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VOLUME 88 • NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2023 • $7.00 • Better Juice Launches First Commercial Full-Capacity Sugar-Reduction Plant PAGE 4
• Could Beverages Get Any Better? For ‘Friends’ Fans, Central Perk Tops These New Drinks PAGE 6
• Trust in Grocery Retailers Stays Steady Despite Inflation, Private Labels Help PAGE 7
• ASM Global, Wicked Kitchen Expand Options for Plant-Based Offerings Across Network PAGE 8
• HowGood Launches Scope 3 Emissions Reporting for Global Food Brands PAGE 8
• Clean Water Volunteer Program Wine To Water Resumes Operations After Pandemic Pause PAGE 11
• Greene Concepts, Metatron Make Progress Creating Hydration Tracking App PAGE 12
• Featured Products PAGE 19
• Advertiser Index PAGE 22
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Pastry Chef Creates Plant-Based Butter For Foodservice Baking, Pastries BY A.J. FLICK
Creating a plant-based butter is one thing. Creating a plantbased butter that gives pastries and baked goods the same taste and texture as those made with dairy butter is a game-changer. “There are so many challenges with plant-based products geared toward baking,” said Susannah Schoolman, CEO and founder of Tourlami plant-based butter for foodservice. “Most products take the approach of applying one size fits all.” Schoolman, a professional baker and pastry chef, has worked
in some of the most prestigious bakeries in the world, including
b. patisserie in San Francisco and Honolulu and served as head of pastry and viennoiserie at Copenhagen’s Hart Bageri, which is part-
nered with the esteemed Noma restaurant. “Six years ago, I decided to go fully plant based,” Schoolman said. “I don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner. My personal and professional lives were at odds. It took time to decide what I wanted to do.” At the time, Richard Hart, having been the head baker at San Francisco’s esteemed Tartine Bakery, asked Schoolman to join him in Copenhagen as he opened Continued on PAGE 16
FDA’s Closer to Zero Reaches Anniversary On Reducing Contaminants in Baby Food Last April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched an ambitious action plan, Closer to Zero, which seeks to protect babies and young children from exposure to toxic elements in foods they commonly eat by reducing the levels as low as possible. While FDA testing shows that children are not at an immediate health risk from exposure to toxic elements at the levels found in foods, Closer to Zero was launched immediately, with
short- and long-term goals for achieving continued improvements in reducing levels of toxic elements in these foods over time. Americans want zero toxic elements in the foods eaten by their babies and young children. In reality, because these elements occur in our air, water and soil, there are limits to how low these levels can be, according to the FDA. The FDA’s goal is to reduce the levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium
and mercury in these foods to the greatest extent possible. The FDA said requiring levels that are not currently feasible could result in significant reductions in the availability of nutritious, affordable foods that many families rely on for their children. The plan outlines a multi-phase, sciencebased, iterative approach to achieving the goal of getting levels of toxic elements in foods closer to zero over time. Continued on PAGE 18
Torani Toasts ‘Nutty’ Second Flavor of Year BY A.J. FLICK
“I make things crunch with a delightful crisp. I make marshmallows around fires on camping trips. I’m a way to prepare food that we’ve all learned. You might light me light, medium, heavy or burned.” “I am full of light, but others say a lack thereof. I help keep things warm when the sun is above. You can see me best looking at unlit coals.” “I am crunchy with a ton of flavor. I’m found on buns, in stir-fry or whatever you savor. I’m rich and nutty, used in sweets and more. I’m part of a magical phrase that opens a door.” Given those clues and some matches and a luggage tag – part of syrup company Toriani’s promotion for its Pourmaster Flavor of the Year – what would you guess? If you guessed Toasted Black Continued on PAGE 18
Demand for ‘Free-From’ Foods Thriving, Driving Market Size The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has considerably affected the global economy and industries in many ways. The socioeconomic situation due to the pandemic led to changes in the food consumption pattern of consumers as well. Restrictions in public mobility and governments’ lockdown forced people to stay at home. This factor led to an increase in snacking trends among consumers. However, their growing health consciousness spiked the demand for guilt-free snacks. Sales of food products with “free-from”
claims increased as they replaced meals with snacking options. According to a survey by Mondelez International in 2020, nearly 64 percent of the consumers in the United States preferred consuming snacks as nourishment food, while 56 percent seek healthful snacking options. Furthermore, the snacking trend has grown widely popular, especially among the millennials, as they seek convenient, safe and nutritionally enriched products, which positively aids in driving the gluten-free products market. A report from Fortune Business
Insights projected that the global gluten-free food market size is projected to grow from $5.72 billion in 2021 to $9.99 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate of 8.29 percent during the 2021-2028 period. “Gluten-free food is primarily designed for people who have celiac disease and gluten allergies, as consuming gluten can lead to several damages, such as swelling in the intestine,” according to the report. “However, its popularity is significantly rising even among people not suffering from gluten allergies due to the health benefits offered by the gluten-free diet.
“It is mostly found in baked items, as it gives texture and shape to the products, but the protein offers no nutritional benefit. Hence, consumers are looking to avoid gluten in their diets as it helps in promoting healthy weight loss, improves digestion and increases energy,” the report states. “Additionally, increasing consumer demand for functional foods and rising product innovation in ‘free-from’ food segments are projected to fuel the gluten free food market growth over the forecast period.” Continued on PAGE 16