is great as a pre or post work out snack, helping to maintain and grow muscle mass.

The Anuga taste Innovation Show program, along with Innova Market Insights analysts, identified numerous trends that will drive future innovation. As expected, protein was one of the recurring keywords among the new products. In addition to protein, less sugar and lactose free were repeated themes among many dairy product innovations. Clean label, too, dominated the discussion.

Whether meat products, vegetarian/vegan products, complete meals, snacks or beverages, the array of products that contain an extra portion of protein is immense. There were a number of milk-coffee drinks enhanced with high-quality protein, some marketed as refuel and energize shots. Yogurt and curd products are now blatantly being positioned as mini meals that are rich in protein. Even ice cream marketers are designing products with added protein.

For example, with its unique combination of protein and caffeine, Innoprax AG’s Caffè Lattesso Sport is promoted as the ideal power coffee for successful training sessions. S.A. Corman offers a Cream with Greek-Style Yogurt. It meets the demand for products that naturally pack more pleasure and new taste experiences with a lower calorie count. Emirates Industry for Camel now offers Camelicious Camel Milk Protein Bar, which takes all the health and goodness of camel milk and infuses it into a protein snack bar. Ehrmann GmbH offers Qjo in four different flavors. Qjo is claimed to be the ideal source of protein for everyone focusing on conscious nutrition and pleasure at the same time. Look for many of these products featured as a Daily Dose of Dairy in coming weeks.

The so-called superfoods--chia, aronia, acai, but also ginger, green tea, citrus fruits and guarana—were strongly represented at Anuga and round off many products in terms of taste and ingredients. In this way, many classics are being redefined, e.g., quark now with chia and flaxseed.

Completely ready-made meals are nothing new, but the Anuga exhibitors showed new versions, clever packaging sizes and fresh formats. For instance, tomato/peach/apricot flavor vegetarian soups in a grab-and-go bottle and fully cooked chicken breasts in snack portion bar-style sizes. One dairy processor offered grill-ready burgers made completely from cheese. A new Swiss raclette format can be prepared in the oven or microwave in small portions.

Indeed, this 34th Anuga was impressive and a record setter. More than 7,400 companies from 107 countries presented products from all over the world and all categories over the course of five days. Around 165,000 trade visitors from 198 countries took advantage of this unique offer for sourcing, information and ordering at top level.

“Anuga is the world’s biggest and most important business platform for the international food industry,” says Gerald Böse, president and CEO of Koelnmesse. “The trade fair brings the global supply and demand together very precisely. With its clear concept and focus on relevant themes, it is a reliable marketplace for the global food world for customers from Germany and abroad.”

The next Anuga will take place October 5 to 9, 2019. Plan on attending. For more information, link HERE.

From the World Dairy Expo’s Dairy Product Contest in Madison, Wis., at the beginning of October to Anuga 2017 in Cologne, Germany, and then to Chicago (nice season Cubbies, til next year!) for this week’s NACS 2017, the exposition of the National Association of Convenience Stores, cheese has been getting lots of attention. Artisan cheesemakers, regional creameries and global brands are showing the industry that cheese, a simple, clean-label, natural food that starts with four ingredients—milk, cultures, enzymes and salt—can be enjoyed as a snack, an on-the-go mini meal, an entrée and as dessert.

Let’s explore some recent entries to the global cheese case. But first, congrats to Sartori Company, for its Grand Championship winner at the World Dairy Expo. The Plymouth, Wis.-based cheesemaker took home the high honor for its Black Pepper BellaVitano Cheese.

Link HERE for more information on Word Dairy Expo and the contest.

At Anuga 2017, a biennial fair that is the world’s largest food exposition for the retail trade and the foodservice and catering markets, cheese dominated the dairy hall, which is one of 10 expositions within the overall Anuga show. To read last week’s blog on Cultured Dairy Product Trends from Anuga, link HERE.

This 34th Anuga was impressive and a record setter. More than 7,400 companies from 107 countries presented products from all over the world and all categories over the course of five days. Around 165,000 trade visitors from 198 countries took advantage of this unique offer for sourcing, information and ordering at top level.

“Anuga is the world’s biggest and most important business platform for the international food industry,” said Gerald Böse, president and CEO of Koelnmesse. “The trade fair brings the global supply and demand together very precisely. With its clear concept and focus on relevant themes, it is a reliable marketplace for the global food world for customers from Germany and abroad.”

