IDM ¦ Ingredients
Stevia solutions for
dairy alternatives
Marrying two consumer trends
Author: Delphine Forejt, Category Development Manager for Dairy and Baby Food at Tate & Lyle Europe, looks
at how dairy alternative and sugar reduction trends are beginning to overlap, the opportunities it brings, and the
challenges manufacturers face in meeting this new demand.
Over the past few years plant-based food and drink
has become more than just a trend. It’s no longer
something just for those observing a vegan diet but
accessible to everyone, with more people than ever
labelling themselves ‘flexitarian’.
Dairy alternatives are becoming an increasingly popular choice,
whether it’s a dash of plant-based milk in a tea or coffee, or more
complex desserts and ice-creams made exclusively from plant sources.
There is now more variety on offer, with plant sources such as
oat, coconut or almond milk, all of which have overtaken soy in
terms of popularity in recent years1.
Across Europe, the number of dairy alternative launches grew
by 32% between 2016 and 2019 with almost 4,000 new product
innovations being launched in 2019 and 2020. It demonstrates that
the demand is there, and manufacturers have an opportunity to tap
into this if they can create something that is unique and will stand
out from the crowd.
One of the key drivers behind the growing shift towards plantbased
products is perceptions around health credentials. We know
that nutritional value is one of the considerations behind food purchasing
decisions – 41% of French consumers check nutritional content
when buying cheese, while a third of UK consumers check the
nutritional content on food package when shopping2 – and this is no
different when it comes to dairy alternatives.
However, it is important to remember that taste remains the
most important factor in many consumers’ food and drink choices.
In fact, 88% of consumers say that taste has the greatest impact on
food and beverage purchases3, so this should undoubtedly be the
foremost concern in any dairy alternative formulation.
Manufacturers face a challenge in finding a balance between the
growing health demands of consumers and continuing to deliver the
products they enjoy, but there are solutions available to help them
achieve this. At Tate & Lyle, we have a broad toolbox of ingredient
(photo: Tate & Lyle)
solutions that are designed to help manufacturers tap into the plantbased
trends, and our expert team works closely with our customers
to help them find the bespoke solutions that best suit their needs.
26 · November/December 2021 ¦ international-dairy.com
/international-dairy.com
