Healthy snacking trend puts cheese ingredients in the spotlight, says Ingredia

13 May 2021 --- A growing consumer focus on health, naturality and sustainability is driving innovation in the cheese market, according to French-headquartered dairy company Ingredia. Not only this, but the development of cheese consumption in some global regions is leading to new ways of consumption as healthy snacking gains further traction.

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst ahead of the company’s webinar next week, Aliénor Drago, product line manager, highlights the key themes shaping the dairy and cheese sector.  

“Naturality, health, convenience and indulgence are all driving innovation in the cheese sectors,” she says, noting that “comforting recipes” are also boosting appeal for many of today’s consumers. 

“The cheese market has been rising for the past two decades and is still expanding. The biggest market in terms of consumption remains Western Europe, with 36 percent of the consumption in 2020. It is interesting to notice that the worldwide consumption share of Western Europe is decreasing in profit of Asian markets.”

Healthy snacking surges
Cheese is more often seen as a healthy snacking option with inherent nutritional value such as high protein and calcium content, adds Drago. 

“Cheese is an indulgent product, with many possibilities for innovation, including taste, format, texture and flavor and so on.”

Ingredia has created specific dairy proteins to develop healthy and creamy cheese concepts.“With busy lifestyles and urbanization, cheese innovation is driven by the healthy snacking trend. Cheese brands concentrate on nutritional benefits of their products in smaller formats,” she elaborates. 

Moreover, cheese is also seen as a meat alternative, and we see innovation such as cheese skewers for BBQ concepts.

“Cheese products can help consumers to meet their dietary needs; for instance, by fortifying the recipe with iron, by adding ayurvedic spices or gut-friendly cultures,” Drago highlights. 

Ingredia also develops functional dairy proteins to match the dairy market trends and proposes new cheese concepts. “First, we developed healthy snack concepts such as a drinking cheese at 10 percent of protein. Fluid, creamy, healthy and clean label, it is perfect for on-the-go consumption.”

Transparency trending 
In line with Innova Market Insights’ top trend for 2021, “Transparency Triumphs,” Ingredia agrees that consumers are looking for naturality, with more transparency about the ingredients, processes and people, which are reflected in a product’s price. 

Drago believes that dairy and dairy ingredients are crucial to this market demand. 

“Dairy proteins are clean label ingredients, with functionalities that can answer market drivers expectations, such as formulating healthy and natural dairy products.”

Challenges in nutritious cheesemaking
Clean label formulation is a major challenge as consumers expect 100 percent dairy ingredients with simple labeling, Drago stresses. “Formulating healthy cheese can be a hurdle, as protein enrichment gives a strong texture and reducing fat gives a plastic texture.”

“Removing emulsifying salts in processed cheese is also a challenge, but possible thanks to Ingredia’s functional dairy proteins,” she highlights.

Leveraging its expertise and technologies, Ingredia has overcome significant reformulation challenges while expanding its additives-free range. 

“We recently developed a fresh cheese mousse without gelatin and a cream cheese without hydrocolloid,” notes Drago. 

Removing emulsifying salts in processed cheese, spreads, blocks and slices is also a priority, she affirms. 

“For these applications, we have functional dairy proteins with interesting properties. Ingredia developed a long conservation camembert with a shelf life of six months, thanks to our without whey separation technology and functional dairy proteins. Cheese is now reachable for all and everywhere,” Drago underscores. 

Flexitarian tastes rise
The “Plant-Forward” movement is gathering speed, and even for dairy ingredient suppliers like Ingredia, it is a trend that cannot be ignored. The healthy snacking trend drives cheese innovation, says Ingredia.

As the plant-based space continues to evolve and branch out, Innova Market Insights reveals that global markets are continuing to open up for hybrid formulas made with both animal-based and alternative proteins, driven by expanding consumer preferences for an “extra level of sophistication.”

Luckily for Ingredia, flexitarian consumers will keep consuming both vegan and dairy products, explains Drago. 

“Affordability, taste and clean labeling all remain important for consumers,” she flags. 

Commenting on whether this plant-based demand will impact the dairy industry, Drago says that there could be an opportunity for dairy suppliers by blending milk-based products with popular plant-based ingredients.

“That will surely appeal to flexitarian consumers,” she says. “Promoting simple recipes, local dairy ingredients can also be an advantage for the dairy sector,” Drago concludes. 

Last December, Ingredia launched two new functional milk proteins – Promilk Yogfluid and Promilk B Max – providing more health-driven solutions for creamy, permissible indulgent dairy products targeting snacking on-the-go. The ingredients were being showcased during FiE Connect 2020. 

You can sign up to listen to the webinar here.

By Elizabeth Green