ADM Targets Clean Label and Flexitarian Trends With Ingredients From Nature at IFFA

09 May 2016 --- In an effort to expand its portfolio to meet current trends, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is launching two new ingredient solutions: vegetable-derived carmine alternative colors and SUPERB, a soy protein fiber solution. By focusing on trend-driven consumer demands, ADM is asserting its commitment to developing an ingredient range from nature that is clean label, healthy, nutritious and sustainable.

One of the first product examples to come out of ADM’s acquisition of WILD last year are vegetable-derived carmine alternative colors for meat products, meat analogues and ready meal applications. The new offering reflects the company’s focus on clean and clear label products, meeting the demands of its customers. Tim Symons, Sales Director EMEA, Meats & Meals (pictured left with Roland Snel, Senior Technical Manager, right) spoke to FoodIngredientsFirst about ADM’s expanding portfolio and the direction the company is taking with regards to market trends: “Everything ADM does is derived from natural raw materials and we think that’s absolutely on-trend from a labeling perspective.”

As a result, the naturally red hues of ADM’s carmine alternative colors, based on vegetable concentrates, represent reliable and cost-effective solutions, since vegetable sources such as red beetroot can benefit from significantly less price volatility. Symons explains: “Carmine has a certain negative labeling aspect at the moment, and is subject to price-volatility. With the vegetable origin material you can remove a lot of negative aspects from its origination and offer price stability. Sections of the meat industry have been looking to replace carmine and we believe we have the solution, both from a cost in use point of view and from a labeling perspective. It really combines ADM’s meat and naturally derived color expertise. This also highlights where ADM is going, with the acquisitions we make, capabilities we want to offer and the portfolio we want to have, to be a complete ingredient provider.”

In addition to the carmine alternative colors, ADM is launching SUPERB at IFFA this year. SUPERB is a functional soy protein fiber developed to boost the protein and fiber content in meat products. The ingredient also claims to control moisture retention and improve texture. “When you buy a meat product, you have a certain sensory expectation, and SUPERB is able to positively contribute to texture and structure within a meat system,” Symons explains. SUPERB’s content of protein and insoluble fiber claims to offer increased water binding capabilities to manage moisture within food systems. This in turn is described as enhancing strength and flexibility, maintaining flavor and juiciness and reducing cooking time.

With the use of soy protein in the fiber solution, ADM is introducing what it calls a natural extension of its portfolio. “Soy protein is one of the bedrocks of our portfolio as it currently stands, and it’s absolutely where growth is coming from within the meat industry and from the vegetarian trends,” Symons says. “Particularly within the meat sector, high protein and high fiber are exactly on trend with market demands. What makes this product different is that it actually has a higher protein content than a lot of competitive fibers out there, increasing the quality of the final product.”

Following the development of current trends, ADM has made several strategic acquisitions over the past 14 or 15 months, with companies such as WILD adding to ADM’s capabilities and protein portfolio. “We’re really focusing on health, wellbeing and natural origin materials. Obviously sodium reduction solutions are part of that effort, but also specific products such as flavors and colors, alongside the protein range from a functional point of view,” Symons says.

Following its acquisition of WILD, ADM has been promoting two salt reduction solutions, a lower sodium option and a natural flavor enhancer, to their customer base for the last six months. SaltTrim is a lower sodium sea salt derived sodium option, while Salt Enhancer is essentially based on natural flavors to use in combination with existing salt-reduction technologies. Symons says: “SaltTrim is really to reduce sodium, while the salt enhancer is when you’ve already reduced sodium with a potassium origin material. Using the enhancer in that space will really boost the flavor and remove any bitterness, which can be associated with potassium-based ingredients.” 

Symons states the products have generally been well-received. “What we’re offering is a bit different from just a salt reduction solution, due to the functionality of other ingredients alongside it. This is the benefit we have with the portfolio: salt is not only there for flavor, it’s there for other functional contributions, particularly within meat systems. Obviously in combination with functional soy protein, we’re really able to offer some great support to address concerns for texture and water retention often associated with sodium-reduced meat applications. I think that’s the strength ADM brings with the portfolio, we are aiming to be a complete ingredient and solutions provider and that explains why we’re adding these additional products and capabilities to the range.”

