Clean label ingredients help save money
29 March 2011 – Ulrick & Short has issued a stark warning to retailers and consumers that rising food prices are now a fact of economic life and must be passed on if the UK’s food manufacturing industry is to ensure its future sustainability.
Rising costs for raw materials have fuelled food inflation throughout the supply chain, with the latest figures suggesting consumers are spending almost double on their weekly shopping than two years ago, which is partly due to the fact that more people are treating themselves to luxury ‘at home’ food items and dining in. This hike in prices is making life difficult for many, but Ulrick & Short’s director, Adrian Short, believes clean label ingredient solutions may help soften the blow. "I think the food industry needs to take a more holistic view to the current economic situation, acknowledge that price hikes will happen across the board and that the only way to maintain high product standards and ensure this industry’s future sustainability is by looking at the long term effects, dedicate time to reformulation and be willing to pay a little bit more now in order to reap the benefits later on."
Ulrick & Short has further developed its extensive range of products to not only be free from all additives and chemicals but also be highly functional – tackling both financial and nutritional demands from manufacturers.
For example, Ulrick & Short’s Delyte range of fat replacers can replace up to 50% of butter in cakes without any detriment to taste or texture of the finished product. In an industry where butter prices have risen by 20% in the last year, substituting these types of commodities with other raw ingredients will undoubtedly provide the industry, and in particular bakers, with substantial cost savings.
Short adds, "With no sign of raw material prices stabilising soon, there needs to be more acceptance within the industry as a whole that a rise in food prices is inevitable. One way to try and counter balance these increases is for manufacturers to look more closely at their raw material selection and ensure that they are getting the most from chosen ingredients.
"Unlike many other ingredient suppliers, we offer a specialist hands-on service, offering a range of supporting functions including product development, technical knowledge and guidance for understanding different ingredients, textural qualities and the effects that these have on finished products. For example the finished texture from a maize starch will be very different from a tapioca starch.
"Consumers are taking for granted the standard of food products that are now being produced but must recognise that price rises need to be passed on to ensure sustainable profits and a competitive food manufacturing industry. If ingredient suppliers, manufacturers and retailers were to absorb the uncontrollable rising cost of raw materials, the industry would be significantly diminished in numbers and the UK food sector would struggle to compete with the rest of the world."
