Apetit’s systematic work in commercializing the company’s new rapeseed-based plant protein has continued. Small scale production of the ingredient, called BlackGrain for Yellow Fields, began in October 2021.

”Small scale production enables us to supply BlackGrain for customer samples, testing and for sales to our first clients. Our clients will be able to test BlackGrain in their own product development”, says Avena Nordic Grain’s Business Development Manager Jenny Tallberg.

With high amounts of fiber, protein, and healthy omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, BlackGrain is applicable for many product variations. Apetit’s customer-oriented approach to developing BlackGrain ensures the best applications for the ingredient in customer’s products.

”We’ve discovered great applications for BlackGrain in several product categories, and our clients will be testing it in a variety of different products, such as gluten-free bread, snack products and bars, cereal, and plant-protein products”, Tallberg says.

First product launch is Apetit Mini-Veggieballs in early 2022

The very first opportunity to taste BlackGrain in a final product comes in early 2022, when Apetit launches Mini-Veggieballs for Food Service industry.

“Mini-Veggieballs are a vegan product, made from pea protein and Apetit’s very own BlackGrain. Mini-Veggieballs are an extremely versatile product, that works well as a protein in salad buffets or as a meatball-substitute in pasta sauce,” says Apetit’s Product Category Manager Hanna Pere.

Mini-Veggieballs are a vegan, high in fiber and gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free product.

“It was easy to apply BlackGrain in the development of the veggieballs, because it is suitable for so many diets. BlackGrain is vegan and gluten-, GMO- and legume-free, and low in FODMAP’s,” Pere explains.

Innovative plant-protein from rapeseed with basis in circular economy

BlackGrain is made in Finland from oilseed cake, a significant side stream of Apetit’s oil pressing. Before the development of BlackGrain, oilseed cake was used simply as raw material for animal fodder. BlackGrain received novel food authorization from the European Comission in February 2021. The idea for this innovative product was sparked by the desire to utilize an existing, sustainably developed raw material in a new product with higher added value.

“Rapeseed-based oilseed cake has excellent nutritional values. By refining that raw material into BlackGrain, we offer a new and easily applicable, Finnish-made plant protein to the food industry. As a product made from existing raw material, BlackGrain supports circular economy and the development of sustainable, high-quality food solutions,” Tallberg says.

Sustainable food solutions are a major trend in product development in the food industry, a trend that has come to stay. BlackGrain is an excellent fit for many of today’s and tomorrow’s food trends: it supports plant-based eating as a new plant protein option, made from an existing and underused raw-material.