OREANDA-NEWS. October 16, 2015. Sustainable growth through innovation will be the cornerstone of Cargill’s presence at Food Ingredients Europe (FiE), the international food and beverage ingredients trade show taking place in Paris Nord Villepinte, France. 

The focal point of Cargill’s stand, #6K5, will be a futuristic “Innovation Hub” where food manufacturers will be able to interact with dedicated R&D specialists and discover new product concepts. The main theme will substantiate how Cargill works to fuel sustainable business growth by meeting the industry’s needs and delivering consistently on commitments.

“Innovation is creating new value, or going about capturing value, in a new, different way. At Cargill we have made innovation one of our strategic pillars for growth, implementing new ideas and helping our customers create successful new products,” says Frank van Lierde, Executive Vice-President Cargill Food Ingredients and Systems. “In a faster-paced, more complex world, where producers’ margins are shrinking and consumers’ confidence is at an all-time low, the global food industry is seeing slow-moving growth. This is why innovation is so fundamental for reaching our long-term goals, and to foster the sustainable development our customers’ business.”

Today the food manufacturing industry is facing a significant challenge. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) expects global agricultural production to rise by 60% by 2050, driven by increasing food demand from a fast-growing, more urbanized population with better living standards. At the same time, especially in mature, saturated markets like Western Europe and North America, consumers are becoming cautious purchasers through better-informed decision making.  

Texture and new sensory experiences are becoming an important factor of consumer attraction and the focus of many of today’s food innovations, together with other trends like transparency in labelling, additional protein sources, emphasis on unsaturated and natural fats, and healthier snacking (Source: Innova Market Insights, 2015).

“Brands need to creatively combine these trends if they want to reach untapped market areas, and we are focusing our research efforts on helping our customers do precisely that,” explains Nils Sips, R&D Director Cargill Food Ingredients and Systems EMEA. “By targeting our innovations on manufacturers’ needs like healthier reformulation or cost-efficiency, we can dramatically increase our customers’ speed to market and success rate. The breadth of our technical expertise enables us to tackle challenges across market segments, as demonstrated by the new product concepts that we will be presenting on our stand.”

Cargill’s Innovation Centers have developed innovative and easy-to-apply solutions to some of the most pressing industry challenges, like a full-taste, 50% calorie-reduced juice drink for kids; a high-protein drink featuring ProwLiz® Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein; a chocolate milk with sustainably sourced Gerkens® Dark cocoa powder and Satiagel™ carrageenans; a calorie-reduced granita and an Italian pasta sauce, both offering full pulpiness thanks to the new C*PulpTex™ modified starch; and a no-sugar-added chocolate praline with a fat-reduced, indulgent creamy center.

All prototypes will be available for tasting in the “Innovation Hub”, and visitors will have the chance to discuss their properties and diverse application possibilities with Cargill’s R&D experts.

Cargill will also participate in the Fi Europe Conference that will take place in parallel to the trade exhibition: Taco Terheijden, Director Cocoa Sustainability, will take part in the “Promoting the sustainability agenda” module (December 1, 14.30h) to discuss Cargill’s learnings, progress and experiences in the cocoa supply chain.

Moreover, Cargill will take part in the FiE Awards Ceremony as this year’s winner of the Best Sustainability Initiative with a project on affordable finance for cocoa farmer cooperatives. This initiative, in the framework of Cargill’s Cocoa Promise, is the first of its kind and provides cocoa farmers, via their cooperatives, with affordable finance to enable them build more sustainable and professional businesses and invest in their own futures.

The ceremony will take place on December 1, in the atrium above hall 6, as of 18.00h.