They may represent just 1% of
the frozen dessert market
right now, but plant-based
brands are set for meteoric growth
over the next five years1. As health
and environmental concerns drive
more consumers to cut their dairy
consumption, rising demands from
the plant-based mainstream will be
a true test of manufacturers’ innovative
capabilities.
Market research specialist Mintel
has already noted an impressive
development in global product
launch activity. From 2015 to 2019,
plant-based frozen dessert launches
went up 31% year-on-year, with
low allergen, vegan and dairy-free
the most common claims on product
labels.
Although the launch rate has
since slightly subsided, there are
plenty of reasons for keeping an eye
on this $800 million market. The
most obvious one, of course, is the
consumers.
Health is the driver
Anyone with an interest in consumer
purchasing habits will have noticed
the growing movement towards a
more plant-based diet in recent
years. A Euromonitor survey has revealed
that health – specifically digestive
health – is the major driver.
Consumer interest in the environment
and animal welfare are important
secondary factors.
“Only 4.5% of consumers are
currently vegan, so the trend is
very much about reducing rather
than eliminating dairy from the diet
while increasing the protein content.
Plant-based frozen desserts are
also lactose-free by nature. Though
this is not a top growth driver, it’s obviously
an advantage for the many
consumers who are lactose intolerant,”
says Michelle Nguyen, regional
dairy marketing manager at IFF.
The regional difference
As a long-time supplier of ingredient
solutions to the ice cream industry,
IFF has a habit of publishing monthly
concepts to inspire new product development
PLANT BASED DAIRY ALTERNATIVES 2021
– the first time back in
2006. Over the years, the concepts
have gained an increasingly dairyfree
focus, always with a view to
the varying expectations and preferences
of consumers around the
world.
“The key is to develop different
solutions for different regions,” says
IFF’s sweet dairy group manager
and senior principal application
specialist Finn Hjort Christensen
“In the US, for example, ice cream
is perceived as a food item that is
part of the daily diet. This is where
consumers of plant-based products
are most likely to look for a clean label
and are more willing to accept
a small sensory compromise for the
sake of health.
“For most European consumers,
on the other hand, ice cream is an
indulgent treat, so they have high
expectations with regard to taste
and texture and are less inclined to
choose a low-fat or low-sugar product.
The same applies when they
choose a plant-based alternative.”
Sensory challenges
This may explain why, according to
a Mintel report, North America is
by far the biggest market for plantbased
frozen desserts, while Europe
is the primary centre for product innovation.
“The plant-based segment offers
many opportunities to utilize
the nutritional and sustainability
potential of soy, pea, oat and other
protein sources. But, from a sensory
perspective, taste and texture are
always a challenge,” Christensen
adds.
Compared to a traditional dairy ice
cream, the formulation of plantbased
frozen desserts simply requires
more attention. Many plant
proteins are characterized by a
beany or cereal flavour and tend to
have a thin, watery texture. Proper
hydration is essential to attain full
functionality. And, when used in
frozen dessert mix, there is a high
risk of excessive viscosity formation,
causing problems in production.
Inspiring innovation
Today, tailored ingredient solutions
make it possible to overcome these
challenges. IFF uses its concepts to
highlight the latest opportunities to
create creamy textures and a pleasant
mouthfeel and taste using functional
proteins sourced from soy, pea
or carob.
Until recently, the category was mainly
oriented towards vegan and vegetarian
consumers. The rise of flexitarian
consumers, who want to cut down
on dairy rather than cut it out completely,
is now adding another layer to
the innovation challenge – how to optimize
appeal and motivate consumers
to buy a product more than once.
This is driving a new tendency among
manufacturers, who are exploring
how plant-based alternatives can
mimic the sensory quality of dairy ice
cream. Several multinationals have
already launched plant-based variants
of their well-known brands.
Indulgence before health?
However, manufacturers don’t have
to leave health on the back seat just
because they go all-in on indulgence.
As Christensen points out, ingredient
technology has a come a long way
since the food industry first started
addressing challenges like fat and
sugar reduction.
“Even though the plant-based frozen
desserts category is relatively
new, we are often able to apply our
know-how to filling sensory gaps.
That knowledge also provides a foundation
for building new sensory solutions
for specific plant proteins or creating
indulgent plant-based concepts
with probiotic cultures and prebiotic
fibres.”
That’s not to say there is a solution
to every innovation challenge just
yet. But it does give manufacturers a
good head start as the buzz around
plant-based frozen desserts grows
louder. Their ability to capture a loyal
mainstream following will be the
measure of their success.
1 Euromonitor
September/October 2021 ¦ international-dairy.com · 21
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