Case Study: Appetizing Innovation has the right ingredients for Ulrick & Short

Innovation is the key to gaining access to new markets, so when a leading clean label ingredients manufacturer decided to diversify into supplying the functional foods sector, it enlisted the help of Appetizing Innovation.

Appetizing Innovation is an exciting initiative which brings together leading product and packaging experts to help companies in their efforts to meet the demands of consumers and retailers. It is open to all food businesses, with a particular emphasis on companies in the Yorkshire and Humber region, and funding support is available to help meet project costs.

Developing new products can be a challenge, particularly if they boast health benefits. One company to benefit from Appetizing Innovation's specialist help in this field is Ulrick & Short Ltd.

The Pontefract-based clean label ingredients manufacturer is planning to launch a new crop-based functional food range and had sourced an extract from a plant which is a traditional replacement for sugar and fat in foods, but it needed scientific confirmation of these functional and health claims before it could take the product to the market.

After engaging with Appetizing Innovation, Ulrick & Short was granted funding support for the project, and was then put in touch with the head of the Food Research Group at Leeds Metropolitan University, Dr Tony Parsons.

Dr Parson's team at LMU is conducting a full review of the health advantages claimed for the ingredient, such as calcium absorption and prebiotic values for digestive benefits, and will provide both a chemical analysis and a detailed explanation of the results for Ulrick & Short.

He said: "Appetizing Innovation is researching the functional food aspects of the plant, in particular claims that it also has a natural sweetener extract which is superior to more traditional sources as a replacement for sugar and therefore good for diabetics. "

By developing new solutions for the food industry, Appetizing Innovation can boost plans for expansion by helping with new product ranges, such as Ulrick & Short's venture into functional clean label ingredients.

Ulrick & Short director Andrew Ulrick said the collaboration with Appetizing Innovation was vital to prove the efficacy and legality of the health benefits of the new ingredients it is planning to launch later this year.

He said: "By joining forces with Appetizing Innovation to substantiate the health promoting properties, we can focus on application areas where U&S already has expertise through their existing range of clean label food ingredients, such as bakery, dairy and breakfast cereals."

With Appetizing Innovation's help, Ulrick & Short can be at the forefront of this ingredients revolution. Its exciting plans to diversify into functional foods met the innovative criteria set down by Appetizing Innovation for providing the funding support and the expertise necessary to help the company take its product to market.

Contact Details:

For more information regarding Appetizing Innovation contact:

John Stanford
Food Processing Faraday Partnership Ltd.
Unit 2 Brook Park Offices
Gaddesby Lane, Rearsby
Leicestershire
LE7 4YJ
Tel: 01664 420066
Email: john.stanford@fpfaraday.com