Arla Foods Ingredients has unveiled a new toolbox aimed at helping South American functional food manufacturers develop high-protein, dairy-based desserts. The toolbox includes 12 recipes designed to make it easier for manufacturers to produce low-fat, creamy desserts that offer the indulgence consumers crave without compromising on health benefits.
The solution uses Arla’s Nutrilac ProteinBoost range, which ensures a smooth and creamy texture while delivering high-protein content. This development comes as Latin America experiences growth in the dessert sector, with retail sales hitting US$12.7 billion in 2024. Brazil, the region’s largest market, is seeing value growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9%.
Responding to the Health-Conscious Consumer Demand
Despite the growing dessert market, a recent 2024 survey revealed a shift in consumer behavior in Latin America. Eighteen percent of respondents said they had reduced their dessert consumption in the past year. Among this group, nearly 40% cited concerns over health, with over half of respondents in Brazil pointing to desserts being “unhealthy” as the main reason for cutting back.
In response, 79% of consumers in the region expressed a desire for healthier options in indulgent food categories. To attract these health-conscious consumers, manufacturers are increasingly reformulating desserts to offer both sensory pleasure and health benefits. This trend, known as “permissive indulgence,” is now spreading across various food categories, balancing indulgence with health.
The Rise of High-Protein Desserts
The addition of functional ingredients, such as protein, is becoming a key strategy for creating healthier indulgent products. Arla Foods Ingredients’ research shows that 38% of Brazilian consumers are interested in high-protein dessert options available in supermarkets.
Many of the recipes in Arla’s toolbox are enriched with whey protein, providing high levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Nutrilac ProteinBoost ingredients also offer practical benefits, improving the shelf life and stability of fruity desserts, ice cream, and sorbet.
The toolkit not only includes recipes for ready-to-eat desserts like ice cream, puddings, and cheesecakes, but also provides solutions for health and performance-focused brands. One of the offerings is a low-fat instant pudding mix that provides 20g of protein per portion. Additionally, a clear gelatine solution featuring Lacprodan® whey protein isolate is designed to meet the needs of active and performance nutrition consumers.
Easy Production with Standard Equipment
The majority of the recipes can be produced using standard yogurt production lines, eliminating the need for complex equipment such as UHT technology. This makes it easier for manufacturers to integrate the high-protein dessert solutions into their existing production processes.
Ignacio Estevez, Application Manager for South America at Arla Foods Ingredients, emphasized the growing demand for healthier dessert options in the region. He stated, “Consumers in South America are increasingly health-conscious, but they don’t want to give up on indulgence. They’re looking for high-quality protein in their favorite products, and we hope our toolbox will inspire manufacturers to create desserts that deliver on both taste and texture without compromising on health.”
With this new toolbox, Arla Foods Ingredients is positioning itself as a key partner for manufacturers aiming to meet the growing demand for high-protein, health-conscious desserts in Latin America.
Related topics: