Considering today’s uncertain economy, it’s no surprise that a Nov. 2008 report from the ongoing Consumer Spending Indicator study by the NPD Group, Port Washington, NY, found 57% of consumers are cutting back on eating out to save money. According to NPD’s 2008 “Eating Patterns in America” report, it now costs an average of three times as much to eat out compared to preparing the same meal at home.
Meanwhile, the average grocery bill is up 5% compared to a year ago, according to the Food Marketing Institute, Arlington, VA. Although today’s higher food prices can account for a portion of that increase, analysts have shown that it’s also the result of consumer tradeoffs for eating in more often than out these days. People are spending a higher percentage of their food dollars at the grocery store instead of restaurants. But consumers are not only seeking a better bang for their buck, they’re also interested in high quality and healthfulness.
To satisfy this combined demand for value, quality and health, Grande Custom Ingredients Group suggests its natural, customized Grande Bravo® whey proteins to partially replace more-expensive, higher-fat ingredients like butter, cheese and cream—as well as meat and milk proteins—in staple grocery items like soups, cheese and cream sauces, dips and spreads, gravies, and dressings. Doing so can effectively cut fat levels in such products by around 30%, notes Steve Dott, director of sales and marketing. Grande whey protein ingredients can also improve a product’s texture, creaminess and flavor.
“Grande Bravo products are specially processed to provide unique functionality not found in other dairy powders,” says Dott. “They have the ability to bind and hold water, enhance creaminess and texture, and reduce syneresis, and are both pH- and freeze/thaw-stable.” Grande controls its own Grade A milk supply—the source of its whey protein ingredients—via the manufacture of natural, white Italian cheeses.
The Grande Bravo line includes various proteins for different applications and processing conditions. “They can bind water, with or without heat applied, and have sweet, neutral or tart flavor profiles for different applications,” says Dott.
The whey protein ingredients bind moisture to reduce purge in meat applications like coarsely ground meats, injected whole-muscle meats and smoked sausages. “Quite often, cost savings follow the main goal of quality enhancement,” says Dott.
Whey proteins can also help reduce blow-out of appetizer fillings. In bakery items, they often go into frozen dough, cheesecakes, brownies and cookies. “Our technical team,” notes Dott, “works with customers to recommend the best product to meet key formula objectives.”
Grande Custom Ingredients Group
301 East Main Street
Lomira, WI 53048-9548
Phone: 800/772-3210
Fax: 920/269-1445
E-mail: gcig@grande.com
Website: grandecig.com