Ulrick & Short expands organic offering with new functional binders

In 2020, UK organic sector sales grew by 12.6%[1] – the steepest annual trajectory for the last 15 years. Now, the UK organic market is worth £2.79bn, and the overall trend is one of growth as sustainability, ingredient provenance and label transparency become ever more important in the minds of consumers.

To accommodate for this recent growth, Ulrick & Short has extended its organic ingredient portfolio. The new ingredients, including organic complex 1 & organic complex E, have been designed to provide improved textural properties in plant-based meat substitute applications.

More specifically, organic complex 1 provides high binding capacity to plant-based meat substitutes, helping to provide a better-quality mouthfeel, while also allowing manufacturers to make front-of-pack ‘Source of/High in’ protein claims without major recipe reformulation, or significant changes to flavour profiles. Organic complex^TM E binds moisture in fat when cooked, providing an open, softer texture for both meat and plant-based products such as burgers, meatballs & sausage rolls. Both ingredients are clean label, non-GMO & certified organic.

Ulrick & Short R&D manager, Danni Schroeter, said: “Traditionally the organic sector in the UK has been less strong when compared with much of Europe. However, the organic sector in the UK has had a recent resurgence. This is coupled with the cross-category growth of plant-based products in the UK – shifting consumer focus onto the themes of health, transparency, and sustainability, all of which the organic narrative fits in with very well. The push for a greater understanding of provenance and quality of food has been catalysed further still by the Covid pandemic.”

Schroeter added: “This latest expansion of our protein range has been designed specifically for the growing plant-based meat sector. Organic complex E & complex 1 are great products for improving not just the bite, texture and succulence of these products, but also for helping manufacturers make ‘Source of/High in Protein’ claims without major reformulation.”

[1] The Organic Market Report 2021 – The Soil Association, 2021

Related content