Consumers increasingly seek food and beverage products with “clean labels” – whether they are purchasing products at the grocery store, gas station or dining in restaurants. Cargill has label-friendly ingredient solutions. Check out our Starches, Sweeteners and Texturizing options.
Label-Friendly Resource Center
Cargill is here to help our customers meet consumer demand by offering a growing portfolio of label-friendly ingredient solutions.
Clean Label
Plant Palooza - Tracking Trends in Plant-based Segment
As consumers embrace plant-based products, it has become a solid trend in mainstream food culture, Learn more about these fast-paced trends and how you can partner with Cargill for palette-pleasing plant-based innovation.
Winning Combinations
A crash course in the brave new world of product mashups. Learn about consumers growing desire for new and exotic food and beverage experiences.
A-Peeling Pectin
A-peeling pectin finds growing market for reduced-sugar, label-friendly formulation. This time-tested ingredient is sparking new innovations, as formulators rediscover its aptitude for thickening, gelling and protein stabilization.
Make it Sense-ational
Multisensory and experiential consumption are emerging as top trends for breakthrough food and beverage innovation.
Omnichannel eating trends
Forced to re-shape shopping and dining habits, post-pandemic consumers are used to eating what and when they want.
Understanding personalized nutrition
Personalization is a mega-trend; explore its impact on the food and beverage market, plus trends to watch.
Understanding Guilt-free Indulgence
Learn how to help consumers successfully balance their desire for indulgent treats with health-minded goals.
Nostalgic Foods
Tapping into the tastes and memories and of childhood is a strategy for delighting experience-seeking consumers.
The Growing Popularity of Fermented Foods
Harnessing a centuries-old technique, fermented foods are now a high-growth category with a decidedly hip, contemporary image. Learn how fermentation works to create desirable health benefits.
Transparency tactics: an unfolding strategy
With rising concerns for products' impact on health and the environment, it's essential for brands to develop a transparency strategy. Here are several tactics.
Attitudes of Aging
Understanding generational influences on eating and health. Learn about trends that are especially relevant when it comes to attitudes about health and the foods and beverages we buy.
Breaking the boundaries in new bar development
Bars are now for everyone, but it is important to note that their expansion is tied to the rise of snacking culture – as consumers look for convenient, nutritious foods that can double as an on-the-go meal. Learn more in our report.
The Familiarity Factor
In this era of eating for health and wellness, consumers have a growing desire to know more about the ingredients in the foods and beverages they consume. This report gives insight into what consumer perceive as natural and/or familiar.
Upping the Bar on Sustainability
Learn how sustainability has grown in importance to consumers. They now view the purchase of products and services that align with their goals as a reliable way to align their money with their sustainability values.
The World According To Gen Z
As the next demographic – Generation Z – begins to reach adulthood, there appears to be some similarities in their attitudes… especially in regards to product transparency, authenticity and social responsibility.
Seniors taking an active role in aging
Could eating right be the key to a better-quality, longer life? It certainly doesn’t seem to hurt. And, increasing evidence suggests it may indeed make a difference.
Go With The Gut - Strategies and Trends
Interest in products with digestive health benefits is prompting big opportunities in food and beverage formulation.
The Growing Appeal of Plant Based Everything
The concept of plant-based eating has gained a luster that has rarely been equaled in the food and beverage industry. Learn more about this growing appeal.
The Promise of Personalized Nutrition
When it comes to diet, nutrition and health, it is possible that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Eating Fat to Get Thin - Keto Infographic
Low carb diets are not a new concept. But the ketogenic (or keto) diet has been gaining a lot of momentum lately.
Why Consumers are Craving More Comfort Foods
Although it is true that consumers have a growing preference for nutritious and healthy food choices, at the same time, they are more likely than ever to be loading up on carbs, fats – and in turn – calories.