To read an overview of the entire Anuga expo, including a slideshow of some amazing innovations, link HERE to an article I just wrote for Food Business News.

The Anuga taste Innovation Show competition is part of the exposition. Nearly 900 companies placed more than 2,300 products in the new products database on the Anuga website for consideration for the taste recognition. In total, the jury selected 67 products and concepts.

Two winners were cheese.

This includes Hard Feta from Polyphemus Fine Dairy Products, which is Greek feta cheese p.d.o. (protected designation of origin) with a maximum moisture content of only 50%. The reduction of moisture lends this feta cheese a strong taste and a harder, more crumbly texture. This cheese benefits from an additional maturing time (at least 4 months), which allows its proteins to decompose into short-chain proteins and peptides for extra taste and aroma.

Lustenberger & Dürst SA in Switzerland received the Anuga taste Innovation Show accolades for its convenient LeSuperbe Swiss Raclette Gourmet Baking Tray product. The packaged Swiss raclette cheese comes with a baking tray that makes it possible to prepare slices of raclette directly in the oven without an additional tin. The consumer does not need a classic raclette oven or any other baking tray. It can simply be prepared directly in this innovative box. Furthermore, the raclette slices can also be directly melted in the microwave. After preparation, the baking tray can be lifted out of the oven or the microwave with the hand because the box does not gets hot.

Other innovations spotted on the show floor include Basiron Choco, which combines two foodie favorites: cheese and chocolate. The limited-edition cheese from Veldhuyzen, The Netherlands, will be available starting mid-November, just in time for the holidays. The large waxed rounds are designed for in-store cutting.

Also perfect timing for the holidays, Germany’s Bayernland offers Mozzarella Wraps. For retail, the wraps come as individual 130-gram sheets of mozzarella. The user simple fills, rolls, slices and enjoys. For foodservice, resealable tubs contain eight wraps sitting in brine.

The Netherland’s Vandersterre Holland B.V., makers of the popular Prima Donna line of cheeses, is rolling out Jersey Gouda under its Landana label. Made from the milk of Holland-reared Jersey cows, the company describes the gouda as “different cow, different milk, better cheese.” There are two varieties. Mild is aged for about eight weeks, while Mature is aged for about 17 weeks for a fuller, richer flavor and body. Also new under the Landana brand is Smokey Hot Pepper, which is traditional Dutch cheese with smoked jalapeno peppers for an interesting kick.

Germany’s Alpenhain now offers a convenient, spreadable form of camembert. New Camembert Crème come in natural and chive varieties. The cheese is made using fresh local Alpine milk without added flavor enhancers, preservatives, colors, emulsifying salts or thickening agents. It can be used as a bread or crackers spread, alone or with jam or honey, or as a cooking tool in everything from sauces to stuffed chicken breast. The spread comes in 125-gram containers for retail. For foodservice, chefs can work with 1.5 kilogram tubs or offer guests 25-gram portion packs.

After launching a corporate realignment this spring, the DMK Group of Germany used Anuga to roll out an integrated range of products. New Milram cheese varieties include Rügener and Küstenkäse in slice format. This convenient form brings the flavors of northern Germany to the nation’s sandwiches. These two cheese originals, made of milk from the island of Rügen, owe their particularly intense flavor to the red smear cultures used in their production.

Austria’s Concept Fresh continues to grow its no-melt cheese sold under the Gusteria brand. The most recent introduction is Burger, which are patties sized for bun. This joins the brand’s snacking size that rolled out two years ago. Both the burgers and the snacking medallions come with grill marks, so that they can be easily microwaved and served. The burger made its debut in the Classic flavor. The snacks come in three flavors: Chili-Paprika, Classic and Herbs.

M.J. Dairies of Bulgaria showcased an innovative kids’ cheese snack. The recloseable tub is designed to resemble a fish bowl, while the cheese snacks it contains come in the shapes of fish, dolphins and starfish. The cheese is vacuum packed inside the tub, with or without brine.

Switzerland Cheese Marketing is introducing Smart Snack. The branded snack is from and with Original Swiss Emmentaler AOP, a raw milk cheese made with cows milk from the valley of the Emme in the canton of Berne and made in the same region by local dairies. Each 178-gram upscale package contains two slices of the cheese (70 grams total), two slices of bread (80 grams total), a jar of spread (28 grams) and a knife. There are three varieties. Break Filler has whole meal bread with cranberries and cherry and orange spread. Life Saver has whole meal rye bread with chia seeds and a peppery pear and passion fruit spread. Soul Food has whole meal oat bread with apricots and apricot and pimiento spread.

