Kate Farms meal replacement beverages
Kate Farms Komplete features a blend of phytochemical extracts and concentrates from 29 fruits and vegetables.
 

Meeting special needs


Another example comes from Kate Farms Inc., Santa Barbara, Calif., a company started by Richard and Michelle Laver for their daughter Kate, who was born with cerebral palsy and at age 4 was dealing with feeding tubes and pharmaceutical drugs. The parents worked with a team of culinary professionals and nutritionists to develop a beverage free of the top eight allergens as well as corn products, all of which are known to cause inflammation, which may negatively impact food digestion and nutrient absorption. The original line — Kate Farms Komplete — comes in chocolate, coffee and vanilla flavors in 11-oz shelf-stable, re-closeable cartons.

“Kate Farms Komplete was developed to work with the body,” said Nory Emori, chief marketing officer. “The beverage is as much about what it doesn’t contain as it is about what it does include.”


An important inclusion is a blend of phytochemical extracts and concentrates from 29 fruits and vegetables. Phytochemicals are the active ingredients that promote whole body health. The extracts do not contain any of the source ingredients’ protein, fat or carbohydrates.

“One can only be allergic to protein, so without it, the superfoods blend contains no allergens,” Ms. Emori said. “The blend includes extracts of green tea and green coffee but does not contain any caffeine. These phytochemicals are antioxidants that help the body more efficiently absorb nutrients, vitamins and minerals.”

This is important, as the company loads the beverage up with vitamins and minerals. A serving contains 35% of the Daily Value for all key nutrients.

Because Kate Laver is tube fed, her parents also commissioned the development of Kate Farms Core Essentials 1.0, with the 1.0 referencing the one calorie per milliliter the product contains. The beverage is formulated to meet the needs of those who rely on the beverage for their primary or sole source of nutrition.

“Core Essentials 1.0 is similar to Komplete, but with higher levels of potassium and sodium and more calories,” Ms. Emori said.

Taste is important to the company, even with products intended for tube feeding. This is because caretakers and parents often taste what they are giving to their patients. If it tastes good to them, they feel good about serving it.

Like Vital Cuisine, Core Essentials 1.0 includes medium-chain triglycerides. A 325-calorie, 325-milliliter container provides a balanced combination of macronutrients — 41 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein and 10 grams of fat — along with 24 vitamins and minerals and the 29 phytonutrient superfoods blend.

For more intense oral and tube feeding nourishment, the company also offers Core Essentials Peptide 1.5. Each 325-milliliter carton provides 500 calories and delivers the same vitamins, minerals and antioxidant-rich superfoods as the other two lines. It is made with 100% hydrolyzed organic pea protein and amino acids for calorically dense total nutrition that is easy to digest.

ProNourish, another meal replacement brand from Nestle Health Science, Bridgewater, N.J., was formulated to be compliant with low FODMAP diet for people with food intolerance. FODMAP is an acronym for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which classifies specific types of short-chain carbohydrates that may be poorly absorbed in the small intestine, resulting in digestive issues in some people. This diet often is followed by those with celiac disease.

Based on hydrated milk protein concentrate, the beverage does not contain gluten or high-fructose corn syrup, and is suitable for people who are lactose intolerant. It is also loaded with 25 essential vitamins and minerals.