Tate & Lyle rebalances private label dairy desserts

Launched in 2005, the ingredients firm's Rebalance programme is focused on taking out ingredients perceived as 'bad' whilst retaining the same good taste.

The new additions are sweetening and texturising solutions for low-fat aerated dairy desserts such as chocolate mousse, and are said to allow for 52 per cent less sugar in reduced-sugar formulations, and 73 per cent less in no-added sugar.

The systems use Tate & Lyle's Splenda sucralose, as well as a "specialised blend" of other Tate & Lyle ingredients.

European solutions systems product manager Caroline Sanders told FoodNavigator.com at Vitafoods earlier this month that Tate & Lyle sources ingredients from other suppliers, in addition to using those available from its own divisions.

Tate & Lyle is launching the new dairy dessert systems next week at the "World of Private Label" trade show in Amsterdam.

"Tate & Lyle has increasingly been working with own-label manufacturers and the food service sector to develop, reformulate and enrich their products without impacting on taste and mouthfeel," said assistant marketing manager Lucy Beverly.

Just today UK supermarket Asda announced that it is reformulating all its private label products to take out artificial additives, with no expected impact on taste.

Its plans include replacing the sweetener aspartame with sucralose.

In branded products a recent coup by the Rebalance programme was the development of a light version of Cacolac, a milk drink popular in France, especially with children.

Sanders said that many consumers who grew up drinking the product have a strong connection with the brand.

The light version is intended to encourage them to continue drinking it in adulthood.

Recently launched in the French market, the light version of Cacolac does not have exactly the same taste as the original, but has been designed to appeal more to the adult palate.

Other systems under the Rebalance programme include sweet and sour sauce and botanical beverages.

In parallel to Rebalance, last year Tate & Lyle also introduced Enrich.

This programme is intended to increase the nutritional value of products.

They add in beneficial ingredients needed to fulfil requirements, especially for children and in the areas of weight management, immunity and digestive health.

Tate and Lyle is presently constructing a new R&D centre in Lille, France, which will be specifically focused on health and wellness.

Expected to be operational by the end of this year, it will be the new centre for development of more Rebalance and Enrich systems.