The plant-based meat analog explosion started out as a disruptor in the prepared foods field and is currently going through some serious growing pains. But the idea of crafting meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy replacers derived from plants and other non-animal sources goes back centuries. Think: tofu. While there’s no argument that the main driver of the consumer love affair with meat-free options has been the technological boom that allowed for meat, poultry, and seafood mimics that have become increasingly close in flavor, texture, and other organoleptic aspects of their animal-based counterparts, the catalyst was also the demarcation between meat analogs and meat replacers.
Prepared Foods speaks with Susan Guerin, CEO of World Finer Foods, Inc. and Cutting Vedge, Inc., makers of burgers, meatballs, crumbles, and sausage replacers from artichokes.
In an interview with Prepared Foods, Kantha Shelke, PhD, CFS principal of Corvus Blue, LLC, a Chicago-based food science and research firm, shares effective ways to lower sugar content in RTE and heat-&-eat cereal products through both technical means as well as using alternatives to the refined sugars still predominant in these most popular breakfast products.
Renewal Mill, Pbc., a California company at the forefront of the new circular economy of food upcycling, has done the front-end work to ensure that it is rescuing valuable resources that would otherwise go to waste or be used in ways that are less sustainable. The company’s success comes from a deep understanding of the confluence of all those aspects as individual building blocks of a working upcycling paradigm. Renewal Mill co-founder and COO Caroline Cotto describes how Renewal Mill converts the byproducts of grain, seed, and legume food and ingredient processing into a retail line of clean label, organic specialty flours and baking mixes.
Prepared Foods talks natural and organic product trends with Scott Dicker, market insights director at SPINS LLC in Chicago. In this podcast, Dicker discusses those natural and organic categories that are doing well (think global flavors, at-home meals) and he shares an inside look at SPINS’ top trends for 2024!
Prepared Foods' second installment of our two-part interview with Yves Potvin, founder and CEO of Konscious Foods Canada, Inc. Yves discusses deviating from the most common source of plant protein—soy—opting instead to use protein predominantly from peas, with supporting protein from additional sources such as chickpeas and seaweed.
What’s next in plant-based proteins and has fungi truly arrived as a protein source? Are cell-based or cultured proteins ready for the market? What other new protein ingredient sources should formulators consider? Prepared Foods talks with Stephanie Lind, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Elohi Strategic Advisors, to covers the protein ingredient landscape, including the latest in precision fermentation.
Kristi Knowles, chief executive officer, Mother Raw, discusses the brand's mission and new organic product innovations. Under her leadership, the brand has grown from 300 retail listings in 2018, to 8000+ listings across North America. With the brand promise “Put Good on GoodTM” Mother Raw brings a fresh focus to the dressing, marinade, dip, queso and condiment categories. Known for clean, natural, allergen friendly offerings, Mother Raw products address a range of consumers including vegans and those avoiding common allergens including soy, gluten, nuts and dairy.