After two years of virtual participation, Givaudan returned in person to IFT First 2022 – and what an experience! Shaking hands, sampling innovative products, and swapping physical business cards made us feel like it was 2019 again. All kidding aside, this year’s show was an excellent example of how the food industry is innovating based on consumers’ interests.

If you visited our booth this year, thank you! We look forward to continuing to connect with you. If you missed us or weren’t able to attend, let’s explore what you missed! Throughout the show, we highlighted how we bring our expanded portfolio of taste and wellness solutions to life to create food experiences that do good and feel good for body, mind, and planet. Attendees had the chance to interact with our team of experts, as they were guided on a progressive food journey with an array of product concepts showcasing Givaudan’s expertise across the plant-based and health & nutrition categories.

Health and Wellbeing

Consumers expect a lot from their food and beverage products, forcing brands to incorporate health and wellness benefits such as energy, immune support, or relaxation. We featured a beverage, Level Up Water, that highlighted the use of Cereboost® (Givaudan’s American ginseng extract). This extract is clinically proven to demonstrate a significant positive impact on mental function specifically on elevating mood, working memory, and alertness. 

To demonstrate a beverage that focused on wellbeing versus clinical claims, we served our Green Monk Mocktail. This alcohol-free drink allowed booth visitors to see what consumers are gravitating towards when they’re looking for something that makes them feel they’ve made a healthier choice without sacrificing on taste.

Plant Attitude

The undisputed buzzword of IFT was “plant-based”. It was actually difficult to find booths showcasing demos made from animal products. We started off the day serving our plant-based milk, which showed booth visitors how we can provide tools to provide a very close match to a typical 2% milk. Making a pea protein milk similar in nutrition and taste to dairy milk is no easy feat, and we rose to the occasion.

We all know plant-based burger patties, sausages, and nuggets have invaded grocery stores, but we decided to focus on a less popular application of plant-based meat… seafood. I’m not exaggerating when I heard a booth visitor say, “I’ve got to try your famous crab cakes” or “I was told I have to come back and try these crab cakes.” Our plant-based crab cakes were so popular, we served up about 350 in a little over 2 hours! As we see consumers more willing to try the newer applications for plant-based meat (like deli meat, seafood, or hot dogs), they will be looking for authentic texture, mouthfeel, and taste. 

For a quick bite that would feel right at home on a charcuterie board, visitors could try our plant-based mozzarella bite. With a chickpea protein base and marinated in an Italian herb marinade, this small bite showcased how far plant-based cheese has come.

If there’s something from our menu that you didn’t get to try, contact your Givaudan Account Manager for more information – and if you see us at an upcoming trade show stop by for a bite!

Other Observations at IFT

As our team walked the show floor, we took note of some recurring themes from exhibitors. The most common topic by far was plant-based foods. Exhibitors showcased new plant protein sources and ingredients, new technologies, and perhaps the one most poised for innovation: fats in plant-based products.

Fermentation technology, upcycled ingredients, and replacement of undesirable ingredients such as fats or methylcellulose were also noted in many exhibitors’ booths. Overall, the idea of making products with simpler ingredients while “cleaning up” the nutrition facts and reducing the use of animal products could be seen across the show.

We had a great time connecting with attendees and we’re already looking forward to next year!