Kerry’s Food Waste Estimator, announced to mark the UN International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste Reduction, allows consumers and manufacturers to quantify and understand the financial and environmental impact of reducing food waste either in the food chain or in the home.  

With the UN estimating that a third of all food is wasted, the combined effort of consumers and manufacturers to reduce food waste can have a significant impact on creating a more sustainable food ecosystem and will be critical in solving the increasing global challenge of food security.

Using just a few simple inputs, Kerry’s innovative new estimator is designed to inform users about the impact that reducing food waste can have on our planet.

It provides information on the number of additional people that could be fed, as well as the amount of carbon dioxide and water that would be saved by making simple changes to reduce food waste. Too Good to Go, the world’s largest food saving app, provides useful food waste reduction tips for consumers within the estimator.

In addition, the estimator enables food manufacturers to determine the impact they can have in reducing global food waste by using shelf-life extension technology across their portfolios. Research has shown that approximately 50% of consumer waste could be prevented via shelf-life extension technologies – a saving which would meaningfully reduce world hunger.

Bert de Vegt, Global VP for Food Protection & Preservation at Kerry said: “Today is a reminder of the precarious global situation of food security. We all need to act and as an industry we must take immediate action in eradicating food waste within the food system through new technology and innovating together.  

While Kerry partners with manufacturers to extend the shelf-life of products, it is important to remember that individual actions at home can also have a big impact. If the world reversed the current trend of food loss and waste, we could protect enough resources to feed three times the amount of undernourished people on the planet today. Our new tool provides simple but actionable insights for both consumers and the food industry and shows the real impact that shelf-life extension technology can have on food products.”

Solutions

 As the market leader in conventional and clean label preservation, Kerry understands shelf-life protection and extension to be the most actionable method in managing food waste both in the home and throughout the supply chains It has pioneered breakthroughs in the highest food waste categories of bakery and meat, including patented plant-based curing agents and nitrite-free solutions for listeria inhibition, innovative vinegar-based solutions for clean taste in low pH bread applications as well as solutions for process and heat treatment replacement in beverages. With the broadest portfolio of preservation technologies in the industry, each year Kerry extends the shelf-life of over 34.5 billion loaves of bread and 43.5 billion servings of meat globally.

Kerry’s technologies support the reduction of food waste through fermentation, vinegar-based ingredients, plant extracts and enzymes, alongside conventional organic acid-based preservatives like propionates and acetates. Taking a holistic approach, the company also supports manufacturers in creating a more circular flow of resources, repurposing products that would otherwise have ended up as waste. For example, spent coffee grounds being used for authentic coffee flavours and proteins being converted into biofertilizers through fermentation.

The food waste estimator can be accessed here.

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Sherex Supreme

 Over recent years, high demand, limited availability and extreme price increases for LBG have led to a search for solutions to deliver and match LBG’s functionality at a reduced cost.

Sherex Supreme does just that: Kerry’s validation trials on premium, budget and standard hard-pack ice creams show that Sherex delivers the texture, mouthfeel and other taste attributes consumers expect from traditional ice cream, all at up to a 50% lower cost and with no change to the label or manufacturing process.

Ice cream is an enormous and growing global market that Euromonitor estimates holds a $21 billion retail value globally and $4 billion in Western Europe.

Demand for LBG has grown rapidly in recent years due to its exceptional functionality and suitability for many rapidly growing plant-based product applications, but supply has not kept up given the 10-year growth period required for the carob tree to bear the LBG-producing pods. This imbalance has led LBG prices to ratchet up by 800% over the last five years—and a staggering sixfold increase just since 2020.  

Commenting on the launch, Tricia Hayes, Global Senior Director, Emulsifiers, Texture Systems and Gum Acacia, Kerry, said: “LBG is a highly valued ingredient in ice cream manufacture that offers extensive functionality but over the last few years has also seen increasing demand and cost increases.

“Kerry’s Sherex Supreme is a texture system that delivers the creamy mouthfeel, good aeration, desired viscosity and controlled meltdown that consumers expect from ice cream while offering up to 50% cost savings versus standard texture systems. Most importantly, Sherex Supreme maintains the indulgent rich ice cream taste so prized by consumers.”

