Clean Labels - opportunity identification for value added Australian red meat innovation

Summary

"Clean label" and "free from" trends have continued to evolve across the food industry and refers to food products that have fewer and simpler ingredients.

This project reviewed recent advancements in “clean label” food products to identify new opportunities for the Australian red meat sector to value add. A series of interviews were undertaken with industry and consumer groups to test key clean food perceptions and attitudes.

It was found that consumers pay less attention to "clean label" in indulgent products compared to food staples, with an increasing focus on foods consumed by children addressing this trend. These insights are used to gain an understanding of the best opportunity areas the red meat sector might consider in the context of the “clean label” food trend.

Objectives

This project considered several opportunities for clean labelled foods that could be applied to red meat inclusion, with a particular focus on meat snacks, powder drink supplements and baby food.

Key findings

• Overall, the notion of “good for you” was found to be the overarching quality associated with clean eating.
• "Clean label" was found to be all about perception in the mind of the consumer, based on attributes they desire.
• It was recommended that a better understanding of how people think, feel, behave and learn about clean labelled meat-based products be considered.

Benefits to industry

Brand-owners procuring and value adding Australian red meat are well placed to build upon the current ‘clean and green’ Australian red meat credentials. It is proposed that clean labelling and clean technologies will continue to enable provisions for Australian red meat to advance in the value-added food sector.

MLA action

This project identified four key insights that have been ideated with several meat snack companies who have concurrent MLA Donor Company projects. These projects are evaluating novel processing interventions and bundling of ingredients.

Outcomes from this project will be collated with industry’s interest in exploring the recent outcomes from the below projects:

• Review of emerging (food industry) clean technologies for potential high value red meat opportunities, MLA project with CSIRO on clean technology platforms
• Review paper: Beyond meat to quality ingredient component strategy, MLA project with Food Innovation Partners on meat as a quality ingredient.

Future research

As a result of the tends identified within this project, further discussions with past MLA Donor company partners developing meat based baby foods are underway.