Vegan alternatives are rapidly rising to the forefront of the condiment world, with more products than ever going dairy-free, according to Germany-based clean label ingredients specialist Kröner-Stärke. As more consumers are embracing a plant-based or flexitarian diet, the company has created Mayofix Vegan, made up entirely of natural components.

According to Innova Market Insights data, new launches with vegan claims have seen a substantial rise and are becoming mainstream. The market researcher notes a 21 percent annual growth of food and beverage launches tracked with vegan claims (Global, 2015-2019). Currently, Snacks lead the launches with vegan claims (11 percent), while Sauces & Seasonings is in second place for the top category for launches with vegan claims (10 percent). 

This new powdered product from Kröner-Stärke enables cold production of a creamy emulsified mayonnaise-like sauce. The egg-free formulation offers numerous health benefits and an effective means of reducing cholesterol levels, says Kröner-Stärke. 

“We’re always looking for ways to provide sustainably produced ingredients that meet consumer trends without compromising on taste or technical quality. The pure nature of our Mayofix Vegan makes it suitable for a wide range of foods and an even wider range of consumers,” says Commercial Manager Henrik de Vries. 

“The vegan trend is mostly driven by young people, health conscious people. In total the people are more and more interested to reduce the meat consumption in total. Considering the total market we see that these flexitarians are the most important target group,” he tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

“From our point of view the major challenge is to achieve the same functionality by avoiding any additives. The clean label aspect is for us the essential and we believe that this will be the key factor for future products,” adds de Vries.

He also says that natural and organic ingredients boost credibility in the vegan condiments sector.

For food manufacturers, Mayofix Vegan from Kröner-Stärke is suitable for a range of end-use applications such as vegan salad creams, dressings and dips or as a spread. Its natural and E number-free preparation allows food processors to simplify end-product formulas and avoid the use of artificial ingredients, the company notes. 

One of the challenges associated with the production of vegan alternatives concerns consumer apprehensions about their sometimes artificial and highly processed nature. Mayofix Vegan provides the ideal solution, being totally composed of seleced wheat flours and untreated spring water from Kröner-Stärke’s family-run plant in Ibbenbüren, Germany. The product is also available in an organic form.

Mayofix Vegan is characterised by a light, velvety texture and can be used as a stabilizer or emulsification ingredient or as the base ingredient for a range of sauces, spreads or mayonnaise.