Just as important as what’s included in a food product is what isn’t included. The rise of so-called “free-from foods” is in line with consumers having a better understanding of ingredients, as well as food manufacturers being more willing to rise to the challenge of niche foods.
Let’s take a closer look at free-from food trends and what they mean for food manufacturers.
What Exactly Are Free-From Food Products?
While the phrase “free-from foods” is a bit of a mouthful, the idea is pretty simple. This category covers countless food products that leave out specific ingredients and then market the products as such. Some of the more common free-from foods include gluten-free, sugar-free and egg-free.
Free-from food companies are catering to growing market segments with specialized diets — either those based on medical necessity or just preference. Allergies and intolerances have been among the biggest drivers of this trend. For those consumers, what’s in the food can mean the difference between healthy eating and sickness or death. More nuanced categories of free-from foods came about as a result of healthy eating habits and general perception.
Do Free-From Foods Fall Under the ‘Clean Label’ Category?
Some do. Clean label food products are those that contain familiar, simple, and natural ingredients that are not difficult to recognize and pronounce. The definition is different from free-from foods but you will see a lot of overlap between the categories. This is because consumers with highly specific eating preferences and needs are more attuned to what goes into their food in general.
Free-from foods are distinguished by their specific labels. Just as the free-from label is important to the consumer, it’s also a powerful marketing tool. After all, if you’re going for an extremely niche demographic, you want to make every effort possible to show you’re going that extra mile.
Does PacMoore Offer Services in Free-From Foods?
PacMoore has long been an industry leader when it comes to specialty foods of all types. Kosher, gluten-free, organic — you name it, and PacMoore likely offers the ability to process it.
Our comprehensive services make it easy for a food manufacturer to carve out a specific market segment. Whatever your specific ingredient requirements, PacMoore can help to make sure you meet them. To learn more about the free-from food category, and to find out what PacMoore can do for you whether in dry blending, extrusion, spray drying, consumer packaging or otherwise, contact us today.
For Further Reading:
https://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2016/free-from-movement/
Share this on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus, or email to a friend.
Click below to share:
