THE PLANT-BASED INDUSTRY COULD GROW FROM £ 29BN IN 2020 TO £ 160BN BY 2030
THE PLANT-BASED INDUSTRY COULD GROW FROM £ 29BN IN 2020 TO £ 160BN BY 2030
MINTEL : THE FUTURE OF PLANT-BASED FOOD AND DRINK ,
2022
“ Dairy is a hugely active category in the plant-based space . Cow ’ s milk provides the perfect composition to make yoghurt , cream , and other indulgent dairy products , and so with plant-based alternatives , we need to balance the key components — water , vegetable fats , and proteins — to replicate the texture , taste and eating experience that people love ,” says Wong .
In this instance , Tate & Lyle is helping brands produce dairy alternatives , incorporating ingredients that replicate functionalities that would otherwise be addressed during the various production processes .
“ The luxurious , smooth viscosity of a yoghurt , for instance , is induced by the pH dropping when the live and active cultures in milk proteins convert pasteurised milk to yoghurt during fermentation ,” says Wong .
“ In a plant-based alternative , we need to reproduce that texture , which we can do through our portfolio of corn and tapioca starches , including clean label options , often as part of a broader solution using stabilisers and a combination of plant-based proteins to provide equivalent nutrition .”
One of the main challenges in this process is meeting growing expectations around ‘ clean-label ’, the preference for recognisable ingredients and short ingredient lists . Currently , Tate & Lyle ’ s global team of food scientists see brands prioritising taste and texture , which go hand-in-hand , to secure the repeat purchase , but increasingly they are helping to develop these products with appealing nutrition and clean-label credentials . “ Ticking all of these boxes won ’ t happen overnight , but the pace of innovation in this sector is phenomenal ,” says Wong .
For the most sustainability-minded food and drink brands Tate & Lyle works with , plant-based is a reality , not a trend .
“ As it continues to expand and eventually shifts from niche to mainstream , with the corresponding economies of scale benefits , R & D professionals will know they are not only making tastier , healthier , and more sustainable products , but they are helping to drive the radical transformation the industry needs to be fit for the future .”
Find out more about the plant-based trend at Trends & Insights | Tate & Lyle ( tateandlyle . com )
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