In 2021, the UN Climate Change Conference and Food Systems Summit set the stage for increased focus on a sustainable food supply.
Food companies’ and retailers’ commitments to sustainability and reduced water usage will accelerate, and we will see carbon labelling become more common. Emphasis on reducing food waste will increase, and the use of waste streams to produce value-added ingredients and foods will grow from niche to mainstream.
Sustainability within the food supply chain is receiving increasing attention. A study conducted with Datassentials shows that “86% of consumers who tried a plant-based food during COVID would likely continue using this alternative after traditional products became available. Lack of product availability during the lockdowns also placed a spotlight on the ability of natural resources to replenish themselves with reduced human interference. This resulted in growing optimism that some elements of damage done to the environment can be reversible”.
The plant-based foods trend is growing as consumers are concerned about the impact of their food choices on their well-being and the environment. This is creating more opportunities for innovation into the next generation of plant-based foods. After observing and studying these consumer attitudes and interest in vegan and plant-based foods, in2food came up with innovative “free-from” baked goods to adapt to the evolving needs of its customers.
From this stemmed one of the most recent additions to the in2food group, the Paarl Free From site. It is the first vegan commercial bakery of its kind in South Africa. This 1 400 m² facility, manufactures a range of ambient vegan bakery lines, and will soon add a line of frozen products to the mix. In the first 12 months since its inception in 2021, the Paarl Free From site created 65 additional jobs.
Paarl Free From produces the most delicious vegan baked goods and only uses locally sourced ingredients for these best-in-class products. Among the baked vegan ranges are Vanilla Confetti Cupcakes, Chocolate Fondant, Berry and Vanilla Swirl Hidden Centre Cupcakes, and Spiced Coconut Teacakes, available in Woolworths.
Paarl Free From is committed to advocating and inspiring vegan products that fulfil nutritional and environmental needs while also providing comfort and enjoyment.