Because kids want their own fun snack products, Italy’s Parmareggio SPA is rolling out the ABC and 123 collections. These snack packs contain single-serve portions of parmesan cheese along with accompaniments such as breadsticks, crackers, muffin and even a juice box.

Greece’s Alpha Gefsi Edesmata offers consumers a fun way to enjoy feta, which is as a dip and spread. Often mixed with Greek yogurt, or various herbs, spices or chopped vegetables, the product line recently had a makeover, with packaging now showing food photography and offering serving suggestions.

Italy’s Granarolo Group is making ricotta cheese a convenient snacking product by making it available in single-serve cups. The product is also lactose free and marketed as a high-protein food.

The company is also one of a number of Anuga exhibitors who introduced baked cheese snacks. Granarolo Cheese Crisps are 100% Italian cheese snacks that are gluten, lactose and carbohydrate free. High in protein, the shelf-stable cheese snacks come in five varieties. They are: Black Olive, Classic, Onion, Paprika and Pizza.

Such baked cheese snacks are gaining momentum throughout Europe, so much so, that non-dairies want a piece of the action. Hungary’s Felfoldi Confectionery Ltd., will be rolling out Let’s Cheese early next year. These 100% cheese oven-baked snacks are marketed as rich in protein and calcium. They come in range of varieties, including ethnic flavors such as Hungarian and Italian, as well as Hazelnut, Natural and Pork Rinds.

At the NACS show in Chicago, which ends today, Friday, October 20, Sargento, Plymouth, Wis., brings a flavorful twist to the familiar with a new and unique cheese snack. The Southwest Blend Snack Stick is natural cheese that blends the creaminess of Monterey Jack with Chipotle Cheddar, Colby and Pepper Jack cheeses.

About a year ago, Tyson Foods Inc., Springdale, Ark., introduced the Hillshire Snacking brand, which includes an array of individually portioned protein snacks for an elevated on-the-go eating experience to satisfy a more sophisticated food palate. The line includes Hillshire Snacking Small Plates, with each offering containing 15 or more grams of protein per serving. The plates are combinations of meat (salami slices, spicy pork chunks or grilled chicken chunks), cheese, crackers, crisps and nuts. At NACS, the brand revealed it latest addition to the line. The new combinations come with alcohol flavor-infused meats. Varieties are: Apple Chardonnay, Smokey Bourbon and Whiskey & Brown Sugar.

Chicago-based Kraft Heinz Co., is also grows its meat and cheese P3 (portable protein pack) snacking line. New P3 Protein Plates contain 60% more food than the original snacking size, according to the company. They are currently available in four varieties: Turkey, Cashews, Cheddar and Cranberries; Chicken, Almonds, Colby Jack and Blueberries; Ham, Cashews, Cheddar and Cranberries; and Turkey, Almonds, Monterey Jack and Blueberries. All P3 Protein Plates are designed to be shelved in the refrigerated section.

Going clean label is so much more than simple ingredients. That’s the foundation of the effort, while sourcing, processing and even a company’s philanthropic initiatives are now part of clean-label programs, which is why transparency has become the latest buzz word in food and business marketing. It’s all about explaining why a company does something.

Link HERE to read an article I recently wrote for Food Business News on “The complexity of clean label.”

Today’s shoppers want more information about what is in the foods they buy. They want to know where the food comes from and why the food contains certain ingredients. It’s not that they are necessarily opposed to the ingredients, they just want to know why they are in the product.

This growing consumer demand for transparency is being addressed both by regulation and with the rise of voluntary claims marketers make on packages and media. Each industry and segment are at a different stage of transparency, according to Kristi Weaver, partner, McKinsey & Company, Chicago, who was a featured speaker at the TransparencyIQ conference held Oct. 18, 2017 in Rosemont, Ill. For example, while artificial growth hormone-free liquid milk has become standard in retail, the market for cheese has yet to tip, with not even 30% of conventional U.S. cheese sporting the claim.

“Consumers today expect transparency from retailers and manufacturers,” Ms. Weaver said. “This impacts their purchase decisions.”

