Ingredion’s new foodservice growth guide, entitled Put profitability on the menu, details how foodservice operators can drive sustained clean label growth. 

With more consumers linking simple ingredient lists, recognizable ingredients and minimal processing with the clean label experience, there is a significant opportunity for foodservice outlets to accelerate business growth and returns.

Comprising proprietary research from Ingredion, Put profitability on the menu explores the key trends underpinning clean label growth, how to capture the business value of clean label and how to extend menu options with ingredient innovation.

“The global foodservice is currently forecast to reach US$3.2 trillion by 2023, based on a CAGR of 2%,” outlines Daniel Haley, global platform lead, Clean & Simple Ingredients, Ingredion.

“What we are seeing is the potential for a rapid recovery as consumers act upon their pent-up demand for dine-out options, in turn driving stronger growth and creating opportunity within the sector,” he details.

“Evidence shows that the foodservice industry is largely adopting clean labels as a business strategy and that commitment toward these changes is long-term.”

Clean label formulation presents a significant opportunity for foodservice outlets to accelerate business growth and returns.Adapting menus at-speed
Harsh processing conditions, like those typical in dairy applications, can often make clean label formulation challenging. However, new natural ingredients that perform under all types of production processes are opening up “new and exciting menu options.”

From a creamy, slightly viscous cheese sauce to a rich meat gravy that doesn’t congeal, recognizable clean label ingredients such as tapioca starches and sustainably sourced rice flour are durable solutions in a culinary kitchen.

Ingredion also highlights that process-tolerant, cold water swelling texturizers can now be used in bakery fillings to create products with improved stability that look good, are tasty and have a simple “corn starch” ingredient listing. 

The company recently partnered with The EVERY Co to distribute its animal-free egg white, called EVERY EggWhite, which is “brewed” using yeast and sugar.

Ingredion outlines that foodservice operators that have switched over to clean label offerings saw an overall increase in revenue averaging 41%, an increase in F&B margins of 38% and an increase of 48% in prices to customers of 48%.

The supplier recently launched its tool called the Clean Label Business Opportunity Simulator, which was created to help F&B industry members assess the business value in transitioning to cleaner, simpler ingredients during formulation.

Clean and plant-based
The clean label movement is also expanding plant-based possibilities – a category that has undergone reformulation strategies, such as switching out methylcellulose. 

Ingredion highlights that pea starches and isolates are label-friendly, boost the nutritional value of products such as non-dairy cheese, solve texture challenges and increase protein content. 

Meanwhile, clean label rice starches can be used to improve the succulence and eating experience of meat alternatives as foodservice operators seek to improve the quality of their offering at a time when flexitarians are an increasingly important market.

Ingredion was recently at Natural Products Expo West, held in California, US, exhibiting its prototype concepts including a plant-based coconut yogurt made with its “ultra-performance” plant protein.

The company also previously collaborated with AAK, Chr. Hansen and Givaudan in merging tech knowledge to co-create a plant-based, high-performance yogurt base.

Top of the formulation priority list
Tapping into the heart of clean label has been one of Ingredion’s top priorities for over 25 years, stresses Haley. “We continually strive to further enrich the clean label movement and formulate menu offerings that customers will want to eat.”

“Developing a clean label offering that meets both consumer and commercial goals should always be a top priority.”

Demonstrating that the link between “natural” and sustainability is getting stronger, Kerry’s pipeline rolled out new solutions that enable clean label preservation to prevent food waste.

In other developments, more players across industry are edging closer to fully eliminating nitrates from processed meats and the artificial whitener titanium dioxide from various products.