One trend, many expectations
Clean labeling is more than just a trend. Around the world, there’s been a sharp rise in consumers’ interest in the ingredients of their food – and awareness just keeps growing. This makes the consumer-driven demand for fewer and more natural ingredients a true economic factor.
Many manufacturers are therefore striving to “clean up” their ingredient list. While there’s no clear definition for a “clean label,” consumers typically have certain expectations around what it should include: a short list of recognizable ingredients and the absence (or very limited amount) of processed ingredients, sugar and artificial additives. Organic ingredients can come into the equation, too. In general, these products are considered as “free-from,” healthier and more natural. In the bigger picture, “clean label” not only refers to the product itself, but to the “clean” image of the manufacturer, too – as well as to the origin of the ingredients, the supply chains and environmentally sustainable and ethical production.
Consumers, however, aren’t the only ones driving the clean label phenomenon. Increasingly strict food regulations are also leading manufacturers to focus more and more on formulations that meet the growing demand for transparency.
A challenge for chocolate dragée manufacturers
Of course, these developments don’t stop at chocolate confectionery in every variation, like the all-time favorite chocolate panned candy: Consumer wishes come into play here, too – for ingredients that are natural, recognizable and few in number. Dragée manufacturers keep innovating to create new products or to reformulate their favorite chocolate panned products so they meet the expectations of increasingly more mindful consumers. Plant-based chocolate, sugar-reduced and sugar-free dragées or dragées that are free from artificial additives – demands can be manifold. Glazing needs to be part of this effort while continuing to make the product look appealing and the consumers’ mouths water!
Glazing agents for a clean label and proven performance
For all these reasons, CAPOL, as a market-leading expert in the field of confectionery coatings, has developed a whole array of solutions to help manufacturers respond to the specific needs of their consumer markets. One of these solutions is a dedicated glazing range that meets consumer desires with regard to simple labeling. The range is based on the typical components of chocolate products which helps to minimize the number of ingredients in the product and thus on the product declaration. The glazing agents are easy to apply thanks to their low viscosity and deliver excellent results at low dosage.
This allows manufacturers to achieve top performance with the same highly brilliant gloss while at the same time meeting the needs for a consumer-friendly declaration. And since the global “clean label” trajectory shows no sign of slowing down, CAPOL will continue to work on innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of its customers around the world when it comes to confectionery coatings – for great products now and in the future.