PLANT BASED DAIRY ALTERNATIVES 2021
different characteristics. Therefore, Food manufacturers
ranging from start-up to leading companies are innovating
rapidly in this category. The majority of commercial
launches, investment activity, and media attention,
have focused on plant-based meat alternatives.
In terms of numbers, Fortune Business Insights
forecasts that the global dairy alternatives market will
reach $25.1 billion by the end of 2026.
The Global Non-Dairy Yogurt Market
For some dairy processors, plant-based dairy alternatives
represent another way to attract new consumers
and grow overall brand awareness that can co-exist
with dairy operations.
The plant-based yoghurt market is expanding with
more types of plant-based cultured alternatives appearing.
Sales of vegan yoghurts are predicted to exceed
$12 billion by 2029 (Future Market Insights).
The non-dairy yogurt market accounts for 6% of the
entire industry of dairy alternative products. Spoonable
non-dairy yogurt accounts for a 2% share of the
total dairy category.
As each nation is unique, so are its plant-based
consumer preferences. Dairy processors that wish to
enter the plant-based dairy alternatives market will
have to address some challenges. Product formulation
is one of them and it’s no longer just about imitating
dairy, but producing value-for-money products is another
consideration.
The fastest-growing claims related to
these products are GMO-free, indulgent,
premium, and traditional.
Currently, the most used base ingredients are almonds,
cashew nuts, coconuts, soybeans, and oats.
Government agencies in several countries are encouraging
the adoption of plant-based diets as they are
rich in fibre, antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and E, and
many other beneficial plant-based compounds.
Soy used to be the most popular alternative ingredient,
with 80% of the global dairy-free yogurt launches
in 2011, but product developers and customer demand
have since changed this pattern. Ingredients
such as coconut, almond and oat are now increasing in
demand faster than soy, and many other ingredients
are following close behind.
Indeed the “next generation” now includes products
made from other legumes, nuts, seeds, and grain milk.
Pea protein is now increasingly finding its way into
plant-based dairy applications and off flavours are
often a key issue when using peas as a product base.
Reasons behind Plant-Based Milk
Alternatives
Different preferences influence customer demand, as
well as perceived health benefits and ethical reasons.
Many people worldwide suffer from lactose intolerance,
diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and cholesterol.
Nowadays, they have the opportunity to experience
tasty products that are healthy, low in fat, and that
contain much more nutritional value that is beneficial
to our health than before.
The new group of Flexitarians represents many consumers
of the population worldwide, and potentially every
one of us could be considered a flexitarian since we have
an innate curiosity to discover and try something new.
So these product developers devote a lot of time and resources
into including as much creativity in these plantbased
products as possible considering many different
mixtures of ingredients and packages useful to satisfy
every kind of palate for every kind of daily situation.
Microbial fermentation is capable of improving the
flavor and functionality of plant-based cultured alternatives.
By metabolizing and transforming plant-derived
ingredients into enhanced products with unique
flavors, nutritional profiles, or modified textures. This
allows to shape the product portfolio in unique ways
to meet consumer expectations on the key drivers of
consumer choice: ‘plant’ taste, price, and accessibility.
4CHOICE, plant-based cultures range is composed
of pure and controlled hypoallergenic cultures, free of
any known allergen as well as animal derived products.
4CHOICE range (starter cultures, protective cultures and
probiotic cultures) ensures good fermentation time, texture,
flavor and aroma development. 4CHOICE range is
certified for safety and compliance with demand for dairy
and lactose free, non-animal origin, allergen free, soyfree,
GMO-Free according to the VLOG “Ohne Gentechnik”
SACCO technical expertise in strain development
and manufacturing know-how to supply live microbial
cultures, is eager to position our 4CHOICE hypoallergenic
solutions as the first CHOICE among plantbased
product developers, providing solutions for the
plant-based industry.
Sacco Srl, a member of Sacco System, is a biotech
company that since 1934, has positioned
itself in the international market as a producer
and partner in research areas, scale-up, production,
and packaging of selected frozen and
freeze-dried microbial food cultures. Sacco’s
extensive knowledge and expertise supports
the fermented food industry in the production
of healthier foods and trending new consumer
needs.
www.saccosystem.com
info@saccosystem.com
6 · January/February 2021 ¦ international-dairy.com
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