A Winning Treat Formula: Cost Savings and Label-Friendliness

Every second counts when launching a new product into the market, especially in the highly competitive and crowded pet nutrition space. BSM Partners’ Product Innovation Service team understands this and is here to turn innovative ideas into high-performing finished products. Continue reading to learn how BSM Partners leveraged its extensive industry network to solve an urgent ingredient challenge.

The Challenge

While the effectiveness of ingredients like diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides (DATEM), sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), and mono- and diglycerides is unparalleled, these complex chemical names are often unappealing to consumers on pet product labels. When replacing an ingredient, however, there are multiple factors to be considered beyond what looks good on a label.

A client facing the imminent product launch of their new treat line engaged BSM Partners' Product Innovation Service to find a consumer-friendly alternative to mono- and diglycerides without compromising functionality. With only two months until launch, the objectives were:

• Identify a functional equivalent to mono- and diglyceride, in this case, a texturizer and emulsifier.
• Target a specified melting point to maintain product integrity during transportation.
• Evaluate ingredient costs and availability to align with time and budget constraints.

The Solution

Leveraging BSM Partners’ extensive industry experience and vast network of industry contacts, the Product Innovation team investigated ingredient alternatives that not only could replace mono- and diglyceride as a texturizer and emulsifier, but also withstand high temperatures during transportation to prevent product leakage, and were cost-effective. Within five days of the initial request, BSM Partners’ Product Innovation team accomplished the following: 

• Sourced product specifications, costs, and lead times from a multitude of ingredient suppliers.
• Presented a detailed comparison of potential substitutes showcasing costs, functionalities, and melting points.
• Identified and recommended an ingredient that was an exact match to the specified requirements.

The Result

BSM Partners’ Product Innovation Service team utilized its expansive portfolio of supplier contacts to efficiently connect with ten different suppliers, securing responses within a few days. The client was able to quickly swap out mono- and diglycerides for an ingredient that was more label-friendly for their consumers. Additionally, the alternative ingredient met the exact melting point specification and was close to a one-to-one swap for functionality, with the added benefit of reducing the overall cost per pound of the treats. The entire process, from the initial request to the final recommendation, was completed within five days, and no adjustment to the launch date was needed.

Highlights

• Achieved cost reduction of $0.04 per pound through implementation of the alternative ingredient
• Delivered a comprehensive solution within five days, maintaining the client’s initial launch date

Do you need technical support for an upcoming product launch? Reach out to us at www.bsmpartners.net/contact to learn more about how our consulting services can help you bring innovation to market with confidence and speed.           

Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest updates on all things happening here at BSM Partners.

About the Authors

Ada-Miette Thomas is a senior analyst at BSM Partners. She received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in food science with an emphasis on nutrition. Ada-Miette conducted research with a focus on human nutrition and studied the effects of carbohydrate sources on markers of Metabolic Syndrome in adults.

Dr. Sydney McCauley is a Board-Certified Companion Animal Nutritionist and earned both her bachelor’s and doctoral degrees at Virginia Tech in Animal and Poultry Sciences. McCauley’s research was in nutritional physiology with a focus on understanding the effects of low birth weight on glucose, fatty acid, carbohydrate, and amino acid metabolism in skeletal muscle and overall metabolic homeostasis during neonatal development.