In the overall food industry, information about product ingredients ranks highest, followed by manufacturing process and sourcing practices. Many marketers invest in clean-label claims to remain competitive. Others do so to secure a competitive advantage based on consumer demand and their willingness to pay.

Transparency is materializing for consumers on two different levels, according to Weaver.

“There’s mandated transparency, which regulatory agencies act as advocates for the consumer and set up rules around,” she said. This includes labeling laws, such as the Nutrition Facts and nutrient content claims; dietary restrictions, such as a ban on trans-fatty acids; sourcing claims, such as organic; and manufacturing claims, such as no hormones in poultry.

“There’s also voluntary transparency, where companies advertise product attributes that cater to their target consumer,” said Ms. Weaver. “These attributes address one or more dimensions of a product, including ingredients, manufacturing, process and more. Voluntary transparency can be a source of competitive advantage.”

She presented a scenario with retail packaged chicken, which can easily be translated to many dairy foods. With chicken, hormone-free is required. “The category has tipped towards antibiotic-free,” she said. “Vegetarian-fed and cage-free are a competitive advantage.”

Companies that are in the process of making voluntary claims are wise to communicate their goals. In dairy, if you have plans to remove all artificial colors by the end of 2018, communicate this to consumers. They appreciate the information.

This past August, Kalona SuperNatural announced that it is the first dairy brand to offer 100% grass-fed products certified by the American Grassfed Association (AGA). As part of this initiative, in early 2018, two new products with this certification will be hitting store shelves, Plain and Vanilla Organic, 100% Grass-fed Cultured Whole Milk Kefir.

The AGA certification guarantees that the milk used to make their 100% grass-fed products comes from cows that are pasture-grazed and fed 100% forage, with no use of grains or grain products. It also prohibits the use of confinements, growth hormones, antibiotics and GMOs.

“Launching new products with the AGA certification gives us a competitive advantage in the marketplace,” says Mindy Seiffert, director of sales and marketing at Kalona Organics. “Today’s consumers are seeking transparency, credibility and authenticity when it comes to label claims on their products.”

Phil Forbes, farm liaison for the Kalona SuperNatural brand, says, “Our driving force behind getting AGA certified was transparency. We strive to get third-party verification on any claim we make on our products. AGA certification helps the consumer feel confident that when we say our kefir [coming soon in 2018] is 100% grass-fed, that it indeed is just exactly that.”

Grassland Dairy Products is launching its Non-GMO Project Verified butter products as it transitions its butter brand to being free from artificial growth hormones. The cream is sourced from American dairy farmers who meet the Non-GMO Project standards and are also compliant with Validus Dairy Animal Welfare Review practices. This is communicated to consumers.

“Butter is a very simple and natural product. Over the years, we witnessed a shift in consumers who want more accredited transparency in their food, we believe offering a Non-GMO Project Verified butter option would offer consumers more choices for their families,” says Trevor Wuethrich, president of Grassland.

He is right, consumers want to know more and rely on labels for that information.

At TransparencyIQ, Patrick Moorhead, chief marketing officer for Label Insight, Chicago, shared proprietary 2017 research showing that nearly half (48%) of consumers currently do not feel adequately informed about a product even after reading its label. Two-thirds of consumers hold the manufacturer/brand accountable for communicating critical product information in order for them to make an educated decision regarding purchase.

Here’s where it gets real, according to Mr. Moorhead: 39% of consumers would switch from their current preferred brand to one that offers more product transparency, while 81% would consider a brand’s entire portfolio of products if they switched to that brand because of transparency.

Label Insight data is able to put a price tag on transparency. Almost three-fourths (73%) of consumers are willing to pay more for a product that offers complete transparency. This is more than what, it’s why.

Why? Why? Why? It’s a recurring theme in transparency programs.

“People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it,” said Gina Asoudegan, senior director of mission, Applegate Farms, Bridgewater Township, N.J. She shared how Applegate Farms has driven industry change by forging alliances with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which are non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group, and third parties.

“Transparency for Applegate Farms is less about pushing our product and more about talking to people about our product,” she said. “You need to sell them your mission because today’s consumers buy based on their values.”

This is exactly how Stonyfield Farm made a household name of itself some 20 years ago. I remember being surprised by former-CEO and Co-Founder Gary Hirshberg’s openness in discussing the company and its efforts while other company’s executives shied away from interviews. He felt it was important to inform shoppers “why,” and in doing so, they would be loyal customers. He was right.