Consumer interest in gut health
Many consumers are hoping to boost their digestive health. Based on emerging science linking gut health to mood, energy and immune function, interest in this nutritional powerhouse is expected to remain strong.
Sports drinks take aim at female consumers
Once the sole purview of bodybuilders and hard-core, predominately male athletes, sports nutrition products have muscled their way into the mainstream.
Indulgence with a dose of function
As consumers strive to reduce sugar and calories in their diets, it might seem logical that bakery products would be seeing a significant drop in consumption. But in actuality, the bakery category is going strong.
Higher expectations for plant-based products
Today's consumers have high expectations for plant-based products. This report has a focus on purchase drivers over time.
Gut reaction - interest in digestive health
When it comes to consumer health interests, the topic of the year is certainly gut health – and with good reason.
Tapping into the active nutrition consumer
Today everyone, from your neighbor to your grandmother, is looking for a more efficient way to maintain a healthier lifestyle.
Touting the goodness of whole grains
Growing research on the benefits of whole grains is helping to move the needle.
Free From Foods - Why they're here to stay
The concept of “free-from” foods has had one of the most astounding – and in some ways perplexing – rises in food product trends.
Clean Label Trends and Label-Friendly Texturizing Solutions
Today’s consumers are looking at food labels more closely than ever before, especially the youngest shoppers.
Functional Gummy Boom Reflects Consumer Health Goals
New sweetener option addresses label, sugar content concern.
Consumers choosing fiber to fill multiple nutritional needs
Fiber is primed to become the next nutritional powerhouse. Learn more about the perceived healthfulness in foods in our article here.
Millenial movers and shakers - Changing the way we eat
Every generation tends to make its mark on culture and society. But the millennials will be the largest group in U.S. history, which is likely to inspire change on a whole new level.
Personalized Nutrition
Advances in technology have fueled an increasing degree of personalized life experiences. Next up: the food we eat.
The new face of fermented foods
Fermenting foods – that age-old process of preserving foods that produced such nose-holding childhood avoidances as sauerkraut – is back with a vengeance.
Tapioca - The story behind the ingredient
Tapioca’s minor culinary role in the West is poised to change as its viability grows as an alternative to corn for sweeteners and thickeners.
Flavored Milk Infographic
As parents and schools have learned, kids are more likely to drink their milk when it’s flavored. That’s sparked some debate about balancing nutritional value and added sugars.
Kids food products
Kid tested, Mom approved. This has long been a popular benchmark for kids’ food products, but the adage is more critical in the competitive kids’ market than ever before.
Formulating for Clean Label Customers
The simple solution for formulating products to address the “clean label” trend.
Masters Food Series
A short video series highlighting some of today's formulation challenges and trends.
Label-friendly Starches are on the Rise
Today's label-friendly consumers want it all - including recognizable ingredients.
Cost Effective Formulations - Clean Label and Sugar Reduction
Products containing label-friendly sweeteners and sugar-reducing ingredients are emerging.
Plant Based Protein
Supplementing protein in the diet is now priority-one for many mainstream consumers.
Sugar Substitutes Resonate
Consumer perceptions of sugar and alternative sweeteners with clear winners.
What's Next on the Fiber Regulatory Front
The health benefits of fiber are experiencing a resurgence by consumers.
The Attraction of Transparency
Consumers expect information on ingredients, processes and brand authenticity.
Global Clean Label Infographic
What do consumers globally think about clean labels? Depends on who you ask.
The Clean Label Consumer
“Clean label” is a term for trends about food and shoppers’ purchase decisions.
The Continual Rise of Protein
Protein enjoys a cachet among consumers that has grown for more than a decade.
The New Era of Clean Label
Consumers have a keen interest in transparency and want food products to be "clean label."
Going Label-friendly
Over the past decade, consumer interest in label-friendly foods and beverages has soared – rapidly transforming a trend into the new standard. Brands large and small are making moves
to meet the demand. But what does “label-friendly” really mean?
