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Milk Specialties Global touts itself as “the brand behind the brand” and aims to capitalize on the growing number of consumers who are increasing their protein intake and paying more attention to their dietary choices.
The company is a supplier of protein and nutritional supplements to food and beverage companies.
CEO David Lenzmeier told Food Dive that while he’s seen a variety of ebbs and flows in the dairy sector and beyond, taste has always been the most important factor when making purchasing decisions.
“Over the years, we have seen dynamic changes in consumer preferences and technological advancements. Taste plays a key role in how new trendy foods gain attention one day and are forgotten the next. Above all, advances in refrigeration and filtration have made our ingredients and final products more beneficial to consumers,” he said.
He said the best way to deliver on this trend is with products high in protein and low in sugar.
“One dominant theme that isn’t going anywhere is that consumers want more from their products. They want foods and supplements that provide benefits beyond satisfying their hunger, and they want to feel good about what they eat without feeling guilty. “They want to know the options that can help them build muscle, fight infection, treat disease, and improve their well-being.”
One major product category that fits the bill is protein bars. This category is growing rapidly and is expected to reach $7 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.3%. According to Market Research Future.
“Previously, consumers believed that protein-based products were only suitable for the sports nutrition category. But with protein fortification, proteins have moved far beyond this niche,” Lenzmeirer said.
Protein fortification refers to the process of adding a source of protein to a product that does not naturally contain protein. These include: We use isolated proteins from single sources and add them to a variety of products, from dairy alternatives to snacks and ready-to-eat meals..
Although trends and fads will always ebb and flow with consumer eating habits, Lenzmeier believes that consumers’ search for high-quality foods with nutritious ingredients will not go away.
“Seasoned entrepreneurs know that abandoning core products and a company’s vision for trends is a recipe for disaster. To succeed, a company must leverage its core products and the elements that helped build the company in the first place, while also staying relevant to what consumers want. Therefore, companies must also develop along with the market,” he said.
At Milk Specialties Global, Lenzmeier aims to achieve this by applying the 80/20 rule.
“We spend 80% of our time on customer innovation and product development to keep our customers happy and successful. The remaining 20% of our time we are pushing the boundaries of what is possible,” the CEO said. Innovation should always be rooted in the business plan, but we also don’t want to stifle creativity.”
