Clean Label

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In private label today, as we see elsewhere across the snack and bakery industry, clean label is still the current buzz phrase, and consumers continue to seek foods that fall into the larger better-for-you category.

Packaging materials have evolved to meet new demands today’s snack and bakery market. A desire for longer shelf life paired with fewer preservatives in the foods and healthy eating overall has prompted the need for lightweight packaging, thinner barrier materials and convenience features on thinner, more-sustainable substances.

In a retail landscape that demands that snacks and baked goods have it all—great taste, affordable pricing, innovative flavors, recognizable ingredients and boosted nutrition—one category in particular is rising to the challenge: cookies.

In the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the USDA recommended that we consume 6 ounce equivalents of grains per day, half of which should be whole grains.

September is Whole Grains Month, and the Boston-based non-profit Oldways Whole Grains Council (WGC) is encouraging people everywhere to join the celebration by supporting “Good Grains for a Good Cause.”

Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading global provider of food ingredients and solutions, has announced a further expansion of its line of CLARIA Functional Clean-Label Starches with the introduction of two new instant starch products: CLARIA Instant 340 and 360.

CuliNex, a leader in organic and natural product development, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the former Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School building.

Per IRI, Chicago, the salty snacks category was valued at $22.6 billion for the 52 weeks ending April 16, 2017—a number that encompasses potato chips, tortilla chips, extruded/puffed snacks including cheese puffs, ready-to-eat (RTE) popcorn, corn chips, pretzels and pork rinds—and sales were up 3.60 percent for the year (see the July “State of the Industry—Snacks” issue for detailed category data).

The current plant-based protein trend is directly in line with public health findings, including recommendations to increase intake of nuts to improve overall diet quality. Nuts and seeds contribute dietary nutrition, as well as adding flavor, visual interest and texture to snacks and baked goods.