Bakery
Consumers are discovering that baked goods can experience a healthy reset without compromising taste or texture.
When it comes to sugar and salt, snack makers are taking to heart "everything in moderation."
Supplementing protein in the diet is now priority-one for many mainstream consumers.
Dry corn ingredients bring versatility, flavor and nutritional benefits to a wide range of baked goods.
Label-friendly solutions to make products with more consumer-friendly textures and flavors.
The door is increasingly open for innovation in the bakery and cookie category.
Cargill ingredients can help your bakery product earn a consumer-pleasing cleaner label.
Plant-based Bakery Reboot
Reducing Sugar & Salt
Plant Based Protein
Corn Shines in Bakery Spotlight
The Next Generation of Gluten-Free Bakery Solutions
Cookies - A Delicate Balance Between Taste and Health
Label-friendly Bakery
Beverages
Beverage Basics & Beyond
The demand for new and better beverages transcends all beverage types, with growing consumer interest in functional beverages across the spectrum. Read our article to learn more about what consumers desire from their beverages.
Hitting the bullseye in beverage formulation
Tap into the trends driving today's beverage culture and come away with solutions to help you rise to the top.
What's Next in Functional Beverages
As consumers take more of an active approach to their diets, they have rising expectations for beverages.
5 Trends Tranforming Beverages
Wider trends from the food industry have drastically changed our drinking habits.
Alcohol Flavor Trends
Discover how the market for alcoholic drinks is undergoing a massive transformation in form, function and flavor.
Conscious Cocktails
The global alcoholic beverages market shows no signs of slowing down – though it’s taken some surprising turns lately.
Pectin the new label-friendly catalyst
This label-friendly, plant-based ingredient provides a lot of functionality in today’s popular beverages.
New World Of Beverages
The changing attitudes of consumers have prompted a vibrant market for new, innovative beverages.
Pea Protein Positioned to Power Beverage Sales
Protein beverages are no longer exclusive to the sports nutrition market. Today, consumers from all walks of life are jumping on the protein bandwagon.
Striving for More
Consumers often look to beverages to provide more than just refreshment. Stay ahead of consumer trends by formulating functional beverages using label-friendly ingredients.
Cleaning Up the Beverage Aisle
"Clean label" is the buzzword of the moment in the food and beverage industry.
Consumers Flocking to RTD Coffee and Tea
These beverages cater to those modern consumers who are often looking for healthier on the-go drinks.
Confectionery
Create Cutting-Edge Confectionery
Over the past couple of years, consumers turned to indulgence for a boost…then realized that too much isn't a good thing. Confectioners now have the opportunity to remake sweets in a healthier image.
Confectionery Conundrum
As with most other food and beverage categories, healthier, better-for-you options are also pervading confectionery. There has been a definitive shift toward new or reformulated confections that offer guilt-free indulgence.
This sugar alternative is worth celebrating
Erythritol: ideal for food and beverage applications that promote sugar reduction.
Sugar Reduction in Confectionery
It takes a new mindset among brands and formulators to experiment in this quickly evolving category.
Functional gummy boom
No longer relegated to health food stores, dietary supplements have gone decidedly mainstream. It’s a reflection of broader trends, implicit in today’s label-conscious consumer mindset.
Our Pectin Experts Help with Confectionery Challenges
Technical advancements in pectin – as well as consumer’s interest in label-friendly and reduced-sugar products – have encouraged more manufacturers to include this fruit-derived thickener and gelling agent in product formulations.
Convenience Foods
No-compromise Convenience
Food culture shifts have prompted a revolution in the industry over the past decade, with convenience foods at the forefront.
Consumers are turning to convenient frozen food
80% of shoppers like having frozen food at home for when they’re “out of time or need something quick”
These Label-friendly Starches Can Take the Heat
For years, modified starches were staples of the texturizing world. But today, simpler labels and familiar ingredients reign supreme.