ADM is acquiring companies with specific capabilities in terms of developing products and offering ingredients which are on trend, such as high protein and high fiber. However, natural, clean and clear label are also messages they want to get across. Symons adds: “Health and nutrition really is something that spreads deep across what we’re trying to do, as well as flavors and specialty ingredients, and everything is feeding into that trend.”

Symons points to the meat industry as a very important sector. “The meat industry is still very strong for us. We supply a lot of, predominantly soy, protein to these applications and we want to support the industry. We want to make sure our products are not only nutritious but also offer functionality, texture, taste and effective cost in use from an applications perspective.” A comprehensive approach is essential, Symons says: “I think the days are gone when you can maybe just offer one ingredient. You have to be able to offer complete solutions to the industry and that’s what we can do from a commercial and technical perspective with the range and the technical support that we have and offer for the business.”

Though the meat industry is still the backbone for the majority of business that ADM supplies, Symons points to the flexitarian trend as another attractive market opportunity, with a number of concepts presented (see picture). “The flexitarian/vegetarian trend is very interesting and exciting, and we’re already well-placed to take advantage of the growth we’re seeing in that market from the soy protein range, the beans and pulses we have available, the ancient grains and ready-meal concepts. I think we’re extremely well-placed to capture it at the start of its development,” he says. 

Innova Market Insight’s Top Ten Trends Report 2016 notes that the average consumers who are regularly cutting back on their meat intake on health, sustainability or animal welfare grounds, are on the rise, with the researcher noting the impact of this so-called "flexitarian effect." Meat substitute product launches accounted for almost 14% of all new “meat” launches tracked in West Europe by Innova Market Insights in Q3 2015, compared to 6.3% tracked in Q3 2011. These flexible vegetarians can be more discerning than vegetarians or vegans, and their desire for better tasting products that are more reminiscent of meat helps drive innovation.

Symons agrees the flexitarian trend is a sustainable one, and here to stay. “It is definitely evolving from the traditional concept of what was a vegetarian offering, with a lot of the drive and growth coming from meat processors trying to develop meat analogues. The demands from the consumer are changing, it not just a traditional vegetarian offering, it really is much more designed at people wanting to reduce meat intake, whether it’s from a health or environmental perspective.”

ADM’s investment in its offering for meat analogues is apparent from its acquisitions, such as Specialty Commodities, based out of the United States, which offers a range of ancient grains and certain nuts, seeds and pulses. Symons also points to ADM’s fairly recent acquisition of a company called Harvest Innovations in the United States, which processes a large number of those ingredients for, for example, pasta-type products based on lentils and pulses. “They have a very specific processing technology based on natural and organic beans where they don’t use hexane or solvents in the extraction of the protein oil, as is traditional, so it’s a very different process with a very specific product that comes out in the end. This is an extension we’ve made within soy protein, which is obviously ADM’s real strength.” Symons additionally says that, in response to increasing demand, ADM is investing in a new food grade soy protein facility in Brazil.

Harvest Innovations uses expeller processing to turn grains, legumes and oilseeds into minimally processed gluten-free, non-GMO and organic ingredients, such as soy chips, crisps and flour, textured vegetable protein and gluten-free flours and pastas. “Harvest Innovations is a fairly new acquisition to us, so we’re still getting to know about their portfolio,” Symons explains. “There are a lot of exciting opportunities, with a lot of it organic and non-GMO, which is perfect for the European market. It’s very on trend and clean label products, whether in meat or vegetarian, are in demand. I think it’s a fantastic bolt-on to our existing range of non-GMO soy proteins.” Symons promises that the coming months will bring more news on this front.

Though Symons states that ADM is not yet exploring other vegetable protein sources, he does say: “We see a huge demand for vegetable proteins in general. Everything we’re doing around protein enriched food is built around vegetable proteins. The base of that for now is soy, but I’m hopeful and confident we will move into other vegetable protein in the coming period of time. In future, who knows where we could be with other vegetable proteins.”

Important topics for ADM at IFFA this year include meat technology, the use of functional ingredients such as soy proteins and fiber and the carmine alternative colors. Symons adds: “Our customers are able to engage with ADM in terms of our expertise and knowledge so they can really understand how we can help them deliver quality, nutritious, great-tasting and appealing products, and what options we have for developing new product ranges. We’re really excited about IFFA and are looking forward to engaging with our customers and showcasing the ingredient platform and capabilities we’re now able to offer.”

by Liesbeth Thijssen