Alternative sustainable proteins: Kerry’s plant-based push recognized by FAIRR

13 Aug 2020 --- Taste & Nutrition company, Kerry, has been ranked #5 on the FAIRR list of global food companies who are actively promoting and supporting plant-based foods and beverages. Kerry says the recognition confirms its commitment to expand its successful plant protein portfolio and deliver on customer demands for healthier, more nutritious and sustainable plant proteins.

Tesco and Unilever were in the top two spots and rated as “pioneers,” while Kerry joined Nestlé (#3) and Marks & Spencer (#4) in the “proactive” section of FAIRR’S recent list.

“At Kerry, we pride ourselves on supporting our customers through the delivery of more sustainable solutions. We are delighted to be recognized among the industry leaders in the FAIRR Initiative’s report on the global shift toward alternative sustainable proteins,” says Juan Aguiriano, Kerry Group Head of Sustainability.

“Consumers are expanding their consumption of plant protein, an area in which there has been constant and revolutionary innovation in recent years,” he adds.

To address this, Kerry recently made a significant expansion to its plant protein range for food and beverage companies, offering an extensive range of plant-based protein solutions, with “superior taste and which are nutritionally optimized by the inclusion of the full complement of essential amino acids,” the company notes.

The main challenges with plant protein can be the off-notes, gritty texture and mouthfeel in products. “Our extensive R&D efforts have enabled us to fully understand these challenges and develop effective solutions to address them,” Aguiriano adds.

Also, a recent successful launch for Kerry is its ProDiemRefresh, a clear, vegan protein that is stable in low-pH beverages and which supports a clean product label (no stabilizers required). 

“ProDiemRefresh, is a game-changing protein product that offers consumers a great-tasting, refreshing alternative to traditional protein shakes,” he notes. 

“With such changes underway, it’s nothing short of an exhilarating time to be in the fast-paced vegan and organic industry. And now, with Kerry’s expansion of protein offerings, the needs of organic, vegan, allergen-free and traditional product manufacturers are being squarely addressed – to the ultimate benefit of consumers,” adds Mindy Leveille, Strategic Marketing Manager, Proteins, Kerry Tate & Nutrition.  

The company’s new plant protein offerings are plant-based and allergen-free, with organic options, and are suitable for use in a wide variety of creative food and beverage applications. Containing protein from the desirable plant sources of pea, rice and sunflower, they address the mounting need for organic, vegan and traditional choices while at the same time offering great solubility, dispersibility and neutral taste. Kerry says the FAIRR recognition confirms its commitment to its plant protein portfolio. 

Plant protein expansion 
Plant-based is very positively perceived by today’s consumers who are more informed than ever about their food and where it comes from. Demands for tastier plant-based choices in a range of popular items are accelerating, providing further opportunities for nutritional bars, yogurts, and waters, juices and smoothies.

Innova Market Insights pegs the “The Plant-Based Revolution” as the second most significant trend of this year, fueled by the growing consumer awareness of the impact of meat consumption on personal and planetary health. 

Over the last few months, heightened by the health concerns amid the coronavirus outbreak, plant-based diets and products have been pushed to the fore. Several key players have reported a spike in interest for their products and the connection between a plant-based and a healthy lifestyle has been underscored.  

Last week, Meatless Farm invested £1.5 million (US$1.96 million) in its most extensive-ever advertising campaign. The M*** F*** campaign is a step-change for the UK-based vegan brand which has built a loyal following on social media but is now aiming to grow its market share by targeting meat-eaters who made the swap during the COVID-19 crisis.

As Kerry notes, the consumer-driven shift toward plant protein-based foods and beverages has been in evidence for some time. However, in a post-COVID-19 landscape, plant-based is accelerating, with expectations for further growth. 

By Gaynor Selby