Simple Starches Solve Complex Challenges
For today’s label-conscious consumer, simple recipes and recognizable ingredients are no longer enough. Increasingly, consumers want to know how those ingredients were produced. It’s a movement that has sparked a return to familiar ingredients, including basic starches.
Upgrading Convenience Products with Functional Label-friendly Starches
Thanks to innovations in native starches, it’s easier for formulators to deliver upgraded convenience products that meet the needs of today’s more discerning consumers.
Label-Friendly Convenience
Partner with Cargill for a full portfolio of ingredients and formulation expertise to meet your goals for label-friendly convenience foods.
Native Starches - Thinking Outside the Box
Native starches are typically made from corn, cassava, potato, rice and tapioca, have not been modified, but merely stripped down to the starch component. A good label-friendly replacement.
Frozen as pleasing as fresh food
Hard-working, label-friendly ingredients help formulators
deliver the next generation of frozen foods.
Simple Ingredients. Pure Functionality.™
The new SimPure™ portfolio of functional native starches offers food and beverage manufacturers a label-friendly solution, together with greater process tolerance, shelf life and storage stability.
SimPure Q&A
Michelle Kozora leads Cargill’s team of food science professionals focused on starches. With more than 20 years of experience, she’s helped hundreds of companies achieve their product formulation goals.
Dairy
Redefining Dairy Innovation
Humans may have been consuming dairy since the Neolithic age,1 but modern-day dairy is evolving at a dizzying pace. Dairy — and its plant-based alternatives — is a key focus of innovation at Cargill.
What's Next in Dairy Alternatives
This category is here to stay, but how much it will grow and where it’s headed next are the questions.
Novelty, Nutrition in the Frozen Dessert Aisle
When it comes to frozen desserts, increasingly consumers expect more than a great-tasting, indulgent treat.
Plant-Based Yogurts Catching Consumer Eyes
Consumer attitudes toward yogurts are changing again. Plant-based yogurts are the new market disrupter, as the rising star of the dairy case.
Flavored Milk Infographic
As parents and schools have learned, kids are more likely to drink their milk when it’s flavored. That’s sparked some debate about balancing nutritional value and added sugars.
Yogurt Infographic
The U.S. yogurt category has been evolving in recent years, due to a convergence of trends and changing consumer behavior.
Balancing Sugar Reduction, Taste & Function
Cargill dairy experts discuss approaches to sugar reduction without sacrificing taste or functional attributes.
High Protein Dairy Trends
Consumers are seeking protein like never before, perceiving protein as the macronutrient most beneficial for top health issues.
The Growing Appeal of Dairy Alternatives
Leverage our specialty sweetness and texture ingredient portfolio to bring consumer-pleasing dairy alternatives to market.
Sugar Reduction in the Dairy Case
Consumer attitudes toward sugar have changed dramatically over the past decade.
Rich Texture in Frozen Desserts
Textural attributes are key for decadent, reduced sugar frozen desserts.
Cut the Sugar - Not the Satisfaction
Reduced-sugar frozen dairy treats that keep consumers coming back for more.
Sweetness & Texture Innovation
Nutrient-rich dairy products are fueling health-minded consumers’ appetites for convenient nourishment – but in new ways.
Custom Texturizing Solutions Brochure
Customized formulation solutions for food and beverage manufacturers.
Custom Texturizing Systems for Dairy
See how our experts can formulate a custom, label-friendly texturizing system for you.
Meat Alternatives
Understanding the Rise of Alternative Meat
Alternative meat has been around for a long time, but in recent years, it has seen an extraordinary rise in popularity. Some insight is provided here.
Meat Alternatives [Infographic]
Plant-based proteins are gaining awareness and acceptance, propelled by interest in healthy eating, sustainability and animal welfare.
Fertile Ground for Innovation in Plant Protein
Demand for meat alternatives is booming, as U.S. consumers modify their protein preferences to include a healthy dose of plants.
