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Arla Food Ingredients offers premium boost for protein bar manufacturers

24-Sep-2019 - Last updated on 25-Sep-2019 at 15:43 GMT

Photo: Arla Food Ingredients

Standing out in the protein bar category is tough with many brands all vying for shelf space and consumer attention, which is why Arla Food Ingredients is offering a new premium protein solution using a blend of whey protein isolate and casein to help brands gain premium positioning in the crowded category.

The new protein ingredient -- called Lacprodan ISO.WheyBar -- is specifically designed as a premium protein source for bar product development and can help protein bar manufacturers achieve a premium brand positioning, which can be technically challenging and time-consuming, said Arla Food Ingredients.

"Whey protein isolate is recognized by consumers as one of the most pure and complete protein sources available, allowing bars to be positioned at the premium end of the market," said Arla.

According to global market research firm Mordor Intelligence, the North American protein bar market is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.25% over the next five years with the US representing a 40% share of the market. The protein bar category growth is being driven by consumers seeking convenient, filling, and new formats and flavors.

“Bars are a hugely popular way for mindful consumers to increase their protein intake on-the-go. Premium positioning can be achieved by incorporating whey protein isolate but this is often difficult. Lacprodan ISO.WheyBar allows manufacturers to take protein bars to the next level without the headache of handling numerous protein ingredients,” said Joe Katterfield, health & performance nutrition development manager at Arla Food Ingredients.

One of the drawbacks of formulating with just a whey protein isolate is that it can often result in harder texture during the products' shelf life, noted Arla. Using a combination of whey protein isolate and other dairy proteins such as casein delivers a softer texture for protein bar applications, according to the dairy ingredients company.

Arla also has complementary protein ingredients as part of its Lacprodan portfolio including Lacprodan TexturePro and Lacprodan SoftBar. Its TexturePro ingredient is a functional hydrolyzed whey protein concentrate that offers a way to replace maltitol while maintaining a "great texture," said Arla. Additionally, Lacprodan SoftBar allows bars to reach up to 37% protein content using only dairy proteins, while giving them a "pleasant whipped texture."

Lacprodan ingredients come ready-to-mix, which means manufacturers can down on their product time, added Arla.

Taste, texture, protein content...which are top formulation challenges when developing protein bars? We'll be digging into this topic during FoodNavigator-USA's FREE-TO-ATTEND LIVE Sports & Fitness webinar taking place tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 25th.

We've gathered a great mix of panelists who can answer any of your burning questions about the sports nutrition category! Register HERE.