In this edition of FoodNavigator’s new product development round-up, we look at HFSS-compliant pizza made from brewer’s spent grains, a ‘plastic negative’ chocolate bar, functional sweets containing BCAAs, and more…
GettyImages/Monty Rakusen
In this edition of FoodNavigator’s new product development round-up, we look at HFSS-compliant pizza made from brewer’s spent grains, a ‘plastic negative’ chocolate bar, functional sweets containing BCAAs, and more…
GettyImages/Monty Rakusen
Homemade Pizza Club, hailing from northern England, has developed an HFSS (fat, salt and sugar) compliant pizza using brewer’s spent grains.
By leveraging this would-be-waste product, the company was able to develop a pizza with 22% fewer calories, 20% less sodium, twice as much fibre and 14% more protein as a standard pizza.
Homemade Pizza Club founder James Sturdy said the company was inspired to make the new pizza, coined the ‘Salubre’, after trying to balance delicious with nutritious – and sustainable.
“Healthier products are often perceived as a compromise or less of a treat. With the Salubre, we have created a product that we believe offers everything people love about eating a pizza while making it much healthier.”
The Salubre is available in a range of toppings, from nduja to grilled mixed veggies and pesto.
Image source: Homemade Pizza Club
UK snacks brand Prodigy claims to have become the UK’s first ‘plastic negative’ chocolate.
What does this mean? To achieve plastic negative certification, Prodigy teamed up with repurpose Global to fund the removal, processing and reuse of 10 ocean-bound single-use plastic wrappers for every Prodigy bar sold.
Climate Partners is also collaborating with Prodigy to offset its remaining carbon footprint via a forest preservation project in Peru, the country from which the snacks brand sources its chocolate.
“We’re on a mission to inspire positive change in society and the food industry as a whole, further underlined by these bold new sustainability commitments,” said Prodigy founder Sameer Vaswani.
“We’re extremely proud to be the UK’s first plastic negative chocolate brand, we’re literally cleaning up after the large players that continue to use damaging, single-use plastic wrappers for their bars because they are cheap to source and they are resistant to change.”
Vaswani continued: “This is chocolate that inspires change and we’re thrilled that our new packaging brings all our credentials and brand values to life.”
Image source: Prodigy
Functional chewing gum brand Blockhead is expanding its range with strawberry flavoured prebiotic sweets containing branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs).
According to founder Danny Lowe, the functional confectionery category is on the rise. Looking to prebiotics as a guide, globally the category was valued at around $4.4bn in 2019 and is expected to reach $4.93 by early next year.
“Much like chewing gum, there has been little innovation in the functional sweets space but that’s all about to change with the launch of our new strawberry flavoured prebiotic sweets,” said Lowe.
“Our mission at Blockhead is to help people find success by helping them get into the right physical or mental state for any given taste, whilst inspiring them to get the most our of life and perform at their very best.
“Through our continued focus on the consumer and meeting their needs, we have created a functional toolkit of products that supports the ever-changing demands of modern life.”
Image source: Blockhead
UK chocolate brand Raw Chocolate Company is overhauling its design it what it has described a ‘live in wonder’ rebrand.
“The new look celebrates our brand being ‘Chocolate with Soul’, with honesty and commitment to what we do,” said Director and Head of Marketing & Branding Emma Jackman.
Raw Chocolate makes it chocolate in carbon neutral kitchens and has applied for B-Corp certification. Its range is free from dairy, gluten, soya and refined sugars, and as the name suggests, the product is raw – kept as close to its natural state as possible.
“Raw Chocolate Company is about how we are all able to live in wonder, experiencing fun alongside a dedication to deliciously ethical practice.”
Image source: Raw Chocolate Brand
Alt protein business Quorn is partnering with meal kit brand Feast Box on two new recipes.
Feast Box sets itself apart by celebrating world food, meaning its recipes cover the cuisines of Africa, Latin America, China, India, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, and Eastern Europe.
The new recipes, Cantonese Quorn and Quorn Tikka Masala, are both ‘packed full of flavour and nutrients’, claims Feast Box, who said the aim of the partnership is to highlight that vegetarian meals can be ‘just as exciting, worldly, and tasty’ for all to enjoy.
The Quorn boxes are now available to order, with first customers receiving their meal kits from 8th November.
Image source: Feast Box
In Germany, beverage, milkshake and ice cream cups at McDonald’s restaurants will be re-used to make toilet paper, according to a partnership between the fast food chain and Essity’s Tork brand.
McDonald’s Deutschland LLC first piloted the project in 2020, in an effort to give paper cup waste a ‘new life’.
The pilot showed that Sweden-based Essity can successfully use the paper cups, after they have been shredded, as materials for some of their mills and turn them into Tork branded toilet paper.
“It’s exciting to work with our customers on sustainability projects like this. Combining our recycling technology and knowledge of circular services with McDonald’s Deutschland LLC sustainability ambitions is enabling a future business model that helps to close the loop,” said Don Lewis, President of Essity Professional Hygiene.
All collected paper cup waste from McDonald’s sites in Germany will be recycled, reducing waste by an estimated 1,200 tonnes per year.
GettyImages/yaoinlove
Premium bar snack brand Made For Drink is launching four crisp flavours designed to shine a light on the UK food sector’s provenance and heritage.
The ‘English Potato Crisp’ range contains English Truffle, Dorset Sea Salt, Malt Vinegar & Sea Salt, and Unseasoned Yorkshire.
The snacks have been introduced in partnership with English Heritage and intend to champion some of England’s passionate and artisanal food producers.
For example, the English Truffle flavour is made with truffles – one of the UK’s lesser-known luxury products – supplied by the English Truffle Company. The Unseasoned Yorkshire variety are made by the team at Yorkshire Crisps with potatoes that are hand cooked less than 10 miles from where they are picked. The Dorset Sea Salt and Malt Vinegar & Sea Salt potato crisps are made with the Dorset Sea Salt Company, which is re-kindling the ancient tradition of hand-harvesting salt on the Dorset coast.
Made For Drink founder Dan Featherstone said: “We’ve all learnt what really matters over the past year and that has had an impact on the food we are all starting to enjoy again. In particular, a nostalgic return to the foods of our past, but also a surge in support for small, local producers. Our partnership with English Heritage celebrates all of this and tells the wonderful stories behind many of our English food producers. Whilst we are launching with Potato Crisps there are many more fantastic products and stories to tell in the pipeline, keep watching this space.”
The five-year global licence with English Heritage will generate income to help English Heritage carry out vital conservation work at over 400 sites to keep the story of England alive for future generations.
Kingston Myles, Head of Commercial Development at English Heritage, said: “These products really capture an authentic story which is at the core of our licensing programme. I’m excited to keep exploring the history of snacking and unlocking other English producers that this range can showcase.”
The crisp range will also launch as a Christmas Exclusive into Fortnum & Mason before becoming available online and throughout the speciality food sector. All four flavours will be available in 150g & 40g packs. RRP £2.75 (150g) and £1.25 (40g).
Image supplied by Made For Drink
