Despite ongoing concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ‘Food Ingredients Europe’ (FiE) 2021 trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany, which took place from November 20 to December 2 was a great success. The recurring sentiment from attendees at the Edlong booth, as well as other exhibitors, was “how great to be back in person!” What the FiE 2021 show might have lacked in terms of attendance due to the current pandemic was more than made up for by inspiring and committed food developers who did not disappoint, with a variety of interesting innovation proposals and project ideas.
The Sweet and Savory Taste of Innovation
To help show food manufacturers how dairy and dairy-free flavor solutions could benefit their upcoming innovations, Edlong’s booth featured two prototypes: a crunchy, plant-based Edam profile cookie with a cheese filling and an indulgent plant-based fudge. Both products were so well received that all the samples were sold out! Demonstrating the added value in our Edlong flavor solutions.
Fudge with Brown Butter Profile
In particular, the fudge was a taste of the authentic flavor of our butter and cream profiles that was finished before the end of the last day with several people coming back for more.
Reinforcing the value Edlong offers in terms of the depth and breadth of solutions developed by our plant-based dairy flavor experts that can be applied across a wide range of food categories.
Edlong flavors:
- Natural Brown Butter-Type Flavour #1413518 @ 0.30%.
- Natural Clotted Cream-Type Flavour #1412914 @ 0.40%.
- Natural Sweet Cream-Type Flavour #1412560 @ 0.40%.
Key points:
- Completely dairy-free application with authentic dairy flavor
- Offers an indulgent mouthfeel
- Application entirely of vegetable origin
Allergen Warning:
- Contains soy
Edam profile crackers (Buiscuits) with Cheese
Edlong flavors:
- Natural Edam-Type Flavour #1412502 @ 0.70%.
- Natural Cheddar-Type Flavour #1412271 @ 0.70%.
- Natural Butter-Type Flavour #1411311 @ 0.06%.
Key points:
- Completely dairy-free application with authentic dairy flavor
- Crispy Edam-style buiscuits filled with cheese
- Creamy and indulgent filling of vegetable origin
Allergen Warning:
- Contains gluten
The Evolving Competitive Landscape in the Food Industry
Like all exhibitors, we also took the time to see what our industry peers and competitors had to offer in terms of innovative ingredients, and we were not disappointed. Some examples we can mention were the great ingredient functionality at the AAK booth demonstrated in both delicious crackers and a great tasting plant-based Feta cheese to some innovative new launches from Biospringer, Lieber and Innovopro and many more.
It’s hard to pick just one aspect that stands out from this incredible three-day event, but, after spending more than 18 months in confinement and no in-person travel or meetings, I think we can all agree that just being able to participate, connect and reconnect with colleagues, friends, customers and suppliers within the ecosystem that the FIE 2021 show provided was in itself a moment to remember.
Consumers of Plant-Based Products Are Looking for More
Another recurring theme was the need for high quality plant-based products in terms of taste, texture and nutrition. “This is a growing focus among current and future consumers of plant-based products. It is putting pressure on ingredient manufacturers to be high quality and at the same time offer functional elements for health, such as protein or vitamins, as well as having clean labeling and allowing simplicity of ingredients,” said Mervyn Louis de Souza, Chief Innovation Officer at Edlong.
Looking back over the past two years, we have all managed to engage and communicate with our customers and suppliers through the amazing virtual solutions available to us. However, this year, attending FIE 2021 in person was a necessary opportunity to meet customers under our ‘new normal’ environment. Despite the cover-ups, restrictions and restricted attendance due to COVID concerns, the Edlong team returned energized with solid new opportunities, innovative ingredient ideas and a strong validation of the fact that the trend for plant-based products continues to grow with demand for such solutions that taste good and are environmentally sustainable. The value that our Edlong solutions offer is clearly demonstrated, and that’s a wonderful feeling to end 2021 and start 2022.
Ready to see how Edlong’s flavor solutions can be a game changer for your products in 2022 and beyond? Contact our global R&D team to leverage over a century of experience, an extensive portfolio of flavors that can be customized for your project and the agility of our female-led team.
Topics: Butter flavorsCheese flavorsCream flavorsDairy-freeDessertsSnacks & bakerySweet dairy flavors
Resource Type: Article