Gulfood Manufacturing: Ingredion Targets Middle East with Plant-Based, ‘Natural’ Products

Ingredion, a global food and drink ingredients company, is focusing on the Middle East market by partnering with distributor Univar to showcase plant-based, low-sugar, and 'natural' products at the upcoming Gulfood Manufacturing conference. With 50% of consumers in the UAE prioritizing nutritional content and naturalness in their food and drink, Ingredion aims to meet these demands by introducing healthier and natural products at the event, including plant-based and low-sugar formulations.

The company's plant protein push includes launching a pea and rice protein blend for snacks and drinks, as well as a chickpea protein innovation in collaboration with Israeli startup InnovoPro. Ingredion has invested over $200M in plant-based proteins and experienced a 118% increase in sales in 2022. The move towards plant-based alternatives aligns with the UAE's focus on sustainability and promoting plant-based eating, as seen through recent developments in the region's vegan sector, including the opening of plant-based meat factories and partnerships with vegan food brands like Switch Foods.