Bellevue Ingredients & Solutions, part of the Ebro Group, has rolled out a range of additive-free “Super Flours.”

The line combines durum wheat with other plant-based ingredients, such as pulses, vegetables, nuts or botanicals to “fully express their potential.” 

Super Flours are positioned to appeal to vegan and clean label trends while offering gourmet and colorful products. 

“We are convinced of the future of the plant-based trend and we believe its future is in bakery,” Chanhy Bastos, product manager at Bellevue Ingredients & Solutions tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

Plant-based appeal
The launch comes as the “Plant-Forward” trend, Innova Market Insights’ second Top Ten Trend of 2021, highlights the continued development and evolution of the plant-based sector.

“The plant-based movement is a global phenomenon and is becoming more and more diversified. We now find plant-based meat or dairy alternatives, probiotic herbal drinks or plant-based prepared dishes as new ways to eat healthier. The list is long and continues to grow,” explains Bastos.

Added ingredients bring brightness, enhanced flavor, increased fiber and protein intake, notes the company. 

The flours come in three categories: Nutritude - healthier and nutritious products, Colors and Flavors - gourmet and colorful products, Original Seed - ancient grains such as Khorasan wheat.

Flours with “Nutritude”
Tapping into the health and wellness trend, the Nutritude line of Super Flours is made with plants, botanicals and pulses that can help improve Nutri-score ratings. The line consists of: Fit - with green lentils and bamboo fiber, Boost - with chickpeas and almond powder, Comfort - with wheat bran and psyllium fiber, Zen - with wheat germ, green tea and mint. 

Flours with enhanced colors and flavors
The Super Flours Colors & Flavors line is made with durum wheat, vegetables and pulses to offer colorful products. These include Golden - soft and sweetened, with butternut and yellow lentils, Amber - delicate and warm, with tomatoes and red lentils and Jade - powerful and fresh, with spinach and yellow peas. 

The last category, Original Seed, makes use of ancient grains. Khorasan is an “ancestral” product with a boosted nutritional profile and the taste of hazelnut. 

“More than ever, consumers need transparency. They are paying more attention to what they eat and tend to eat more plant-based food for their health, the environment and animal welfare,” affirms Bastos. 

The Ebro Group at FiE Connect 2020 
Bellevue Ingredients & Solutions is part of the Ebro Group, an umbrella company for plant-based ingredients. 

Herba Ingredients is another company driving plant-based ingredients under the Ebro Group. The company is presenting its rice and pulse ingredients at FiE Connect 2020 this week. 

This year, Herba Ingredients is sharpening its focus on its protein ingredients from pea and faba bean at the virtual event. This includes Herba Ingredients’ HerbaTEX range of textured pea protein.

Arjan Geerlings, new business development manager at Herba Ingredients, sees that the plant-based revolution is continuing to mature and develop. 

“Although taste and texture will remain the most important aspects of plant-based foods, other characteristics are becoming more relevant as well, like locally grown, organic, clean label and sustainability,” Geerlings tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

He also recognizes that allergen-free formulations, such as gluten-free products, are “here to stay.” 

“We have been growing on this trend during the last 10 to 15 years with our rice flours that form the base for many gluten-free foods. The plant-based trend fits perfectly with the gluten-free concept because pulses and pulse ingredients are in general free from gluten and allergens.” 

“It is for this reason, and for the trend in plant-based proteins, that Herba Ingredients invested in a new pulse ingredients factory in which we now produce a complete line of ingredients from pea and faba bean, including textured pea protein,” Geerlings affirms.