Bunge claims breakthrough with Beleaf PlantBetter on a par with dairy butter

Bunge says its Beleaf PlantBetter butter substitute is a ground-breaking plant-based alternative crafted to satisfy the growing demand for superior-tasting and environmentally responsible dairy butter replacements.

As demand for dairy alternatives surges, Bunge says its Beleaf PlantBetter is an answer to the complexities faced by food manufacturers and bakers seeking plant-based alternatives that match the sensory qualities and versatile functionality of traditional dairy butter and can easily be integrated in their current production process.

Achieving the precise aeration, volume and taste required for products such as croissants, cakes, etc., has proven challenging for most butter substitutes. These challenges have been further amplified by the escalating volatility in butter pricing, driving the need for solutions.

“Beleaf PlantBetter is a game-changing innovation developed by Bunge that brings together the sustainability attributes of plant-based with the uncompromising sensory and performance of dairy butter—all while delivering a lower cost-in-use compared to butter,” explains Aaron Buettner, president food solutions at Bunge.

Beleaf PlantBetter’s strengths lie in its sensory excellence and functionality as it captures the distinctive aroma, taste and texture of traditional butter. Beleaf PlantBetter is a blend of primarily coconut, cocoa butter, rapeseed and lecithins.

It has the same melting characteristics as dairy fat and is initially designed for bakery applications, with future plans to extend to other dairy and confectionery applications. The solution offers food manufacturers and bakers the following advantages:

1. Sensory excellence: a series of blind sensory panel studies conducted by Bunge across three countries demonstrate that Beleaf PlantBetter is on par with premium national butter brands.

2. Cost savings and reduced input price volatility: Manufacturers can reduce costs while gaining stability in the face of volatile dairy butter prices.

3. Easy processing: Beleaf PlantBetter offers the convenience of the same processing method as dairy butter, allowing for seamless integration into the production process.

Beleaf PlantBetter offers an environmentally responsible alternative to dairy butter as it reduces carbon emissions by 50% compared to standard dairy butter. This achievement has been independently verified through a third-party study conducted by the Terra institute.

In addition, Beleaf PlantBetter is composed of easily recognisable ingredients from all natural sources.

Bunge launched Eleplant, Bunge’s retail version of Beleaf PlantBetter, earlier this year in Europe.

Related content