Unlocking Healthier Potato-based Snacks: Insights for Innovation and Quality
The Continuing Shift Toward Healthy Snacking: Eating habits around the world are evolving as consumers increasingly prioritize healthier lifestyles. This shift has led to a rising demand for snacks that align with values such as nutrition, sustainability, and natural ingredients. Potato-based snacks, often seen as indulgent, are undergoing a transformation to meet the expectations of these consumers.
Understanding the Healthy Snack Revolution
The market for healthy snacks is growing rapidly, driven by changing consumer preferences. According to an industry intelligence source, the US potato processing market is being propelled by the increasing demand for healthier options, such as baked products. Meanwhile, in Europe, clean-label potato snacks and those with nutritional claims like high fiber or protein enrichment are gaining significant traction. Key trends in the industry include the elimination or reduction of so-called undesired ingredients, such as gluten, fat and animal-based products. Manufacturers face challenges in meeting these demands without compromising on texture, flavor, or production efficiency.
The Role of Raw Material Quality and Innovation
For potato-based snacks, the availability of high quality potato ingredients such as potato flakes, granules and starch are key. High quality ingredients start with quality raw materials. Sustainable farming practices are essential to optimizing both the nutritional profile and environmental impact of potato cultivation. Key considerations include:
Potato Variety Management: Maintaining a consistent quality of products throughout the harvesting season requires management of potato varieties with the right characteristics.
Environmental Sustainability: Sourcing locally to minimize transportation emissions and support regional economies.
Collaborative Farming Practices: Fair pricing and long-term partnerships with growers to ensure consistency, trust and a secure supply.
Innovation: Development of waxy potato cultivars for texture variation and optimization.
These efforts help lay the foundation for healthier snack production while addressing sustainability concerns.
Driving Innovation through Expertise and Collaboration
Snack innovation often requires a blend of technical expertise and creative problem solving. Dedicated research and development teams play a critical role by:
- Developing recipes and product concepts tailored to emerging market needs.
- Refining formulations using advanced testing and pilot production facilities.
- Collaborating with producers to adapt solutions for large-scale manufacturing.
Close collaboration between manufacturers and ingredient suppliers accelerates the process of bringing innovative products to market. For example, co-development initiatives can significantly shorten the timeline from concept to full-scale production.
The Emsland Group’s Healthy Potato Snack Toolbox
The Emsland Group has developed a “Healthy Potato Snack Toolbox” to address industry challenges and support manufacturers in creating diverse snack options that align with health trends. This comprehensive solution includes:
Customized Ingredient Solutions: Flakes, granules, starches, fibers and proteins made from potatoes and peas tailored to meet specific nutritional, functional, and clean-label requirements.
Technical Expertise: Access to advanced R&D facilities and a team of experts for recipe development and pilot testing.
Collaborative Partnerships: Close cooperation with customers to refine concepts and accelerate market launches.
By leveraging the Healthy Snack Toolbox, manufacturers gain expert support for the development of potato-based snacks, including:
Baked Snacks
Developing lower-fat alternatives to traditional fried snacks
Protein-Enriched Snacks
Incorporating plant-based proteins like Empro® pea protein isolates for balanced nutrition
Gluten-Free Options
Catering to consumers with dietary restrictions
Clean Label Ingredients
Simplifying formulations without compromising functionality with Empure® clean label potato flakes
High Fiber
Incorporating Emfibre® pea or potato fibers for fiber-rich options
Texture variety and optimization
The use of Emwaxy® potato starch supports homogeneous expansion and leads to delicate crispy textures
The toolbox enables manufacturers to expand their product portfolios while maintaining efficiency, quality, and consumer satisfaction. By combining sustainable farming practices, innovative ingredient solutions, and collaborative development, the Emsland Group empowers snack producers to meet evolving consumer demands.
Building a Healthier Future Together
The evolution of snacking reflects broader societal changes toward healthier and more sustainable choices. By sharing insights and fostering collaboration, the industry can continue to innovate and meet the needs of modern consumers. Together, manufacturers, suppliers, and producers can create a future where delicious, nutritious, and sustainable potato-based snacks are the norm.
Discover more about our solutions for the snack industry.
