Ulrick & Short Launches Sugar Replacer for Breakfast and Bakery

29 Oct 2015 --- A unique new sugar displacement product from leading British owned clean label ingredient specialist Ulrick & Short is set to turn the manufacture of baked goods and breakfast products on its head.

The company’s latest ingredient, named Elemis, enables manufacturers to reduce sugar by up to 30 per cent in cereals, snack bars, cakes and muffins – amongst other products – with no effect on product quality. Replacing sweetness is relatively straightforward with the use of artificial sweeteners and natural sugar substitutes, but replicating the functionality of sugar has always been more challenging.

Consumers are without doubt looking for reduced sugar options in their staple meals, and breakfast cereals have taken a PR battering recently for generally high sugar content, even in lines purporting to be ‘healthy’.

One of the few exceptions to this trend is one of the leading household name ‘diet’ cereals which was responsible for its parent brand’s biggest RTE (ready to eat) loss during 2014/15. The line has since been overhauled, including the addition of a new reduced-sugar product fortified with vitamins and minerals – and already that product’s value sales are up.

Similarly, the bakery market in the UK alone is predicted to grow by nine per cent by 2020. Given the choice, consumers will select products perceived to be lower in sugar as long as they can be confident that the eating experience will be unaffected. That’s where Elemis comes in.

Ulrick & Short Director Adrian Short explained: “Not too long ago it was fat that was seen as the healthy eater’s nemesis, now it’s the turn of sugar. Here at Ulrick & Short we have always tried to stay ahead of the trends, developing replacement clean label ingredients that manufacturers can be confident will exactly replicate the intended taste and functionality within their products.

“Breakfast on the go is booming, up 13 per cent over the last year, and bakery manufacturers are always looking for the latest development that will give them the edge in a crowded marketplace. Elemis is the perfect solution for any number of cereal or bakery based products, from snack bars to buns – and even those with fillings. We’re predicting big changes in these sectors and we’re confident our ingredients will play a key part in the revolution.”

The announcement about Elemis comes hot on the heels of the company’s launch of a full range of Delyte fat reducers and replacers, suitable as substitute ingredients for the majority of fats, including butter, oil and milk solids. Delyte ingredients are suitable for a massive range of products: in bakery for cakes, ganache, fillings and icings; with sauces both sweet and savoury such as béchamel or caramel; for hot and cold dips and marinades; even ice cream and other chilled or frozen desserts - and much more. 

Ulrick & Short is the leading British-owned starch specialist, supplying household name food manufacturers across the world with naturally gluten-free non-GM ingredients, and innovating across a diverse range of food industry sectors including bakery, meat, dairy, soups and sauces. The company has a team of dedicated sector specialists and food technologists based in Yorkshire and works hand in hand with customers to maximise value from product development.