Premier Foods - reformulation case studies
“We've seen a growing trend of consumers looking for healthier options but they
can be concerned that healthier products mean a taste compromise.
Mr Kipling's
healthier cake range, Delightful, has been re-developed to be lower in calories
and saturated fat, whilst still delivering a great tasting treat”
George Uden, Head of Product Development, Cake Business Unit, Premier Foods
- Reformulation of Delightful builds on the health and nutrition programme in
place
at Premier Foods since 2003.
- Significant reductions in sugar (up to by 49%) and saturated fat (up to by 47%)
have been achieved thanks to the development of Delightful.
- The project involved extensive technical assessments of a wide range of fat
replacers
before focusing on the polydextrose and natural dietary fibre combination.
- The project took 18 months to develop The overall investment in
research and the product launch totalled over £800,000.
Premier Foods is one of the largest food manufacturers in the UK and Ireland,
producing a wide variety of foods under well-known brands such as Hovis, Mr
Kipling,
Oxo, Sharwood's, Ambrosia and Hartleys.
The company is responding to consumers' desire to eat more healthily by
producing
cakes with reduced saturated fat and fewer calories which still taste great.
In January 2006 Mr Kipling launched a range of lower fat and calorie cakes
called Delightful.
Since then it has undertaken extensive development work to reformulate the
Delightful range in order to reduce both sugar and saturated fat.
Additionally both calories and fat have significant reductions in the Delightful
range,
compared to their counterparts in the standard Mr Kipling range, while still
achieving
the taste and texture performance expected of Mr Kipling cakes.
In January 2009 Mr Kipling Delightful relaunched with nearly 50% less saturated
fat
(up to 47% reduction) and sugar (up to 49% reduction). The new range consists
of
three
cake slices – chocolate, apple and country.
The product is available in a twin pack format helping consumers easily control
their
portions without wastage.
Delightful has been a long time in development, because each recipe is
considered to be relatively technically advanced. Extensive consumer testing
was
carried out in order to find the optimum reduction of saturated fat which would
still
deliver great taste. More than £800,000 has been invested in research and the
launch of
the new range.
Premier Foods continues to reformulate standard ranges and extend its range of
healthier options across the portfolio to help meet consumer dietary and
lifestyle needs.
More information
top
Last reviewed: 06 Jul 2009