Emma Cahill shares how Kerry works with customers to create products that are better for people, better for society, and better for the planet
Could you begin by sharing a brief history of Kerry Group from its legacy as a dairy company to today’s impressive portfolio?
Kerry has grown to a world-class leading taste and nutrition partner for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical sectors. Leveraging leading consumer insights and a global RD&A team of 1100+ food scientists, its extensive global footprint enables us to solve customers’ complex challenges with differentiated solutions. Through research, innovation, and partnership we aim to reach over two billion consumers with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030.
How is Kerry Group helping manufacturers balance the need for cost-effective solutions with consumer demand for premium, health-conscious products?
Many of the product concepts in our clean label preservation range have been around for over 30 years, so our interest and expertise in clean label solutions isn’t new, though our range has grown considerably over the last two decades as well as our market-leading conventional preservation portfolio. As brands are increasingly focused on meeting evolving consumer priorities, we’ve seen some return to conventional preservation methods, aligning with the cost-conscious needs of their target consumers. Other brands that once avoided including any ingredients on label and relied solely on process and packaging-based preservation are now facing challenges related to cost, logistics, or sustainability. As a result, they’re exploring ingredient-based alternatives. Consumers often seek that “one-day-fresher” loaf at the back of the shelf, and we have found that small, practical improvements in shelf life are often more valuable to consumers than drastic changes that might require extended education for consumers to accept them as healthy.
How do you approach reformulating products to extend shelf life while maintaining clean labels and ensuring products meet evolving consumer expectations for natural and minimally processed foods?
Clean label doesn’t have and never will have a universally accepted definition, our mindset is that it is around consumer understanding, personal preference, priority values and acceptance – things which will always be subjective, rather than objective. We carry out primary consumer research in multiple countries across all regions to help our customers demystify the evolving consumer landscapes. Through the lens of over 5000 consumers spanning ten countries, we cracked the code on consumer preservation preferences with our Left on the Shelf study. These insights reveal what matters to consumers when it comes to preservatives in their food. Each group brings its own set of expectations to the table, making it clear that one-size-fits-all solutions won’t cut it. Our research has revealed a strong consumer interest in transparency in labelling. Kerry has a wide portfolio of solutions that help to keep products fresh and safe. Beyond offering these ingredients, we create value by leveraging our expertise in applications and utilizing predictive models to shorten reformulation time and optimize performance validation. Knowing who the target consumer is and identifying exactly what their priorities are in terms of ingredient label, sustainability, cost and shelf life is an integral part of any reformulation process.
What role do food protection and preservation solutions play in
creating long-term consumer loyalty and higher perceived product value?
Food protection and preservation solutions play a crucial role in fostering long-term consumer loyalty by ensuring that food products remain safe and high quality over extended periods. A product that remains fresh, flavorful, and visually appealing over time creates a strong positive impression. If consumers consistently experience high-quality products, they are more likely to return for repeat purchases. Our Left on the Shelf study found that 91 percent of consumers are adopting new shopping habits to reduce food waste, like purchasing smaller quantities, checking expiration dates, or even switching brands if it means wasting less. Food that is frequently wasted leads to recurring costs and can push shoppers toward alternatives that ultimately generate more savings.
Food safety is a top priority for manufacturers. How do Kerry’s food safety solutions help clients stay ahead of potential threats, from pathogens to contamination?
The entire industry takes food safety very seriously, but unfortunately, contamination happens. To mitigate this, we help manufacturers implement additional safety measures that prevent outbreaks. Our state-of-the-art labs conduct studies vital to preventing real-world bacterial outbreaks. Recently, we opened a BSL-2 food safety lab with cutting-edge technologies that reduce time and effort and increase accuracy of these ever-important studies and tools. With access to these technologies and over 1000 bacterial strains collected through collaborations and post-outbreak analyses, we can provide comprehensive food safety testing. Working with Kerry can ease the challenge of validating a new food safety ingredient or protocol. Our labs can replicate a multitude of conditions and expedite timelines to determine the ideal recipe and formulation for each specific product. The guess work is eliminated, saving manufacturers time and money and assuring consumers of safety.
With supply chains under pressure, what advice would you give manufacturers to ensure food safety standards are met consistently across regions and product categories? How does Kerry assist with this?
Our advice is simple: safety first, quality always. There is no scenario where it is appropriate to cut corners on safety. We know that the health and wellbeing of consumers is critical to our customers, and we have developed cost-effective, time-efficient methods to ensure these needs are met. For example, our bakery shelf-life and food safety models simulate ingredient performance under real-world conditions. These models help reduce the uncertainty in trials when switching ingredients. Our technology can address specific bacterial strains or adjust temperature and bacterial growth thresholds to validate food safety effectively.
How does Kerry’s work in extending shelf life contribute to reducing food waste and, by extension, cutting CO₂ emissions?
Extra shelf-life days ensure a greater chance that food will be consumed rather than wasted. Our proprietary Left on the Shelf research found that by increasing the shelf life of bread by just 20 percent, waste can be reduced by five-to-six percent, CO2 emissions by 155-to-192 kg, and water usage by 1000 kg of product. Even small changes can have a large impact in carbon reduction. The Food Waste Estimator demonstrates the real-world sustainability impact of reformulating for a longer shelf life. By calculating the potential food waste reduction, consumers and manufacturers can quantify the financial and environmental benefits in the food chain and at home.
What innovations are you currently working on that align with global sustainability goals, particularly around reducing water usage or improving the longevity of perishable goods?
Among other available tools, our team of experts has developed in-house predictive modeling tools, which works like a weather forecast, but instead of predicting the weather, it forecasts when food may begin to go bad. This approach helps identify the best ways to keep products free of mold and bacteria and extend shelf life. By utilizing these models, we can anticipate and address problems ahead of time, ensuring products remain fresh. Kerry enables manufacturers to determine the correct formulation without having to waste precious resources like water, energy and time. Instead of countless attempts to improve a recipe, our algorithms and models help manufacturers plot the best course of action.
Looking ahead, what trends do you see shaping the future of food protection and preservation? How is Kerry positioned to help manufacturers navigate emerging consumer preferences and regulatory changes?
Education is a pivotal piece in the future of food protection and preservation. Generally, consumers understand that preservatives are helpful to assure safety of food, but there can be some confusion and misinformation around what preservatives truly do. Some key ingredients that keep foods shelf-stable and edible may be misinterpreted. Many consumers are unaware of the potential impact of removing specific ingredients, which can lead to conflicting demands. The challenge lies in balancing consumer preferences with the necessary education to help them understand what keeps them safe and their food edible.
Emma Cahill
Emma Cahill is a Global Strategic Marketing Director in Food Protection and Preservation at Kerry. Emma partners with her technical colleagues, to translate microbiological innovation into actionable insight for the market, informing the next generation of consumer-friendly food protection.