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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Understanding these emotions, in combination with local taste preferences, presents an opportunity for snack producers to innovate and meet growing consumer demand for new flavours and formats.

Kerry surveyed 8,790 consumers across 16 countries in Europe, Latin America, North America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa to learn more about their snacking behaviours as they relate to cheese flavoured savoury snacks, while also studying new product launch activity.

It was found that consumers have a deeply positive perception of cheese flavours in savoury snacks, with 62% stating that cheese flavours make savoury snacks more exciting – indicating potential for brands to connect with them emotionally. Cheese-flavoured snacks also outpaced the overall savoury snack category in new product launches, demonstrating further potential for innovation.

Consumer preferences vary globally

While 77% of consumers globally said taste is the number one reason they love cheese, preferences vary across different markets and geographies.

Indulgence is a big driver in Europe, while consumers in the UK, South Africa and the US turn to cheese for comfort. In Latin American countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia and Honduras, consumers associate cheese with freshness.

Cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan are popular among respondents in North America and Europe, while dairy flavours such as milk and cream play a central role in savoury snack flavours in Asian countries – particularly in China, Indonesia and Thailand.

Kerry’s proprietary sensory research also showcased how taste perceptions vary hugely around the world, with panellists in Indonesia describing cheese-flavoured snacks as buttery and mild compared to panellists in the UK finding them strong and salty.

The research also explored top flavours based on snack type, with cheddar reigning supreme around the world and cited as the most appealing cheese profile across potato chips, popcorn and cheese puffs.

Opportunity for innovation

Commenting on the research, Soumya Nair, Global Consumer Research and Insights Director, said: “Cheese is a truly cultural experience, shaped by different geographies, generations of rich culinary history, local ingredients and traditions. Our research indicates that there is an opportunity to innovate in this space and bring new flavours to life across a variety of savoury snacks.

“But cheese flavoured snacks also bring indulgence and a sense of adventures to consumers. Snack producers can be very creative in blending the traditional with the new.

“Although many consumers love classic, single-cheese flavours in savoury snacks, there is plenty of scope for mixing things up. A significant percentage – 50% – tell us that creative additions such as herbs, spices and chilli are variants they look for.

“We are the global leader in dairy taste and bring a 50 year dairy heritage in food production and science to create global, local and regional-specific cheese taste and dairy solutions. Our marketing, consumer, sensory and regulatory teams work alongside our flavourists and application experts to deliver our portfolio of market-leading dairy and dairy-free taste solutions,” Ms Nair added.

Full details of the research findings across 16 countries are contained in a new eBook, where food producers can learn how to leverage these insights to create and market new products. The eBook can be downloaded here.

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America’s New Fortress Energy is behind proposals for the onshore liquefied natural gas facility with a deep water jetty, storage tanks and gas-fired power station at Ballylongford, Kerry.

But their plan to bring fracked gas from the US to Ireland has been mired in controversy since the High Court quashed their planning application in 2020.

The state backed away from the plans in its 2020 programme for government but a new application has divided political views since Russia’s war on Ukraine sparked gas supply fears.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said in January a new application would not be blocked if approved by planners and has since met with the firm behind the project, but Environment Minister and Green Party leader, Eamon Ryan, told An Bord Pleanála it shouldn’t be permitted “under any circumstances”.

This week activists from Ireland and the US have been gathering at a week-long climate camp in Kerry to voice their opposition to the plan.

Speaking out in support of the protesters, Hulk star Mark Ruffalo said: “I’m proud to support the Climate Camp in Ireland that is raising awareness about the dangers of the proposed Shannon LNG terminal that would import gas from Pennsylvania and further devastate those communities.”

The actor says he lives near the proposed LNG export terminal along the Delaware River.

“Ireland rightly banned fracking because of the environmental and public health impacts and should reject this terminal for those very same reasons,” he added.

In their application for planning permission, Shannon LNG propose a 600 megawatt gas-fired electricity generator, an LNG terminal and batteries to store up to 120 megawatts of power. The terminal would import natural gas that has been cooled for the purposes of transport. A floating plant will reheat the liquid so that it becomes gas. From there it will be supplied to the power plant and national supply network.

The site notice that Shannon LNG put up says that the terminal will be able to supply up to 22.6 million cubic metres of natural gas per day.

An Bord Pleanála is due to make a decision on the €650m plant in September.

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However, teenagers aged 13 -17 had a striking spending rise in June (+19%).

In contrast to the trend last month, total social spending fell by -5% in June as consumers scaled back their pub spend (-8%) compared to May, and also spent less money on fast food (-4%) and in restaurants (-3%).

The overcast weather in June may have played a part in people spending more in cinemas (+25%), but that increase was an outlier – with consumer spending on clothing and groceries both falling by -6% month on month.

Spending in each of the 26 counties fell in June, with Donegal dropping the most (-8%). Kerry recorded a spending decline of -7%, the same as Roscommon, while negative trends continued in Limerick, Tipperary and Wicklow – which all recorded a spending drop of -6%.

Further afield holiday-makers flocked back to popular European locations following a relative decline in May, with June spending jumps recorded in Italy (+48%), Portugal (+45%), Spain (+38%) and France (+32%).

One constant with May’s spending picture was that teenagers (13 -17) had a striking spending rise in June (+19%), but that’s where the similarities ended. Every other age grouping posted a drop in spending during the past month, with 18 -25 year olds recording a monthly fall of -12%, 26 -35 year olds down by -8% and the 56 – 65 year olds falling by -5%.

Commenting on June’s spending data, Jilly Clarkin, Head of Customer Journeys & SME Markets at Bank of Ireland said: “Cost of living increases are a concern for everyone, and in that context it is not surprising to see June’s spending levels dropping a bit on last month. The spending data analysed by Bank of Ireland over the past few months has produced some uneven trends, so while total consumer outlay rose significantly in May, it then fell again in June.

“It’s probably too early to identify a clear trend, but some people may be getting more prudent with their money as they look ahead to the second half of the year. But we’re also entering peak holiday season, so some consumers could just be holding their spending until they get away.”

 BoI debit and credit card transactions – June 2022 vs. May 2022

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