IFT First 2024, held at McCormick Place in Chicago July 14–17, was bustling with presentations, exhibitors and food industry professionals from around the globe.
It truly was a whirlwind of activities in more ways than one. It isn’t every day that there are three consecutive nights of tornado warnings in downtown Chicago along with massive lightning strikes. But people took it in stride and the show went on.
When not serving behind our booth for Grande Custom Ingredients Group, I walked the Innovation Expo hall to take in hundreds of exhibitors. Here are my observations.
Real Food is Making a Comeback
Compared to last year’s expo, which felt as though every booth featured alternative ingredients, this year’s lineup had a healthy dose of “real food.” Manufacturers and consumers alike realize that authentic ingredients like real meat and dairy deliver the flavors, textures and nutritional benefits that are lacking in alternative food products.
There weren’t as many manipulated food products. The insect and plant-based ingredients that dominated the 2023 event were fewer in number this year. Many of them required masking agents or process aides, which left a negative taste in attendees’ mouths, quite literally. Of note, there were far fewer alternative meat products, although fungus or mushroom-based products seemed to be a trend this year.
A Nod to Real Dairy
Real dairy flavor and texture continue to be the gold standard that is held up as the optimal goal for alternatives. I heard this from many who stopped by our booth and appreciated that we had the real deal. Non-dairy companies simply can’t replicate or replace real dairy or dairy-based proteins and expect similar results. Our proprietary, clean-label whey proteins are natural dairy ingredients. They taste like dairy (because they are) and deliver great texture in applications. And, as a complete protein source with naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, it hits all the buttons for nutrition and clean labels.
Fermentation
In pursuit of more natural ingredient options, some producers are introducing fermented products. Whether from a dairy bi-product or a plant-based crop, some food manufacturers are fermenting ingredients and using them as the “food” for microorganisms like beneficial yeast, mold, algae, spores and bacteria. Pro- and prebiotics were big this year. Some booths also featured biomanufacturing, a process to produce food from living organisms, although consumer sentiment toward such engineered foods is questionable.
Protein Is Still Important
Protein continues to be a dominating force in the food industry and among consumers. Alternative proteins are still being talked about, meaning “alternative” to natural animal proteins. But there’s pushback from consumers who’ve come to realize that fake meat and dairy and the chemical processes to make plant-based alternatives are not any more sustainable than the natural process (sometimes worse). There was still the soy, pea and cassava that’s been around for a while, and potato starch had a lot of representation, but there weren’t a lot of new entrees in this arena other than the previously noted fermented products.
Fiber Is Making Waves
High-fiber foods are seeing a resurgence with consumers, and there was clear growth in the number of exhibitors featuring fiber-filled innovations. Last year’s IFT First saw a sea of alternative proteins and, this year, fiber has taken over the throne. Some examples include inulin, agave and artichoke along with traditional sources like dairy, plants and grains.
Sustainability
There were several ways to talk about sustainability compared to previous years. In the past, plant-based foods were hailed as sustainable while dairy ingredients were admonished. Consumers now know that products like plant-based dairy and plant-based meats require extensive processing, masking agents and chemical modifications to make them appealing. There’s more than one way to be sustainable, and many dairy companies, including Grande Custom Ingredients Group, have sustainability practices that surpass most alternatives. Just because a food is animal-based doesn’t mean it isn’t sustainable. In fact, whey proteins have been the ultimate upcycled ingredient for centuries.
A Little Fun
Food science is serious business, but there was definitely an air of excitement and enthusiasm throughout the event, including moments of laughter. Our own food scientists enjoyed rubbing elbows with guests and even got to spend a few moments in the spotlight when passers-by recognized them from the creative videos featured on the shuttle buses to and from the venue. They deploy the same kind of out-of-the-box thinking and personable attitude when collaborating with R&D teams and formulators.
If you’d like to view both videos again, we’ve posted them on our IFT FIRST information page.
VIEW VIDEOS: “Menu Misfits” and “Will the Cookie Crumble”
Openness to Reformulating
Given the supply chain struggles and the increase in costs to manufacturers, R&D teams and formulators were open to talking about solutions that involved replacing fresh or powdered dairy ingredients with a form of whey protein. Some are understandably hesitant because they want their consumers to have the same experience they’ve become accustomed to. But the food industry is also under pressure to keep costs in check and a consistent supply. When many of these food industry professionals tried the samples at our booth featuring our proprietary whey protein ingredients, they were pleasantly surprised at how indulgent and flavorful they were. Not all whey proteins are the same.
For example, we featured chocolate chip cookies where we replaced the non-fat dairy milk (NFDM) with our new Grande DuratoTM, resulting in delicious chewy cookies that retain freshness for days longer. Of course, our fresh, out-of-the-oven cookies didn’t last that long! Other whey ingredients featured at our IFT booth included Grande Gusto® and Grande FestoTM in a cheesy Beef Queso dip, as well as Grande WPCrisp® in protein bars.
R&D teams that stopped by our booth discovered what a properly formulated whey protein ingredient can do. Even so, overcoming biases of commodity whey ingredients or failed promises of the past is a challenge. If you didn’t have a chance to stop by our booth at IFT First to see just how functional and different our line of whey protein products is, I invite you to reach out to us today to request samples. Our real dairy ingredients check all the boxes for sustainability, clean label, flavor, texture, nutrition and more.