When he and Samuel Kaymen joined forces in 1983, they were simply trying to help family farms survive, protect the environment, and keep food and food production healthy through their nonprofit organic farming school. When they commercialized their yogurt production, it was not all organic, as demand for the yogurt exceeded supply of organic milk and other ingredients. Still, they focused on producing healthy, delicious food void of “unclean” ingredients.

Like anyone who became acquainted with Gary in the 90s, I quickly learned that part of his mission was to raise consumer awareness about the health- and wellness-benefits of consuming yogurt and other dairy foods. He wanted all processors to thrive and believed by making, promoting and selling the best dairy products possible, everyone was a winner. He believed winners had nothing to hide.

At the TransparencyIQ conference, Ludovic Meilhac, partner at McKinsey & Company, emphasized how transparency is much more than ingredient disclosure, with many layers of interdependent strategies to consider. Product developers and marketers must consider all aspects of transparency to have a chance in succeeding.

This includes being transparent along the way, not just when you reach your clean-label goals. That was the message shared by Deborah Arcoleo, director of product transparency, The Hershey Company, Hershey, Pa. She shared five lessons learned while implementing the company’s transparency program. These all apply to dairy foods marketing.

Lesson One: What matters is what people want to hear, not what you want to say; and consumers like knowing that even more information is available even if they don’t anticipate needing it.

Lesson Two: Consumers want to hear the whole story, not just the good bits. ‘Fess up to what you’re not satisfied with and what you are going to get better.

Lesson Three: The absence of information is information. Consumers will make up a story--often inaccurate--for why they can’t find what they are looking for.

Lesson Four: At the individual product level, your ability to be transparent is only as good as your data architecture. You can’t share what you don’t store and maintain.

Lesson Five: People are hungry for knowledge of how food is grown and where it comes from. Videos of farms and farmers brings product to life and educates them about the food system.

Happy Halloween! Have a spooky weekend! Why? Because it’s fun!

In order to explain food science to a room of high school seniors during a career fair at my sons’ high school, I knew I had to bring it to their level. That would be one of having strong opinions that are not scientifically based. For most of these kids, GMOs were developed by the devil and high fructose corn syrup by its cousin. And a “stranger thing” in a parallel universe is responsible for that can of Chef Boyardee ravioli. That was my way in.

I asked the kids to think of a center-of-store packaged food that they won’t eat and why. One boy went at with Chef Boyardee ravioli. After I gave him his minute, I stopped him. I explained how there’s an organic counterpart produced under the Annie’s label. Same concept, similar technology to form and fill the mini pastas, and identical retort process to give those cans a shelf life of about two years. That’s food science. He was speechless.

I distributed a small paper cup of raw whole almonds to each student and slapped a $100 bill on the table. I challenged them to squeeze the almonds to fill up the cup. I would pay the first student who could squeeze out even one drop of nut juice (thanks KJ for the descriptor). We all know I came home with the cash.

This really got them thinking.

I explained that science is used to make all types of food, conventional to organic. I opened their eyes to looking at the prepared food to think about its origins, the energy and resources that go into making that food, and even its impact in terms of waste and disposal.

http://www.agropuringredients.com/our-brands/alpha-lactalbumin/

Examples and stories, that’s always been my preferred way to communicate. After the almond activity, it was an easy sell for them to see how much less processed cows milk is as compared to nut and pea beverages. Still, someone spoke up and shared her view about it simply not feeling right to drink another mammal’s milk.

That’s a valid opinion. One I felt was not mine to counter. This thought process, my friends, is one of the biggest threats to fluid milk.

Interestingly, she had no problem with foods made with milk. Something for us to think about.

Now, open mindedness is not a strong suit of 18-year-olds who are at the top of the world and basically checked out as they await their college acceptance letters, but I decided I would push a little harder. I still had 10 minutes on the clock. I brought up flavors and colors, and explained how the latter are sourced.

One student accused the food industry of feeding him petroleum via artificial colors. I countered him and said that it’s his choice to choose his beverages. I asked him if he was fine with his lemon Gatorade having no color, which would be the same for every other flavor of Gatorade. He said this was not acceptable. I informed him that his purchasing dollar keeps artificially colored Gatorade in the market, as there once was a clear line that was free of artificial color. No one bought it.

