Innovation in the organic space continues apace, with French manufacturers rolling out various bio additions to their portfolios. Meanwhile, Nordic food group Fazer taps into the 'street food' trend with a line-up of new products for the summer season. Here is FoodNavigator's weekly roundup of some of the most interesting product development from around Europe.
Innovation in the organic space continues apace, with French manufacturers rolling out various bio additions to their portfolios. Meanwhile, Nordic food group Fazer taps into the 'street food' trend with a line-up of new products for the summer season. Here is FoodNavigator's weekly roundup of some of the most interesting product development from around Europe.
Finland's Fazer Bakery unveiled its summer innovation roster, which is taking inspiration from street food. The company is rolling out lactose-free brioche hot dog and hamburger buns, Fazer Juustosämpylä cheese-flavoured rolls, wraps and Kaurarieska flatbread.
"According to a test by Foodwest, the Fazer Street Food products beat the comparable products on the market according to all indicators: taste, appearance, consistency and consumer interest in buying. Street Food means easy but delicious meals enjoyed at home with friends and family," the company said.
The company is also rolling out "tempting" sweet bakery products, including chocolate and caramel meringues and Fazer Pieni Suklaakakku, a mousse cake decorated with gold and coated with chocolate. Additionally Fazer is updating its "classic" berry pies to reduce sweetness and enhance the natural berry flavour. The reformulated products include: Mustikkarahkapiirakka (bilberry and curd pie); Mansikka-karviaispiirakka (strawberry and gooseberry pie); Vadelma-jogurttipiirakka (raspberry-yoghurt pie); Raparperi-jogurttipiirakka (rhubarb-yoghurt pie).
Scotland's Graham’s The Family Dairy is introducing Cottage Cheese with a fruit layer to its new Goodness range. The high protein cottage cheese contains 18g of protein per pot, is lower in sugar and fat and a good source of ‘good’ bacteria, the company said.
Robert Graham, Managing Director of Graham’s the Family Dairy, said: “Cottage cheese as a new addition to our Goodness range balances perfectly with all our latest high protein dairy products due to their natural, fresh ingredients created by a Scottish family business. Our Goodness ice cream has exceeded all expectations and we hope that people are just as keen to try our cottage cheese with fruit layer. As a tasty, healthy snack Goodness cottage cheese is high in protein and with millions of live bacteria, is great for your gut too."
Julian Mellentin, director of nutrition & health consultancy New Nutrition Business, added: "Graham's new Goodness cottage cheese with fruit flavours is something completely new to the UK, and even better, it comes from a small family dairy using milk from traditional farms in Scotland. The taste and healthfulness of cottage cheese has always been understood but this is the first time a product has raised the bar with taste, interesting flavours and convenience."
Graham’s Goodness Cottage Cheese will be rolling out across all Aldi stores in Scotland, then M&S Scotland stores next week (13 May) in three fruit-filled wonderful flavours, strawberry, peach and black cherry.
Based in the heart of Scotland, Graham’s The Family Dairy are a genuine family business, this year celebrating their 80th birthday. They continue to produce award-winning ranges including Gold, Organic, milk, butter, ice cream, cheese, yoghurt, cream, cottage cheese, soured cream, quark, Protein 22, Skyr, Protein 40 and now Goodness ice cream and cottage cheese with fruit.
French food maker Green Shoot is rolling out its organic gaspacho in a smaller format to enable 'on the go' consumption.
The new 330ml format is ideal for "summer lunches and picnics", Green Shoot suggested. It joins Green Shoot's 750ml SKU.
The gaspacho only contains fresh ingredients and is available in the fresh fruits and vegetables section of the store. It is rich in fibre and gluten free, the soups and smoothies manufacturer noted.
YOgourmand, the Toulouse dairy brand of YéO Frais, is launching a swathe of new organic products made from whole cow’s milk.
The company is rolling out natural, vanilla and lemon yoghurts as well as a thick cream. All the recipes are “100% natural” and free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, the company revealed.
The product developments meet growing French demand for organic and regional products, YéO Frais said.
Sylvie Barniol, marketing director of YéO frais, said that to eat locally maintains the link between the company's dairy and farms in the southwest of France. "We respond to growing demand for local consumption, offering simple, authentic and high-quality products," Barniol commented.
Plaisance Bio wants to meet growing demand for products that are organic but also convenient in France with its new line of ready-made potato puree dishes.
According to data from Agence Bio, more than nine in ten consumers in the country purchased organic products in 2018 - and nearly three in four people eat organic at least once a month.
As well as being organic, the range is vegan and gluten-free, the company revealed. Prepared in just five minutes, the potato dishes come in single serve packs.
Dairy cooperative Arla is expanding its Skyr offering in the German yoghurt category.
The 'fruit and kernels' snack consists of Arla's original Skyr, buckwheat, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds and fruit. The company said it has less sugar than other sweet dairy products that contain cereals.
The new line consists of two varieties: peach & raspberry and red fruits.
The recommended retail price is €0.99 per 195g cup. The launch will be supported with a marketing campaign including online and television advertising.
