The brand will showcase its diverse range of protein bar ingredients to attendees; including functional proteins that enable manufacturers to deliver on key consumer trends such as protein quality over quantity, multi-textural experiences, and low sugar offerings.

The broad ingredient portfolio also targets specific consumer benefits, from muscle recovery and energy, to weight loss and healthy indulgence.

The new ingredients in NZMP’s SureProtein bar ingredients portfolio include:

• SureProtein Optibar 892 Whey Protein Isolate
• SureProtein ShortBar 825 Lactalbumin
• SureProtein SoftBar 1000 Milk Protein

Concept samples of NZMP’s SureProtein bar ingredients will be available to try at booth 8815 positioned as:

• All Whey Protein Dough Bar for energy
• All Whey Protein Crisp Bar for muscle recovery post exercise
• Granola Protein Bar for weight management
• Nougat Protein Bar catering to healthier indulgence

As protein continues to go mainstream, consumers value taste and texture more than ever, with 74 percent of bar eaters saying taste impacts bar choice.

NZMP director Sports and Active Lifestyles, Komal Mistry-Mehta says: “In our latest protein ingredient development, Fonterra’s New Zealand based Research and Development Centre formulated more than 1300 bars and conducted more than 600 tests to evaluate the textural characteristics of each bar ingredient solution.  As a result, the extended range of SureProtein ingredients enables a wide variety of bar solutions ranging from dough or nougat bars, through to granola and crisp bars, which ultimately enables our customers to differentiate their offerings and deliver to strong consumer preference.”

In addition, NZMP will also showcase its unique probiotic super-strains; Bifidobacterium animalis subspecies lactis HN019 (BifidoB 019) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 (LactoB 001). These two probiotic strains have years of clinical evidence that backs the broad range of benefits they support, including digestive health, immunity and emerging research suggest possibly even mental wellbeing via the gut-brain axis.

Komal Mistry-Mehta says: “Not only are we developing our range to meet the nutritional needs of consumers, but our probiotic strains are now also non-GMO project verified* to appeal to the 46% of consumers who actively avoid GMOs.”

NZMP’s HN019 and HN001 probiotics have been developed to meet three criteria; safe, effective and stable and are FDA-approved with Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) status.

As the sports and active lifestyle market grows, NZMP has shifted its focus from the niche sports nutrition market to reach a broader base of active and lifestyle focused customers and consumers.

NZMP vice president North America, Jim Lees, says: “Consumer needs are ever-changing, and as a brand we swiftly adapt to stay ahead. Our primary focus is on delivering high-value nutritional ingredient solutions to people at all ages and stages of life. Enhancing our ingredient portfolio helps NZMP’s customers appeal to a broader range of consumers.

“North America is a huge market for sports nutrition, with active consumers always on the look-out for new and innovative products. Our new protein ingredient innovations and clinically backed probiotic strains, are part of NZMP’s focus on supporting trade customers to meet the needs of American consumers participating in everyday activity as part of a daily, healthy lifestyle.”

To visit NZMP at Natural Products Expo West go to Booth #8815.

For more information, visit: https://www.nzmp.com/global/en/news/expo-west-2020.html.