I did offer that food scientists are working very hard with trying to develop naturally sourced vibrant colors with the same performance and longevity as their artificial counterparts.

On that note, my younger son cannot be happier that the original Trix has returned. He could care less about the color source. The fact that he often consumes three large bowls with about three glasses of milk in a single sitting works for me. I think that fills his daily dose of numerous vitamins and minerals at a very small price. That’s food science, my friends. It’s delivering safe and delicious nutrition and calories at an affordable price.

Food science is also allowing the industry to get creative with milk proteins. It’s time to start thinking about the next-generation of protein-enhanced dairy foods in order to keep dairy relevant with those 18-year-olds who will soon have more spending power.

From my recent marketplace and tradeshow observations, I believe there are three huge opportunities for dairy processors for innovation this coming year.

1. Team up with Coffee and Caffeine. It’s time to compete in the energy drink space as well as get more aggressive in sports nutrition. Coffee and milk are a perfect duet. Together they provide natural and sustained energy along with recovery protein.

Mövenpick of Switzerland now offers Coffee Shot, which is made from 100% roasted coffee extract and 1.5% fat milk with no artificial additives. Mövenpick Coffee Shot Espresso is an ice-chilled caffeine kick in shot format. It’s described as an Italian coffee treat with that extra caffeine kick of a triple espresso and is designed to boost energy at any time of the day. Each 100-milliliter bottle contains 109 milligrams of caffeine and a mere 66 calories, 1.4 grams of fat, 8.4 grams of sugar and an impressive 3.8 grams of protein. With some added whey proteins, this drink could be an endurance shot-style beverage.

Innoprax, also of Switzerland, recently added Caffe Lattesso Sport to its coffee-milk lineup. Each 250-milliliter cup with sipping lid contains 16 grams of high-quality milk protein for building and preserving muscle mass. The powerful caffeine boost (140 milligrams) from fresh espresso stimulates the central nervous system and helps the consumer take full advantage of their potential, according to the company. Ideally one should enjoy a cup of Caffe Lattesso Sport one hour before or after training. The drink is a blend of 75% lactose-free skimmed milk with added milk protein, 21% Arabica highland coffee and 4% sugar. (Note the lactose-free attribute.)

2. Focus on Frozen Protein Snacks. There’s a lot of better-for-you products competing for space in retail freezers, mostly in the form of pints or multi-pack novelties. The opportunity is in individual units for the grab-and-go consumer. It’s all about the convenience channel, including the kiosk at the gym and vendors at sports complexes.
Kri of Greece extends its High Protein Super Spoon brand to the freezer case. The brand made its debut about two years ago as a refrigerated yogurt. Now it’s a frozen product. The product is Greek yogurt combined with superfruits and frozen in single-serve cups that come with a spoon. Flavors are: Blackberry, Black Currant, Blueberry and Cranberry. Each 105-gram cup packs in 9.3 grams of protein.

In Sweden, Lohilo plans to roll out in early 2018 a line of grab-and-go protein ice cream bars. The initial rollout will be in Caramel & Pecan and Cookies & Cream flavors. The bars are designed to be an alternative to traditional post-workout and energy bars. Lohilio products are “lo” in carbs, “hi” in protein and “lo” in fat. The lactose-free bars contain 3.2 grams of sugar and 6 grams of protein.

3. Go Lactose Free. That brings me to lactose. Back to that room full of high school seniors. Would you believe a show of hands revealed that half the class, if not more, is lactose intolerant? I don’t believe it either. The problem is, they do. Lactose continues to be a major deterrent to consuming dairy foods. All innovation moving forward should make a lactose free claim a priority. Have this work to your advantage in terms of manipulating sweetness and possibly reducing added sugars.

That’s what Germany’s Emmi is doing with its Caffe Latte ready-to-drink coffee milk line. The beverage brand now includes a range of lactose-free formulations. Starting in February 2018, there will be new Emmi Caffe Latte Balance without lactose and reduced in calories and fat.

The people at Omira GmbH in Germany have built an entire business around lactose-free dairy foods with its MinusL brand. This month the company is adding three protein power foods to the lineup. There’s a 1-liter milk carton that contains 51 grams of protein and a fresh cheese with fruit cup concept that provides 12 grams of protein.

The dairy industry must constantly evolve to stay relevant, to be part of the conversation.

Need some additional brainstorming assistance? Let me introduce you to my oldest son’s classmates.

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