IDM ¦ Column/News
Increasingly, consumers want foodservice
outlets that they feel mirror their
attitudes and outlook on life, meaning
these two areas need to be at the forefront
of innovation.
Appeal of plant-based food
and drink will grow
Over the next couple of years, the appeal
of plant-based food and drink within the
foodservice sector will continue to grow.
From an industry perspective, this will be
driven by increased new developments
of products. From a consumer side it will
be driven by increased levels of concern
about health and sustainability. However,
whilst plant-based products have
something of a health halo attached
to them, it is important to recognize
that barriers can still exist to purchase.
For instance, a 2019 survey found that
42% of consumers believe that plantbased
food and drink can taste bland
and boring. This shows that irrespective
of decades of attempts by the industry
to convince consumers otherwise, there
are still some who feel that healthier
food and drink offerings are less likely to
taste as good. In addition, 2020 research
found that 51% of consumers are concerned
that dairy alternatives are more
expensive than dairy products – something
that could be problematic.
Nevertheless, the appeal of plantbased
food and drink products within
the foodservice channel will continue
to grow, as consumers adjust dietary
plans, become more health and sustainably
10 · November/December 2020 ¦ international-dairy.com
minded, and what foodservice
outlets to demonstrate traits linked to
kindness, comparison, and responsibility.
As such, it is crucial that the foodservice
sector looks to address barriers
associated with plant-products and innovate
menus to try and get consumers
back in through the door.
This article has been compiled based
on the following sources:
FMCG Gurus – Foodservice survey,
Q2 2020
FMCG Gurus – Meat and Plant-
Based survey, Q2 2020
FMCG Gurus – COVID-19 survey,
Q1/Q2 2020
FMCG Gurus – Sustainability survey,
Q3 2019
Efficient conveyor technology
KARL SCHNELL combines hygienic design and maximum stability
KARL SCHNELL adapts their conveyor
lines individually. Conveying
capacities of up to 50 t/h can be realised.
Additional options are often
desired, for example belts with
weighing systems for raw material
standardisation or the transport
via metal detectors.
KS only use frictionally engaged
belts with roller drive. This means
that gradients of 2 to 45 degrees
are possible in the systems. A stable
tensile member made of polyester
and aramid is advantageous here, as
this ensures a long service life and
high dimensional stability even with
heavy loads.
KS conveyor belts usually have a
TPU-coated monolithic belt. TPU
is very often used as a coil coating
material in food processing, as
it can be used without problems
Highly hygienic conveyor belts for universal use in the food sector (photo: KS)
even at very low temperatures,
has a very good abrasion resistance
and is also resistant to vegetable
and animal fats and oils. It
is also advantageous for cleaning
purposes, as the belts have an
absolutely smooth surface. In addition,
antimicrobial additives in
the belts prevent the growth of
harmful microorganisms on the
belt surface.
The adhesive properties are also
very important, because when
transporting very sticky products,
it must be ensured that they can
be removed from the belt without
problems. In addition, the temperature
challenges are enormous
for the belts; the spectrum ranges
from frozen goods at -18 degrees
Celsius to processed cheese at 85
degrees.
With these belt types, KS have
implemented conveyor lines that
transport blocks of cheese weighing
25 kg around 100 m. Or belts
for charging raw materials that
have a buffer capacity of up to
1,000 kg and then have to transport
the product further. ks.com
/international-dairy.com
/ks.com
