GNT presents the five leading reasons consumers choose a certain ice cream

The GNT Group has compiled the top five reasons consumers choose a particular type of ice cream based on worldwide consumer surveys.

The No. 1 factor in choosing an ice cream, the surveys found, is ingredients. Forty-five per cent of consumers said they try to avoid ice cream containing artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives, and nearly one-third already has chosen not to buy a certain type of ice cream because it contains artificial colors.

The second aspect consumers consider when choosing ice cream is the information on the package, GNT said. Sixty-six per cent check ingredient labels before putting a product into their shopping baskets, the survey said, and more than one-fifth of consumers said they want easy-to-understand ingredient information and clear nutrition facts on the front of ice cream packaging.

The third component of selecting an ice cream is the color of the product. Because consumers link certain colors to certain flavors, the ice cream’s color will determine what the consumer expects the product to taste and smell like, GNT said.

Calories and fat weigh in as the fourth most important aspect of choosing an ice cream. While only 12% of consumers said they care about calories in ice cream, GNT said, 44% said they try to avoid fat.

The fifth and final factor in ice cream selection is price. The price of ice cream is crucial for 53% of consumers, GNT said. However, parents tend to buy the healthier option regardless of price.

“Cheap isn’t always good,” GNT said. “Producers can enhance customers’ brand preference by removing artificial and additive colors from their products.”

Concord grape juice powder debuts from Welch’s

Welch’s Global Ingredients Group, a division of Concord, Mass.-based Welch’s Food Inc., is launching new FruitWorx Concord Grape Juice Powder. Made with a dehydration 
process that removes all the water from the juice while maintaining its flavor and color, the powder is a free-flowing, soluble, low water activity powder, Welch’s said. The juice powder is made with fruit juice and is free from artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and G.M.O.s.

“Nearly two years ago, Welch’s Foods Inc. established the Welch’s Global Ingredients Group to deliver the many benefits of the Concord grape to more people and places, in a range of new product formats,” said Wayne Lutomski, vice-president of international and global ingredients for Welch’s Global Ingredients Group. “FruitWorx Concord Grape Juice Powder enables us to continue this mission, offering our customers a convenient way to bring the goodness of the Concord grape to a very wide range of applications, many of which are completely new categories for Welch’s Global Ingredients Group. We’re incredibly excited by the prospect of more people experiencing the Concord grape, and by the prospect of working with new partners across the world.”

Cherry Marketing Institute highlights sleep benefits of cherries

The Chicago-based Cherry Marketing Institute (C.M.I.) is showcasing the sleep benefits of tart cherries. Montmorency tart cherries naturally contain the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, the C.M.I. said, which helps regulate sleep patterns. In a study, researchers found that drinking Montmorency tart cherry juice daily reduced the severity of insomnia and time spent awake after going to sleep, the C.M.I. said. The cherries are available year-round in dried, frozen, juiced and concentrate forms.

Olam SVI earns gluten-free, non-G.M.O. certification

Olam International Ltd., headquartered in Singapore, has achieved gluten-free and non-G.M.O. certification for its Olam Spices & Vegetable Ingredients (S.V.I.) line. The line includes such products as dehydrated onions and garlic, black pepper, capsicums, and tomatoes.

“As a leading supplier for food ingredients, we are proud to be able to bring our customers the very best when it comes to quality and value,” said Greg Estep, managing director and chief executive officer of Olam S.V.I. “With our new non-G.M.O. and gluten-free certifications, our products can continue to meet the growing demand for clean, healthy ingredients. At Olam, we want to lead the way in the future of food while continuing to bring safety, sustainability and integrity to the table.”

Milne offers NFC, organic fruit juices and purees

Milne Fruit Products, Prosser, Wash., is showcasing its line of not-from-concentrate (N.F.C.) juices and purees that caters to the clean label consumer. The company offers a range of N.F.C. varieties, including blackberry, blueberry, Concord grape, cranberry, peach, raspberry, strawberry and watermelon.

“The natural taste and clean label of our N.F.C. fruit and vegetable products can play a major role in the changing consumer beverage markets,” said Michael Sorenson, general manager at Milne. “Our N.F.C. products are pasteurized with no artificial flavors, preservatives or colors to create fresher tasting, more colorful, healthy juices.”

In addition, Milne is launching six new organic fruit juices and purees: aronia, Niagara grape, lemon, orange, mandarin and blood orange. The company plans to introduce organic apricot puree this summer, Milne said.

All of Milne’s organic products contain no artificial ingredients, added sugars or preservatives.

Beneo boasts clean label rice starch

Beneo is introducing its first high-performance rice starch that, according to the Morris Plains, N.J.-based company, qualifies for natural and clean label status worldwide. Beneo’s Remypure functional native rice starch boasts a high stability during processing, even under conditions such as low pH, high temperature or high shear, Beneo said. The starch also offers a clean taste and improves both shelf life stability and texture, the company said.

“With 65% of consumers in the Americas considering natural products as better and 47% actively looking for natural products when making food purchase decisions, clean label and natural claims are becoming ever more important in the creation of food products,” said Marc-Etienne Denis, commercial managing director for Beneo-Remy. “We are proud to announce the launch of Remypure, as this high performance rice starch will now enable Beneo customers worldwide to make the most of growing consumer demand for natural and clean label solutions, even in applications requiring severe processing conditions.”

DDW debuts food coloring from purple corn

DDW, Inc., based in Louisville, Ky., is tapping into the popular purple corn trend with its new food color derived from a purple corn hybrid cultivated in the United States. The non-G.M.O., anthocyanin coloring delivers a red to purple hue, depending on pH, DDW said, and offers a clean, neutral taste. Food and beverage manufacturers may list the coloring as “purple corn juice color” or “colored with vegetable juice” on their ingredient statements.

“Our customers prefer documented control from seed to sale, and we’re excited to provide a new solution using a domestic crop that’s a sustainable, scalable source of color,” said Elaine Gravatte, president and chief operating officer for DDW.

Innophos appoints new v.p., c.m.o.

Sherry Duff has been appointed vice-president and chief marketing officer of Innophos Holdings, Inc. In her new role, Ms. Duff will be responsible for the Cranbury, N.J.-based company’s marketing and technology organizations.

Most recently, Ms. Duff was president and managing director of Arista Laboratories, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Molins, P.L.C. Prior to Arista, she spent more than 20 years with Arch Chemicals, Inc. where she held a variety of global leadership roles, including business development, strategic planning, general management, research and development and marketing.