Integral Digest 002

Happy November (ok, a week into it…),

After spending some time on the road, I’m reminded why I love this work. Working on improving supply chains and supporting businesses in the food and bev space can at times feel quite nebulous. Through hitting the road to meet with companies and innovators in-person, as well as for speaking opportunities,? I’m reminded of and energized by all the inspirational change I see.? There’s no better reminder to focus on improving supply chains than connecting with those sincerely committed to facilitating a more efficient, equitable, and delicious future.

Getting to speak at SupplySide West again last month was truly restorative. As much as I love sharing about my own work, I find I almost always leave more hungry to foster the unique connections I made over the event.

Some exciting takeaways:?

1. As one of the largest, if not the largest, supplement ingredient expos in the world, SupplySide West has a tremendous opportunity to bring the food industry into the fold alongside all the botanical extracts, capsulation technologies, and other foundational representatives of the supplement industry. I caught up with Sandy Almendarez , VP of Content for SupplySide and Informa Markets, and got to discuss how we can increase the presence of CPG, food products, and other food industry players at SupplySide West. We agreed that incentives and opportunities for highlighting? sustainable, farmer-led, tech-enabled, nutritious, equitable and transformative food innovations at the show in Vegas need to be a priority in the upcoming years.?As with IFT’s? (Institute of Food Technologists) Chicago expo earlier this year, SupplySide West reinforced the lack of diversity in the protein and protein application space and the need to bring sustainable, diverse and highly functional new proteins (plant-based, fermentation-derived, and/or otherwise alternative proteins) to market. Check out our article in Food and Beverage Insider about that issue here: Protein Diversity On and Off The Plate.?
2. I also had the pleasure of catching up with Charles Alland, 5th generation CEO of Alland & Robert, one of the world’s leading direct sourcers and suppliers of Acacia gum. He articulated, without hesitation, his steadfast commitment to sustainability throughout the supply chains of the natural plant exudates they source directly from farmers throughout Africa. This was a refreshing and encouraging perspective on how critical it is for brands to focus internally through manufacturing and through their sourcing programs on building resilient, climate-friendly and fair partnerships and systems to bring customers ingredients with integrity.?
3. The educational sessions were absolutely fantastic. I learned a ton. From AI in the food industry, to best practices to efficiently tackling R&D challenges on the bench and beyond, to how to work with small-holder farmers in Afghanistan. It was an honor to join the speakers with my presentation about “Sustainability in the Food and Beverage Industry”, and I was extremely encouraged by the focus on sustainability, supply chain transparency and integrity that was present as a central theme of the educational programming.

Ask an Expert: Addressing Upstream Issues in the Supply Chain?

Geographical, climate, economics of yield and price per pound at farmgate, quality control, processing, and shipping challenges are all very real issues for any company that relies on raw material agricultural production systems and supply. In my experience, two primary challenges (among many others) most food tech companies struggle with are:?

• Lack of diversity in available protein sources.
• Sustainability in sourcing said ingredients.

Supply chain challenges like these often lead companies to compromise in areas they’d otherwise hope to avoid. But rather than compromise financially, logistically, technologically, and even ethically, it’s never too late to invest in the integrity of your business.

Checkout this article I wrote earlier this year for Big Idea Ventures that offers a solutions-oriented approach to some of the most common hurdles I’ve helped clients mitigate.?

Inventory Spotlight! Pea Protein Isolate

Check out the full inventory available in and out of the US through our supply partners.

If you’re even remotely familiar with the alternative protein landscape, you likely get a lot of Q’s about peas. Heck, you probably have a few yourself. I know I did as I dove deep into the territory in search of novel plant proteins. With ever-evolving applications, let’s take a closer look at one of my favorites, the humble field pea.

Sustainability

Cultivated for over 7,000 years, yellow field peas are one of the oldest domesticated crops. In addition to being protein-rich, peas are a particularly valuable crop for their role in pulling abundant free nitrogen from the air above ground and converting it to nutrients in the soil.

Nutrition

While peas help produce more nutritious soil as a crop, the nutritional value of peas continues well after harvest. Boasting a protein content of 80% or more, pea protein is also a great source of iron and has been shown to aid heart health.

Market Applications

In addition to its usefulness as the foundation for innovative plant-based meat analogs, pea protein can also be used in dressings, mayos, and even drinks!?

Contact us to talk about our services, our ingredients, to schedule a free consultation and to invite us to speak at your next event!

Thanks,

Udi & Team