If there’s one thing that signals the start of fall in the U.S., it’s the introduction of seasonal pumpkin dishes and drinks at restaurants around the country. But while pumpkin has long been seen as the king of fall, quick service restaurants (QSRs) and casual dining brands are also trying to incorporate non-pumpkin flavors and trends into their fall menu offerings to entice consumers. From the flavor of caramel apples to hearty soups and sauces - even dishes with carved turkey and cranberries - plenty of new fall-themed recipes will be hitting menus in late August and early September.

If you haven’t noticed the growing variety of nut and seed butters on the market, you haven’t been paying close enough attention. Protein is the hottest trend in the food and beverage industry, and today’s health-conscious, on-the-go consumers are looking at new peanut butter alternatives to give them the same protein-rich spread, and they’re finding it in almond, sunflower and cashew butters, to name just a few.

New Year's resolutions: we’ve all made them…and we’ve all broken them. One of the most cited reasons for falling off the wagon when it comes to resolutions related to dieting is that the food that’s low-fat, low-calorie, low-carb and other “lows” just isn’t as good as rich, or as decadent as other food that are available; we’ve all tasted light versions of our favorite foods and felt the disappointment. Food and beverage manufacturers continue to rush to the shelves with products that tout their healthier versions of popular products, hoping to capture people who, as of January 1, are committed to changing their eating habits. But usually by about January 3, they’re back to the better-tasting products.

Well, it’s that time of year again, when blog posts across the Internet are focused on the holidays– and this one’s no different! We’re hoping to get you into the spirit of the season by presenting our own version of The 12 Days of Christmas, with 12 holiday uses for Grande Custom Ingredients Group’s whey protein ingredients. Our line of natural whey and dairy ingredients solve a wide range of “everyday” challenges, and can be used to enhance or inspire holiday-inspired products, too. So, here you go…and from all of us at Grande Custom Ingredients Group, happy holidays and all the best in the coming year!

This blog post is a continuation of our series that answers questions we’re frequently asked by food and beverage manufacturers. Our goal with this series is to give manufacturers practical insights that help in developing successful formulations and end products. 

When we first introduced Grande Primo™ Dried Yogurt there was a whole lot of excitement around the fact that food and beverage manufacturers now had a way to put “yogurt” on their labels without needing to use fresh yogurt in their formulations. As you know, fresh yogurt requires a specific type of permit, has a relatively short shelf life, and has some risk of contamination that other products don’t. 

Despite there being an increased demand for fresher, healthier foods these days, ready to eat meals are still a popular choice among American consumers. In fact, U.S. sales for prepared meals are forecasted to grow from $24 billion in 2014 to $26 billion in 2017, showing no signs of slowing down. In order to keep these meals appealing to today’s health-conscious consumers, however, it’s important that food manufacturers emphasize and improve the health benefits of their ready to eat offerings.

When you think of foods that Millennials love, you probably think of things like pizza, burgers, burritos, and bacon (to name a few). However, there’s one food category that’s growing in popularity with the Millennial demographic, and that’s soup.