IMCD, a leading distributor of speciality ingredients, is partnering with Singapore-based SGProtein, the region’s largest contract manufacturing platform for high-moisture extrusion (HME) meat & fish analogues.
This new partnership allows IMCD’s technical experts to develop innovative concepts with SGProtein’s high-moisture meat analogues (HMMA), providing its customers an expedited route to market solution through cutting-edge technologies. Leveraging on a unique extrusion process, HMMA is produced in various shapes, replicating a meat-like appearance with a similar sensorial experience on taste and texture.
IMCD to strengthen position as key enabler in plant-based alternative ecosystem
Emmanuel Colette, Regional Business Group Director of Food & Nutrition (APAC) of IMCD said, “Our ambition is to strengthen IMCD’s position as a recognised key enabler in the plant-based alternatives ecosystem. In the coming weeks, we aim at creating quick business success stories with innovative food companies by bringing to Asian consumers tasty and unique meat alternatives of the second generation. Their success will come from the outstanding sensorial experience and the naturality of the product, with a limited ingredients list.”
From retail to food services, meat alternatives have seen an increasing demand globally. Innova market insights data showed that 50% of Asian consumers regularly consume meat alternatives, with high expectations on better taste and texture of natural and healthier products.
Food manufacturers to benefit from IMCD, SGProtein partnership
Food manufacturers all over the region are set to benefit from this new partnership between 2 plant-based experts in their respective fields. Colette said, “Through the partnership with SGProtein, IMCD offers unique and easy access to a ready-to-use toolbox for new plant-based product development. It is simply based on HMMA and taste solutions such as flavours and seasonings to create a product identity with its culinary signature. As IMCD experts are well represented in all the Asian countries, thanks to their deep understanding of the local tastes and consumers’ expectations, they guide food players for fast development and reduced time-to-market.”
SGProtein, on the other hand, is Southeast Asia’s largest contract manufacturer specialising in plant-based food production through high-moisture extrusion (HME), and it caters to an initial capacity of 3,000 tons of plant-based meat analogue per annum from its state-of-the-art facility in Singapore, which is expected to quadruple over the next two years to 12,000 tons.
“With the offering of SGProtein’s clean label product range, food manufacturers have access to the latest developments on textured protein that delivers on taste, function, and texture,” said Dominique Kull, the co-founder of SGProtein. “This offering saves our customers a lot on base development costs as well as on investments in infrastructure. It also allows our customers to shorten their time-to-market to launch innovative products,” explained Kull.
Localised plant-based concepts with HMMA for the region
Wanlin Koh, Regional Technical Manager of Food & Nutrition APAC said, “Our technical experts in IMCD Thailand’s pilot plant offer Asian cooking concepts, like Thai curry and rendang, created from plant-based meat strips or chunks from SGProtein with the addition of taste solutions such as flavors, seasonings, and batters, to meet consumer’s expectations on naturality and health. Their meat analogue comes with a list of only five ingredients.”
Colette said, “We have experienced many market successes with our partners. In part, we have achieved this by offering them exclusive access to unique solutions and in-depth knowledge to co-create concepts around taste, texture, and nutrition.” He added, “We are pleased to expand our solutions on meat and fish alternatives by offering SGProtein products from Singapore to the APAC region, and we invite food producers to reach out to us for fast development of customised and innovative concepts,” added Colette.
In addition, IMCD also seeks to create ‘value-add’ and bring customised solutions to the different food players; traditional meat/fish processors that are diversifying their products’ range versus start-ups that are planning to develop their brands.
The IMCD Group is a global market-leader in the sales, marketing, and distribution of speciality chemicals and ingredients. It reported overall revenue of €3,435 million (US$3.81 billion) in 2021 with more than 3,700 employees in over 50 countries. For further information about the pilot plant, please visit www.imcdgroup.com.
SGProtein is a Singapore-based contract manufacturer for meat analogues. By producing the latest generation of meat analogues for their customers, SGProtein enables companies from small start-ups to big food producing companies to scale up their innovation or enter a new market without the substantial investment in a local infrastructure. SGProtein’s plant is equipped with a state-of-the-art high-capacity extrusion system for HMMA and a wide range of processing machinery to produce according to customer specifications. SGProtein produces, packs, and freezes the products, so their customers can focus on developing and selling them, because SGProtein believes that innovation can only grow with the right infrastructure. For more information, visit www.eatsgprotein.com
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