15/07/09 Over the last year the number of baby food product launches containing rice ingredients has almost doubled as food manufacturers continue to respond to the consumer demand for natural, organic and hypoallergenic products, three of the major health trends of 2008/09. In contrast, the overall number of baby food new product launches in 2008 stabilised, compounding the relevance of rice-based ingredients in driving the market and helping manufacturers create innovative products that meet the needs of the evolving consumer, according to data from Innova Market Insights.

“Consumers’ lifestyles and understanding of health & nutrition has helped shape the baby food market”, says Vincent Caluwaerts, Sales & Marketing Manager from BENEO-Remy. “Consumers have become savvy to what food products contain and actively look for options that offer additional benefits, especially when buying for their children. This has become particularly clear within organic product developments, as since 2002 the number of organic baby food products has increased exponentially.

“Equally convenience has become a priority for consumers. Time poor, fast paced lifestyles see consumers demanding not just healthier and more natural products for their children, but also products that can be consumed more easily. Accounting for 68%** of the global baby food market, milk formula presents the biggest opportunity. Milk formula for toddlers has shown the biggest average growth of 18.5% (2003-2008), according to Euromonitor, suggesting that the increased number of mothers returning to work is playing a role in this growth” Caluwaerts continued.

BENEO-Remy has first hand experience working with baby food manufacturers and providing rice-based ingredients to help them tap into key consumer trends of natural, organic, hypoallergenic and convenience, which are so prevalent within the baby food arena.

BENEO-Remy’s rice derivatives have the ability to provide clean label, organic, highly digestible and hypoallergenic (gluten and lactose-free, according the limit indicated in Codex Alimentarius) solutions for baby food. Proof of this suitability comes from a recent study by Innova Market Insights into global baby food and beverage product launches. In 2007 the market researcher tracked just over 130 baby food products containing rice ingredients launched worldwide. Since the shift in focus to ‘all things natural’ there has been a significant jump and the number of products launches more than doubled in 2008. This trend continues in the first three months of 2009.

Other areas of growth within baby foods containing rice ingredients have been in the ‘baby meals’ and ‘cereals and biscuits’ sectors, which respond to the need for natural convenient options. Also during the first quarter of 2009 and in Eastern Europe alone there was an explosive increase of interest in baby foods that contain rice ingredients; jumping from 7% of the year’s total new product launches in 2007 to 37% in 2008.

However, to ensure that a credible ‘natural’ message is being met, food and drinks producers need to choose their ingredients providers with caution. This is why BENEO-Remy has placed such a priority on developing its unique rice-derivatives from the purest of natural ingredients and as consequence they are well placed to make the most of the increasing trend for clean label products (the number of clean label product launches grew by 48% in 2008, according to Innova Market Insights data). Apart from being able to provide products suitable for infant milk formula, BENEO-Remy’s High Care Line is able to deliver pre-gelatinised rice starch that meets the new EU legislation 1441\2007 regarding the absence of E. sakazakii (in 30x10gr).

As can be seen from numerous examples in the market, food producers capitalise on the move towards natural, benefits-led baby food and beverages. Working alongside food ingredients manufacturers such as BENEO-Remy, it is possible to create a range of exciting baby foods and beverages that respond to the growing global trend for food integrity and naturalness.