In each recipe tested, Kerry’s validation trials on Sherex Supreme—examining such attributes as viscosity, particle size, mix stability, overrun, meltdown behavior and sensory appeal—found that it achieved or exceeded the desired results in three categories: premium, budget and standard hard-pack.

In a blind tasting conducted to assess sensory qualities (texture, mouthfeel, aftertaste, smoothness, sweetness, etc.), 9 out of 10 panelists could find no difference when compared with the control product. In addition, Sherex Supreme is comprised of ingredients (LBG, guar gum and mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids) already listed on ice cream labels, meaning that no changes are required to the label.

Hayes added: “Sherex Supreme decreases both dependence and pressure on LBG raw material supplies, mitigates price inflation for ice cream products, and helps protect market share for manufacturers—all with no changes to the label or manufacturing process.

“We’re proud to release this innovation to address a pressing economic issue for ice cream makers, delivering a highly positive benefit: a 50% savings that can help ice cream manufacturers combat growing cost pressures. Kerry’s research and development team continues to work intensively on a wide range of similarly exciting innovations for use in many different foods and beverage applications.”

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Kerry’s latest research into foodservice beverages shows consumers are seeking flavours that they link with health and nutrition benefits such as strawberry, lemon and mango, but are also seeking excitement and a sensory experience through newer formats like Frappuccino and bubble tea. 

Examining nearly 400 limited time offerings (LTOs) across 12 regions in Europe, the new Art of Taste and Nutrition 2022 summer analysis categorises the top beverage platforms and flavours, while examining future trends and influences across the world. According to the research, the top three LTO trends are as follows: 

• Travel through taste: Moving beyond just a beverage, LTOs can also deliver an experience. Many outlets this year launched beverages with flavours such as mango, pineapple, passion fruit and coconut to create a tropical island experience for the senses. 
• Natural refreshment: Consumers are craving a cool, refreshing beverage, with many now focusing on flavours they consider natural and local to the different European regions such as lemon and strawberry.  
• Health and nutrition focus: Consumers are looking to foodservice outlets for healthier options. Nutrition focused LTO ranges need to deliver not only great taste but also health benefits through fortification and healthy halo ingredients. 

Commenting on the new report, Daniel Sjogren, VP and General Manager for Foodservice in Kerry Europe, said:  

“With markets in Europe fully re-opened this summer, foodservice operators find themselves once again competing for consumers attention. LTOs have come back with a vengeance and are more popular than ever. We have found that consumers are looking for exciting sensory experiences, with the rise of bubble tea and drinks that are a visual experience and shareable on social media.  

“Fruit flavours continue to be the core flavour offering for summer LTOs across Europe but with two clear distinctions. Firstly, exotic flavours have become more prominent in consumers’ minds as they remind themselves of their favourite holiday destinations. However, consumers are also becoming more conscious of their own health and are seeking out flavours aligned to their personal nutrition needs.”  

Future trends 

Looking towards 2023, it is clear that sustainable nutrition will continue to gain traction with consumers more concerned with both their physical and mental health post-pandemic and the health of the planet. They are also more interested in unique menu items, with foodservice operators now having to consider not only taste but look, texture and smell to create a complete sensorial experience.  

“Our prediction for the future is that sustainability along with nutrition will continue to become more important as consumers look for great tasting beverages that are better for them and better for the planet. However, many operators find it challenging to deliver on these evolved trends while also being able to communicate them to their consumers in a meaningful way. At Kerry, we look forward to partnering with customers to bring our insights to life and deliver exciting new concepts for summer 2023,” adds Mr Sjogren. 

The Art of Taste and Nutrition beverage analysis for summer 2022 can be downloaded here.  

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In 2022, Kerry carried out research with more than 1,500 consumers across four countries – US, UK, Australia and Brazil – to uncover sensory expectations around plant-based burgers and cheese alternative slices.

The research found that flexitarians, the key consumer group driving the growth of plant-based, are more critical of products versus vegan and vegetarian consumers. While sustainability is a top driver, consumers are unwilling to compromise on taste and seek products that are as close to the taste experience of animal products as possible.

