BakeryandSnack Chat Podcast: Plant protein sector set for a shakeup with launch of spent barley upcycling startup
The Anheuser-Busch InBev-backed sustainable ingredients company upcycles the circularly sourced barley into nutrient-rich ingredients that can be used in snacks, breads, cakes, muffins and biscuits.
The company – which has been developing products from spent grain for a number of years – has introduced two cornerstone ingredients to mark its launch.
EverVita is made from barley fibres and proteins with minimal starch, used as a single solution to boost the nutrition and gut health benefits of products without impacting taste and texture, while EverPro is a fully soluble protein isolate that adds a ‘slightly malty note’ to a number of plant-based products.
Both ingredients come with a range of processing advantages:
- Bread: Increases specific volume and moistens crumb compared to wholemeal flour; promotes superior machinability and consistency of dough; lowers net carbohydrates and predicted GI
- Cakes & muffins: Higher specific volume than cakes fortified with wheat bran or wholemeal flour; water-binding properties to retain moisture during baking; lower in carbohydrates
- Cookies & biscuits: Provides an appetizing golden-brown colour that communicates a health halo; promotes crispiness and crunchiness with a light texture
- Pizza crust: Improves on the whole wheat pizza experience with strengthened mouthfeel; easy to integrate into formulations; delivers a signature, appetizing golden-brown crust
- Pasta & noodles: Promotes ‘al dente’ texture with great tensile strength and firmness performance; has ideal extrusion with no sticking together while drying or cooking; offers a more appetizing flavour than legume-based varieties
- Bars & snacks: Has a clean taste with desired texture and chew and minimal moisture transfer; promotes a crisp and crunchy texture for extruded snacks, while enabling higher protein and fibre-fortified positioning
EverVita and EverPro also adds a range of functionalities to beverages like plant-based milks, tea and coffee, along with shakes and smoothies. In fact, Take Two adds a protein boost to its Barley Milk range – launched in March last year – with EverPro BR barley and rice protein.
EverGrain is also currently in consultation with other commercial partners to launch a number of product in both the US and Europe in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021. Backed by the world’s leading brewer, the startup is perfectly positioned to support the growing popularity of protein-enhanced plant-based products with a scalable, consistent and stable supply of its ingredients.
Food security
“Our unique barley ingredients will transform plant-based products, delivering better tasting and more nutritious options to consumers who seek a healthier and more sustainable future,” said Greg Belt, founder and CEO of EverGrain.
“EverGrain’s innovative and circular approach, which we’ve honed over the past five years, offers a scalable, local and reliable solution for the global food industry to help address the world’s food security and sustainability challenges.”
Tony Milkin, chief sustainability and procurement officer, AB InBev, added, “AB InBev is proud to support such a remarkable, purpose driven venture with a mission to create incredible ingredients to nourish the world through the transformative power of circularity.
“EverGrain marks an important milestone in our ultimate goal of building a better world as we look to the next 100 years and beyond.”
We chat to Belt to find out more about this ground-breaking project.
