Day: June 24, 2020

June 22, 2020

 

To Our Valued Partners:

Here at Skidmore, we are continuing to monitor the situation closely surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, and as part of the essential supply chain; we continue to operate in full force, with approval from State and Federal authorities. When the outbreak took place, we took many steps to help mitigate the risk of infection within our operation and we continue to stay in close contact with our primary service and product suppliers.  We have since taken additional measures as guided by State and Federal officials.

Our housekeeping teams have increased the frequency of cleaning and sanitation of high traffic areas, and we have implemented additional training for cleaning and sanitation for all employees. We have secured many critical supplies for the ongoing operation in the event this situation is prolonged. We are restricting visitor access to our facilities to reduce exposure, outside of those vital in continuing operations. All visitors are required to wear proper PPE and have their temperature taken upon arrival, in addition to signing a compliance form stating they meet the necessary preventative measures necessary to mitigate risk of bringing the virus within our facility.  Any who do not comply are asked to leave.

All employees are following current CDC guidelines, and we have implemented many steps to ensure social distancing takes place for employees that remain, including closing of common meeting rooms and placement of partitions in lunch areas.  Any employee who can telecommute are doing so. With remote access to systems, customer interactions and administrative functions will continue as usual. Those employees working in the facility are always required to wear appropriate PPE, and have their temperature monitored daily prior to their shift.

Our Supply Chain continues to operate with minimum disruption. To date, we have been informed of only minor supply issues on ingredient orders and we work hard to carry the necessary inventory levels to meet our customers’ needs. We continue to communicate closely with customers and suppliers and carry appropriate inventories to help support our valued customers during this unprecedented time.

Additionally, we are in close contact with our transportation partners to ensure the availability of equipment. We have many healthy transportation relationships in place, in the event we need to spread our shipping volume to consistently meet customer delivery dates.

We will continue to monitor this situation closely, with a heavy focus on keeping our staff healthy, operation running, and product inventoried at proper levels.

Thank you for your continued support.

 

Best Regards,

Mark Overbeck                                                                        Steve Jackson

V.P. of Supply Chain                                                                V.P. of Sales and Marketing

Families are eating dinners at home more often these days.  Many are turning to frozen and chilled pizzas.  Recently, Innova Market Insights looked at the factors that impact this segment, and where it may go next!

According to the study, chilled pizzas (compared to frozen) are growing in popularity.  According to their study data, “between 2015 and 2019, the number of chilled pizzas launched globally increased by a CAGR of 15.0% versus 5.7% for frozen. Chilled pizzas tap into the premiumization trend, with companies more likely to use premium ingredients and market their products as authentic style, than perhaps many frozen pizzas; although premiumization is also occurring among frozen pizza companies, with the likes of Nestlé launching a new range in December 2019 under its US DiGiorno brand called Artisan Thin Crust.”

While tried-and-tested flavors remain popular, many pizza makers are focusing their NPD around meat flavors, including pepperoni, ham, bacon, chicken and salami, many non-meat flavors are seeing significant gains popularity, including margherita and vegetable flavors.

According to the study, gluten-free pizzas are now mainstream, with 8% of pizza launches in 2019 had a gluten-free claim.

Pizza: Global” is a new Category Insider report from Innova Market Insights, which brings together market sizes, company analysis and a review of new product trends and activity to demonstrate just how the picture has been changing and to suggest where the future opportunities can be found.

Learn more about the study here.

Kerry has expanded its range of plant protein ingredients including organic, vegan, and allergen-free products ideal for a variety of uses in food and beverage products.

These ingredients are derived from sources including pea, rice and sunflower combinations.

In all, 13 new plant proteins were introduced for the ProDiem and Hyprol ranges.

In the ProDiem line, taste is a particular focus. The nine protein options use Kerry’s flavor masking technology to reduce the characteristic off-notes traditionally associated with plant proteins. Additionally, the protein options in this line are made with smaller particles to reduce gritty texture and enhance the overall mouthfeel of products.

The Hyprol line is tailored for functional beverages and has a high solubility and pH stability to facilitate incorporation into beverages. In a recent white paper from the company, data show the functional beverage category is expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2022, which makes it a lucrative target for manufacturers looking to attract customers and trial plant-based protein options. Protein is a particularly profitable choice for manufacturers in the functional beverage segment, as trends indicate consumers are turning away from claims of wellness and overall health and returning to simpler additions with proven efficacy, such as omega-3s, zinc, calcium, potassium and vitamins.

In a recent interview with Food and Beverage Media, John Reilly, VP business development, proteins for Kerry Taste & Nutrition said: “We recognize the rapidly growing demand for plant-based protein as more and more consumers adopt a ‘flexitarian’ diet for health and sustainability reasons and are delighted to bring our expanded plant protein range to the market.

“By combining these new sources of plant protein with our established processing technology, technical expertise and flavor-masking capability, we have opened up many new innovation opportunities for our customers — and innovation remains at the heart of our work.”

See our complete Kerry product offering, or contact your Skidmore Representative to learn more.

Get a copy of the recent Kerry Report: “Winning With Plant Based,” here.

Ingredion has launched a new certified low FODMAP dietary fiber.  Novelose® 3490 enables food manufacturers to develop high-fiber bakery and snack products, satisfying consumer demand for products that promote digestive wellness.

In a recent Food Ingredients 1^st article, Carolyn Phillips, Ingredion’s Market Insights Lead, explained “Dietary fibers continue to play an important role in digestive health, Novelose 3490 dietary fiber provides manufacturers with an easy and affordable way to support a low FODMAP diet.”

FODMAP refers to Fermentable Oligo- Di- and Monosaccharides and Polyols; these are short-chain carbohydrates, which some experts say could trigger occasional digestive discomfort. Thus, a low FODMAP diet can be an effective way to help manage digestive wellness.

In addition to the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recognition of Novelose 3490 as a dietary fiber, the ingredient has been certified by Monash University as a Low FODMAP Certified product in the US.

In 2018, Innova Market Insights reported a 21 percent average annual growth in new product launches carrying a fiber claim. Moreover, Kerry released a study in May that found “huge opportunities” for gut-health-promoting ingredients in foods that are not typically consumed for health purposes, such as muffins and pizza.  To go along with that, Ingredion released a study in 2019 that revealed that 61% of those surveyed felt a low FODMAP diet is good for overall health and wellness.

According Ingredion’s website, “NOVELOSE® 3490 dietary fiber can help food manufacturers differentiate their products with in-demand package claims, such as the Monash University “Low FODMAP Certified” seal, “good source of fiber,” “excellent source of fiber,” “gluten-free,” “not sourced from grains,” and “non-GMO.” On product labels, the dietary fiber can be declared simply as a “modified tapioca starch,” “modified food starch” or “food starch modified.”  Only products that have formally applied to Monash University’s Low FODMAP certification program may claim to be Monash Low FODMAP certified. The application process to Monash University includes undergoing lab analysis to confirm FODMAP compliance.”

To learn more about Novelose 3490, and how your next innovation can benefit, contact your Skidmore Representative.