The research uncovered the main drivers across key markets, as well as the attributes that consumers seek when purchasing plant-based burgers. Kerry’s research uncovered the following:

• A total of 60% of UK consumers started eating plant-based products because they are considered ‘healthier’ and 76% will buy a plant-based burger described as ‘authentic chargrilled-tasting’.
• 63% of US consumers started eating plant-based products because they believe plant-based is ‘better for the planet’. A total of 80% of US consumers are likely to buy a plant-based burger that is ‘rich and savoury’.
• 51% of Australian consumers continue to buy plant-based due to a better environmental impact, with 78% expecting a burger that caramelises and browns during cooking to be delicious.
• In Brazil, the benchmark is making beef burgers from scratch and seasoning to their liking. A total of 67% of Brazilian consumers continue to buy plant-based because they are committed to improving their own (or their family’s) overall health.

Taste as a gateway

Although beef is the benchmark, consumer expectations for plant-based burgers go beyond just the taste experience and are in fact higher. Consumers desire products with improved succulence and a ‘bite’ that feels as close to meat as possible. They also seek cooking cues such as charring which signal that a burger is perfectly cooked and safe to eat and want meat alternatives with improved nutrition.

Commenting on the findings, Fiona Sweeney, Strategic Marketing Director at Kerry, said: “The need for a great taste experience is universal. For plant-based foods, which are often chosen by consumers as a more sustainable option, ensuring great taste can be a gateway to delivering innovative and sustainable nutrition solutions for consumers around the world.

“However, ensuring a great taste experience – involving a full sensorial experience of sight, sound and texture – is highly complex and in plant-based foods it is inherently more challenging because the bar is set high with meat and dairy as the benchmark,” she said.

“The flexitarian consumer, the key consumer group driving category growth in plant-based foods across the world, is actively trying to reduce their meat and dairy consumption. However, as they still eat meat and dairy products, their plant-based taste expectations are driven by these experiences.

“Overall, our research found that flexitarians are more critical of the plant-based products currently available on the market. Delivering great taste, along with improved nutrition and sustainability credentials, will be key to success in this category.

“We partner with our customers to create a world of sustainable nutrition, which is led by our expertise in taste. Our understanding and expertise in developing market leading, consumer appealing plant-based solutions combined with a deeper sensory understanding can help you fine-tune product development, unlock category growth, and create something truly satisfying, innovative and market-leading.”

The findings are contained in a series of eBook published by Kerry, which contains actionable opportunities for the industry to address consumers’ current expectations and future unmet needs. You can download the eBooks here.

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The pair, who set up the Californian street food-inspired brand four months before Covid-19 hit, have signed distribution deals to have the Cali Cali Superbar sold in Circle K, Applegreen, Spar, Londis, Centra, SuperValu and Tesco stores.

Pairing with agri-food giant Glanbia, the founders have been working on the taste of its vegan protein ingredient.

“There are lots of great products out there but one of the things we have noticed is that they have a really bad aftertaste,” McGrath said.

They have been perfecting the recipe for three years and after a trial run, they have two flavours to begin with: a chocolate, coconut and goji berry bar and a salted caramel bar.

With ambitions this year to sell 1.5 million of the vegan and gluten-free bars, which are high in vitamins D, C, B6 and B12, the co-founders see the bars sitting somewhere between a chocolate bar and a high-protein bar. McGrath and Gannon exited Fulfil in 2018.

“We are not going after protein bars — only 14 per cent of protein bars are bought because they have high protein in them,” McGrath said.

The brand has also worked with Kerry Foods to create low-calorie crisps that launched last year.

Cali Cali originally started by introducing four sauces to shop shelves and has continued to grow. A partnership with Boyne Valley will help ramp up production, with Mr Gannon saying there are seven people currently employed by Cali Cali but Boyne Valley will provide access to a manufacturing base of 200.

They say the deal with Boyne Valley is indispensable and has helped them to gain access to Australia, Benelux, the UAE and the UK. Most recently they have signed a deal with Waitrose in Dubai, which will see a rollout on March 2.

“We believe Dubai will be a real proof-of-concept market for us. We have had orders coming through from Saudi Arabia, right through to Kuwait — they seem to be just picking up on the brand,” Gannon said.

This year they plan to open a deli-style counter at the Junction 14 service station near Naas, Co Kildare, to show that their ingredients can also be used in food service. They’re also partnering with salad chain Chopped to supply ingredients for a healthy burrito bowl.

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