bake - May 2014 - 20

Brought to you by

the consumer pulse
clean label

CLEAR CHALLENGES AND
CLASSIC OPPORTUNITIES
Consumers are increasingly interested in and knowledgeable about what's in the food they eat, presenting a tremendous opportunity for
food manufacturers and retailers who stay on top of trends and anticipate related ingredient changes.
As the "clean label" movement quickly gains steam in the commercial aisle, ISB, and foodservice, it's time to understand the influencers
boosting this trend. Removing unwanted ingredients will help you create better choices for consumers and better position your products
to this growing market. The first dilemma? Determining what "clean label" really means. According to 2013 research from The Hartman
Group, Inc., clean food encompasses a variety of consumer-appealing attributes: clean production (organic, fair trade), clean processing
(organic, natural) and clean ingredient list (natural). In its most basic definition, "clean" aligns with "simple" and "less processed."
With such general frameworks, manufacturers of baked goods need to stay abreast of the market influences driving consumer perception. Such knowledge helps you anticipate ingredient changes rather than react. It's also important to understand the trade-offs associated with formulating to clean label. Many of the now undesirable ingredients serve very specific functions within baked goods - not all
clean label replacements are drop-in solutions and some may result in function, taste, and process differences along with added cost.
As noted in the 2013 Datamonitor report, Innovations in Clean Labels, issues for manufacturers include technical challenges around
delivering a quality product at the right price, and marketing and insight challenges around assessing shifts in consumer perceptions and
providing the most appealing clean label products. The food manufacturers and retailers who best meet those challenges can expect
to claim a clean and decisive market victory.

C O N S U M E R S WA N T T O K N O W W H AT T H E Y A R E E AT I N G
Consumers want to see ingredient names
they understand.
Do you prefer ingredients use their common names rather than their
scientific name? (e.g. salt instead of sodium chloride)

Consumers want to see products made
with less ingredients.
How appealing is a product that is formulated with the
lowest number of ingredients possible?

what our experts say
The focus of healthy eating used to be almost exclusively on the nutritional value of foods. But today, we are seeing more consideration given to the ingredients used as a part of what defines "better for you" options from a consumer perspective. For instance, you
can have a cleaner label product that is high in fat, sugar or sodium, or a very nutritionally balanced product containing approved
ingredients that may not meet today's definition of clean label. Historically, healthy eating trends have been driven by: the healthcare
profession, government recommendations, and the media. But the consumer influence is growing in new ways. That influence used
to come primarily through an individual vote with a consumer's wallet. Now that individual vote can quickly become mainstream
through social media - whether the opinion is founded on perception or fact.
American consumers are making their voices heard and they want to be given an opportunity to make the choices that are best
for them or their family. Food manufacturers and retailers should be proactive in delivering the cleaner choices consumers desire.
- Barb Murphy, Director of
Consumer Insights, Corbion Caravan

bake - May 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bake - May 2014