How Caldic is responding to evolving consumer demands
With information readily available within a click, today’s consumers are more informed and more demanding than ever before. Increasingly, purchasing decisions are influenced not just by traditional factors like taste and price, but by digital tools such as Yuka. These apps empower shoppers to scan products and instantly evaluate their nutritional quality and physiological benefits, pushing food manufacturers to rethink formulations.
This shift is accelerating demand for additive-free products, phosphate-free formulations, and reduced sodium content. As a result, the market is no longer shaped solely by science or regulation, it is increasingly driven by digital transparency and consumer perception. At the same time, sustainability considerations are rising, with plant-based proteins gaining traction due to their lower carbon footprint.
As these trends reshape the industry, Caldic is helping food manufacturers navigate complexity through functional ingredients, tailored formulations, and application expertise; themes we will continue to explore throughout this trend series.
Plant-base proteins continue to gain momentum, driven not only by perceived health benefits but also by their lower environmental impact, making them a key driver of future innovation.
Shelf life remains a critical challenge in bakery and beyond. According to Stefano Runci, European Product Manager for Food at Caldic, there are two key dimensions to address: “Shelf life can be divided into microbiological stability and sensory stability.”
Microbiological stability, which focuses on mold prevention, has traditionally been achieved using chemical preservatives such as propionates. However, the industry is increasingly shifting toward clean label alternatives. Caldic supports this transition with solutions such as fermented flours, which rely on naturally derived acids to replicate the functionality of traditional chemical preservatives. As Stefano explains, “The clean label version is based on fermented flours, a natural source of ingredients with functional characteristics that are on par with chemical acids.”
At the same time, sensory stability plays an equally important role, as consumers expect products to remain soft, fresh, and enjoyable over time. In bakery applications, this is challenged by starch retrogradation, a natural process that leads to dryness and staling. To address this, we combine both traditional and clean label approaches, using emulsifiers as well as enzyme-based solutions. “It is key to reduce the retrogradation of the starch. It can be achieved through chemicals or clean label solutions with enzymes,” Stefano notes, highlighting the importance of maintaining both texture and mouthfeel throughout a product’s shelf life.
Caldic’s strength lies in its ability to develop advanced ingredient systems and functional blends, particularly in flour-based applications. By combining enzyme-based clean label solutions, custom powder blends, and fibres designed to improve stability and texture, the company enables manufacturers to achieve both performance and formulation simplicity.
A strong example is “AnDy mousse”, a clean label, vegan whipping and stability system developed to deliver consistent results in demanding applications like plant-based mousses, dessert creams, and premium whipped toppings. As Stefano puts it, “It is a fully clean label, vegan solution offering strong added value.” While Caldic does not produce finished consumer food products, its expertise lies in enabling customers to create them through high-performing ingredient systems tailored to specific applications and processing requirements.
Health and wellbeing continue to drive innovation across the food industry, particularly in bakery. Caldic is responding to this demand through the development of high-protein bread and pizza solutions, using tailor-made blends based on plant-based protein sources. These formulations are carefully designed to meet both nutritional targets and the specific processing constraints of each customer.
As food technologist recognise, working with plant-based proteins such as lentils, peas, and black beans introduces technical complexity. “The addition of proteins to any formulation will impact its performance in various ways. It is a juggling act between the right viscosity and viscoelastic behavior,” Stefano explains, underlining the importance of formulation expertise. Despite these challenges, plant-based proteins continue to gain momentum, not only for their perceived health benefits but also for their lower environmental impact, making them a key driver for future innovation.
One of the most complex challenges in product development is balancing clean label and health-driven claims with sensory performance. As Stefano highlights, “There is always a balance between the weight of the claim and the sensory quality.” While consumers increasingly expect cleaner labels, plant-based options, and healthier formulations, these expectations cannot come at the expense of taste and texture. “You can’t go below a minimum level of quality, the product must still taste good,” he adds. This tightrope walk is critical, as even the most innovative or sustainable product will struggle to succeed if it does not meet consumer expectations at organoleptic level.
Beyond quality, rising raw material costs, more recently particularly for cocoa, are driving manufacturers to explore alternative ingredients and more cost-effective formulations. In response, Caldic is developing solutions such as malt-based cocoa replacement using roasted barley malt, while also collaborating with principal partners like Cargill on advanced chocolate alternatives. “We have formulated different products based on alternative ingredients to replace cocoa,” Stefano explains, reflecting the growing need to equalize cost efficiency with product quality.
As the food industry becomes more complex, shaped by digital influence, sustainability requirements, and rising consumer expectations, Caldic is exceptionally well positioned as a true solution partner. By combining functional ingredients, advanced formulations, and deep application expertise, we help manufacturers meet today’s demands while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges. As Stefano concludes, “True innovation lies in the ability to anticipate market needs early and act on them decisively.”