Cargill invests $35 million in Europe to produce soluble fibers that meet consumer demand for healthier products

MECHELEN, Belgium (October 24, 2019) – Cargill is investing $35 million (EUR 32 million) in Europe to add soluble fibers to its current broad portfolio of starches, sweeteners & texturizers. Cargill’s new soluble fibers will enable sugar reduction up to 30% as well as calorie reduction and fiber enrichment in confectionery, bakery goods, fillings, cereals, ice cream and dairy, whilst maintaining the desired appearance, taste and texture. The investment is part of Cargill’s continued efforts to offer on-trend solutions and marks its first move into soluble fibers in Europe.

“Calorie and sugar reduction remains a key priority for many manufacturers amid growing interest from health-conscious consumers,” says Jan-Peter Scheurwater, Cargill global strategy and business development director, sweetness. ‘’As a holistic provider of sweetness solutions, Cargill is addressing this need by developing fiber ingredients which enable improvement of the nutritional profile, including sugar and calorie reduction, in consumer products.”

In terms of market activity, Innova notes an average increase in European product launches with fiber claims of 23% and a 16% increase in products with sugar-reduced claims over the past five years. Especially low sugar claims showing the strongest growth.

“This is a crucial investment to complement the broad portfolio of starches, including label-friendly functional and native starches, texturizers and sweeteners, ranging from full- to no-calorie Cargill makes available to our manufacturing customers. Our expanded offerings support the wide range of product formulations our customers need, while helping them meet changing consumer preferences,” says Alain Dufait, managing director Cargill Starches, Sweeteners and Texturizers Europe.

The new product line will be based on patented, advanced proprietary technology in order to offer great taste and mouthfeel, combined with enhanced product quality. The Cargill soluble fiber products are expected to be launched in 2021 - expanding quickly into other categories and adding more market innovations.

With Cargill’s deep ingredient and formulation know-how, excellent application capabilities, broad portfolio of complementing ingredients and secure supply chain, the company is perfectly positioned to support customers with all product formulation needs.