Snacks
Trends in Healthy Snacking
As snacking has become a mega-trend, the category itself has been transformed. Learn how to cater to current consumer expectations.
Breaking the boundaries in new bar development
Bars are now for everyone, but it is important to note that their expansion is tied to the rise of snacking culture – as consumers look for convenient, nutritious foods that can double as an on-the-go meal. Learn more in our report.
Frequent Snacking Puts Focus on Sugar Content
A snack is no longer considered an occasional treat – it’s become part of consumers’ daily diets.
Snack Consumption
Snacks are considered one of the most promising categories in the consumer goods space.
Reducing Sugar & Salt
When it comes to sugar and salt, snack makers are taking to heart "everything in moderation."
Cleaning Up the Snack Food Aisle
Cargill’s ingredient experts continue to find new ways to get more out of the corn kernel.
Snacking is Big Business
Cargill can supply you with the label-friendly ingredients you need to satisfy consumer demand for nutrient-packed snacks.
Label-Friendly Ingredients in Action - Snack Bars
Experts predict continued growth in this category for several years.
Time Tested Ingredients
Extruded snacks offer manufacturers distinct opportunities to capitalize on today's hottest trends.
QA: Raising the Bar on Label-friendly Sugar Reduction
Cargill food scientist Chad Rieschl, a 20-veteran of the snack bar industry, offers a few insights into formulating for the label-conscious consumer.
Sports Nutrition
Sports drinks take aim at female consumers
Once the sole purview of bodybuilders and hard-core, predominately male athletes, sports nutrition products have muscled their way into the mainstream.
Tapping into the active nutrition consumer
Today everyone, from your neighbor to your grandmother, is looking for a more efficient way to maintain a healthier lifestyle.
Sport Nutrition Products
Taking to new levels. Products must now be designed, positioned and marketed with pinpoint accuracy.
Sports Nutrition is Going Mainstream
The sports nutrition category is booming. Consumers worldwide are turning to foods and beverages which support their healthy lifestyles and tout improved energy, endurance or alertness.
Sustainability
Sustainability Q&A
We talked with Ryan Siroli, Cargill's row crop sustainability manager, to better understand how the company is advancing sustainable agricultural practices.
Communicating the Concepts of Label-Friendly and Sustainability
Products that contain label-friendly ingredients and that are produced sustainably have taken a stunning leap in consumer awareness in the last couple of years.
Understanding the Sustainable Consumer
Nearly three in four consumers now say they would definitely or probably change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact.
Label-Friendly Ingredients for Sweetening & Texturizing:
Canola Lecithin
Cargill is a supplier of canola lecithin. Canola lecithin may be used in a wide variety of food applications, including chocolate and confectionery, bakery and convenience foods.
Custom Texturizing Systems
Our knowledgeable technical applications team can help you successfully integrate functional Custom Texturizing Systems in existing food and beverage products or in new product development.
SimPure™ Label-Friendly Starches
Cargill offers a diverse selection of label-friendly, nature-derived texturizers.
MaizeWise® Whole Grain Corn Products
MaizeWise® whole grain corn products, such as corn flour, can directly replace existing ingredients, or blend with them, while helping deliver 100% whole grain nutrition. Product varieties include corn flour, corn meal and masa flour.
Non-GMO* Tapioca Syrup
Cargill's portfolio of tapioca syrups features a full range of carbohydrate profiles and Dextrose Equivalent (DE) levels plus Certified Organic lines.
ViaTech® Stevia Leaf Extract
ViaTech® stevia sweeteners are high performance ingredients that help food and beverage manufacturers achieve optimal taste and sweetness at higher usage levels.
Some Cargill products are only approved for use in certain geographies, end uses, and/or at certain usage levels. It is the customer's responsibility to determine, for a particular geography, that (i) the Cargill product, its use and usage levels, (ii) the customer's product and its use, and (iii) any claims made about the customer's product, all comply with applicable laws and regulations.