With the launch of Danisco Planit, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences (DuPont) aims to transform the global eating habits and co-create plant-based beverages, dairy alternatives, meat, fish and seafood
The initiative is in line with DuPont’s ambitious plan to revolutionise the plant-based sector, providing support in every step from conceptualisation to successful commercialisation of innovative, yet locally relevant solutions and recipes that are ready to take to market.
Birgitte Borch, vice-president of marketing, food and beverage, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences, said, “The depth of what we can offer our customers is unique in the industry.
“Danisco Planit is a significant launch for us. We offer a total ingredient solution with the ability to deliver taste, texture, nutrition and sustainability. And, we believe in co-creation and look forward to innovating new formats and categories with our customers to widen the food space and create great eating experiences for the growing group of global consumers that want to increase their plant-based consumption.”
“The market innovation for products that allow consumers to eat a burger without eating meat, drink a milkshake without drinking milk, have been impressive,” Borch said. “For the mass market consumer however, we want to do more. Mainstream consumers are not only looking to avoid meat or dairy, they are looking for a great eating experience. In order to take plant-based mainstream, we need to expand innovation beyond imitation. We want to support the shift to a more plant-based diet by creating multiple options, thereby enabling nutritious, plant-based food and beverages in every meal, every day—from early-bird breakfast to the midnight snack.”
Borch sees plant-based as an opportunity for the industry to meet consumers’ changing eating habits.
“We believe co-creation is the route to shape the market and capture fast-evolving consumer needs for every eating occasion,” Borch said. “We want to create sustainable consumer loyalty, ensuring that plant-based products are loved and tasty enough to become a regular part of consumers’ diets, not just a ‘try it once’.”
Future lies in plant-based solutions
In plant-based products, as in all food categories, taste and texture are imperative. However, in plant-based there are a variety of protein sources, and when combined with consumer requirements for health and nutrition, designing and formulating new formats that are top-performing in all sensory dimensions is a challenge. A great tasting product isn’t just about flavor, but the interactivity among sight, smell, touch and sound. Sensory expertise is at the center of new product development for plant-based food and beverages.
“We can turn our insights into business opportunities and forge a new product development pipeline with formulation strategies that maximise consumer liking and meet the requirements on nutrition and ingredient lists,” said Sonia Huppert, global marketing lead for plant-based health.
“We keep a constant focus on developing ingredient solutions for new products, and for plant-based food and beverages in particular, to offer to the plant-based industry innovative solutions for plant-based yogurt, ice cream, drink, and meat alternatives, including full meal solutions.”