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Ketchup sector: more competition, always less tomato?

24/09/2018

François-Xavier Branthôme
United Kingdom,
European Union
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Innovative “protein ketchup” producers aim to shake up the consolidated condiment category while helping consumers eat healthily with "marginal gains": they are banking on pea protein isolate. 
The traditional ketchup category is heavily dominated by just a few brands, but it was not difficult for the co-founders of UK start-up “In The Buff” (*) to find a unique selling point for theirs.
"Many [ketchup] brands innovate with mainly trying to reduce the salt and sugar elements of their offering. We felt that instead of 'reverse engineering' a product, we would learn the trends out there, focus on answering the needs of the consumers that weren't being answered currently. Hence our fit for purpose/healthy ketchup." 
 
The fact that consumers are increasingly interested in healthy eating has definitely worked in its favour, they said.
"This is where functional properties and ingredients also play a crucial part. Our philosophy is, this is all about “marginal gains". Eating regularly and a little bit better, versus just sticking with something that you've been brought up with and never questioned. […]There's a wash of main flavours out there all fighting for the same shelf space and no doubt this comes down to price in many cases," they added.

“Functional ingredients play a crucial part”
The company uses plant-based pea protein isolate to enrich the ketchup with protein, but characteristics of the natural emulsifier made it incredibly hard to work with. Producers searched for two years with food specialists before they finally achieved the taste, texture and protein content they were looking for.
The pea protein isolate does not alter the ketchup's flavour but adds some body to the mouthfeel, which also means the condiment is "more versatile in usage" and is used by some consumers in salad dressings, dips and stir-in sauces.

The start-up will soon be launching two new flavours, Turmeric Fusion and Chipotle Spice, in addition to the original Sweet Paprika. In The Buff uses tomatoes as a base for its ketchup, but a growing number of brands are finding success with alternative vegetables.
Between April 2016 and March 2017, almost one-fifth of new ketchup launches in Germany used “alternative” vegetables, such as Georg Thalhammer's pumpkin ketchup, or Herr Edelman's smoky orange or organic mango. In the UK meanwhile, The Foraging Fox makes beetroot-based ketchup that uses apple to add sweetness rather than sugar.

 (*) The tongue-in-cheek name – “in the buff” is British slang for naked – refers to its clean label ingredient list and health halo effect.

Source: foodnavigator.com