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Entry posted August 13, 2012 by Maura Mitchell
, tagged Sustainability, Trends in Blogs from partners > Brandology Blog publicImage:
Coat your berries while they are still frozen with our TIC Pretested® Colloid 911 to prevent weeping, especially in muffins or other baked goods. As the berries thaw the water and gum form a protective glaze. To use, sprinkle 1.5-3.0%, based on the weight of the berries. You can see from the photo that the berries retain their shape and your baked good retains its color. To save your own berries order a sample to see for yourself from http://ticgums.com/Product.asp?ID=41
Recent Comments (1 of 1)
- December 21, 2009 by Greg P: Great post (exactly the correct use of the blog feature!) and cool...
- Entry posted September 7, 2010 by Maura Mitchell , tagged Sustainability, Trends in Blogs from partners > Brandology Blog publicEntry:
That’s the response I hope you’ll have when you read my new blog on CloroxConnects.
I’m Maura, the managing partner of Brandology. Every two weeks I’ll be posting about trends in sustainability that have implications for new product development and marketing. Some of the trends are closer in. Some are further in the future. All are designed to get you thinking!
The first trend I’ll cover in two weeks is how global warming is increasing the spread of diseases. Other topics on my list include the growing importance of nitrogen footprints, and how cities will be hit much harder than rural areas by climate change.
I’d also like to hear your suggestions of trends I should cover. I’m happy to gather insights on topics that are interesting to you! Just post your thoughts as comments, and I’ll take notes.
Why am I writing a blog about sustainability trends that impact new product strategy? Brandology is a marketing consulting firm that specializes in new product strategy---from trend tracking and brainstorming through marketing launch---sustainability strategy, positioning, and marketing plan development. We’ve done a number of projects for Clorox, and worked for lots of other CPG companies too. You can learn more about us at www.Brandology.com
If you just can’t wait two weeks to read my first sustainability trend post, click here to read Brandology’s blog that has weekly posts on trends, including sustainability.
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Recent Comments (3 of 5)
- October 29, 2010 by Maura Mitchell: Hi Dave, Great! I will cover that topic in an upcoming post. Thanks...
- October 29, 2010 by Dave Scheuing: Would also be interested in your comments regarding water and...
- September 13, 2010 by Maria Medina: Hi Maura, I will definitely let you know. My three favorite topics,...
As we approach the new decade, the culinary trends of 2010 bring back some of the classics such as bacon as well as new exciting flavors like rose water. The upcoming year is all about simplicity packed with flavor. Ethnic flavors like those of Latin America, India, and North Africa are among the most popular trends. I'm excited to play around with different flavors and recipes that would complement the cooking trends of the coming year. A sizzling chicken burger with grilled papaya and bacon or even a warm goat cheese and spinach salad tossed in a light rose water poppy seed dressing makes me look forward to the New Year.
If these trends intrigue you and you would like to know more - especially how gums can be integrated, contact me, Coki Fisseha, culinary scientist, at cfisseha@ticgums.com.
Recent Comments (2 of 2)
- January 21, 2010 by Stacy VanDenHeuvel: I have seen a lot of truffle items too. We didn't make it to the Fancy...
- January 20, 2010 by Bella: Bacon has definitely gotten big in the last few years. I was at the...
TIC Gums spoke about our historical and continuing commitment to food safety. This commitment is manifest in the safety and quality of each of our products, throughout our culture, and in our continuing drive for improvement and validation of our existing food safety systems. One of the many ways we validate and enact improvement of these systems is through 3rd party audit programs. Earlier this year we decided to pursue the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Certification, one of the most cutting edge, inclusive, and difficult certifications for a food manufacturer to obtain. SQF differs from previous audit requirements (AIB, GMA-SAFE, etc.) in that this is not a once-per-year audit, but instead an inclusive food safety and quality management system. The audit is not a snapshot in time but a health check of the underlying processes that ensure the safety and quality of our products. Three months later I am so very proud to report that we not only achieved this certification, but achieved it at the highest possible degree (scheme 2000, Level 3) with a score of 99.25%! Achieving this certification validated the effectiveness of our existing processes and, what’s more, required us to re-think some of our previous assumptions and continue to improve our overall food safety and quality processes.
Recent Comments (1 of 1)
- July 13, 2010 by Greg P: Awesome. Congratulations Stacy!
- Entry posted June 17, 2013 by Maura Mitchell , tagged Sustainability, Trends in Blogs from partners > Brandology Blog publicEntry:
The Best Global Green Brands report from Interbrand came out last week. It ranks the top 100 brands worldwide, based on two sustainability measurements. First, each company’s sourcing, production, and distribution is assessed for environmental impact. Second, the brand’s success at clearly communicating their green actions to their target market is analyzed. These two scores are added together to create a total for ranking.
The top 3 green brands this year are car companies: Toyota, Ford, and Honda. The highest ranked CPG companies are Johnson & Johnson (#6), Danone (#8), and Nestle (#14). None of Clorox’s key homecare competitors made the top 50.
Interbrand highlights the key characteristics shared by companies at the top of the green rankings. First, all focus intently on innovation---both to be green and to achieve other objectives. Second, they are aggressively addressing the greenness of their supply chain. They understand that everything from factory conditions to waste is critical to both actual and perceived sustainability.
Finally, the brands that scored highest are ones that Americans admire for their authentic commitment to sustainability. Consumers view these companies’ green efforts as “part of their DNA,” not bolt-on activities done for marketing purposes or to increase shareholder value.
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- Entry posted June 3, 2013 by Maura Mitchell , tagged Sustainability, Trends in Blogs from partners > Brandology Blog publicEntry:
Cone Communications just released a global CSR consumer segmentation based on how shoppers think about buying socially responsible products. That, of course, has huge implications for whom marketers should target.
The research highlights four groups: Happy-Go-Luckys (41% of the population), Bleeding Hearts (26%), Ring Leaders (21%), and The Old Guard (13%.)
Happy-Go-Luckys shop with a laser focus on convenience. Once they have identified the most convenient product, they next consider social responsibility. They primarily buy products with CSR credentials because it makes them feel good. Happy-Go-Luckys are evenly split between men and women, and many are 18-34 years old.
Bleeding Hearts are the second most prevalent group. Their goal is for every single purchase to have a positive impact on society. They are heavy buyers of products that support causes and frequently boycott companies that don’t meet their standards. This group is characterized by highly educated women between 18 and 34 years old.
Ring Leaders want to positively influence the world in all possible ways. They rally others to their cause because they believe that people acting together can have a huge impact. This segment is generally men and women over 35.
Finally, The Old Guard are the CSR laggards. They say they only make CSR purchases “by accident.” The typical Old Guard is a 55 year old male.
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As ingredient costs continue to fluctuate, the Texture Innovation Center™ team takes a closer look at the role of hydrocolloid systems for texture and stability in sauces. Two systems, Ticaloid® Ultrasmooth and Ticaloid Saucier, are both part of the catalog of stabilizers offered by TIC Gums to replicate chef-style pan sauce textures in large scale applications.
To demonstrate the different texture possibilities when using hydrocolloids, the Texture Innovation Center team developed two versions of a cheese sauce that can be used with pasta dishes. Premiered at the Research Chefs Association Annual Conference and Culinology Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina, chefs from around the country tasted the two texturally different cheese sauces, featuring Ticaloid Ultrasmooth and Ticaloid Saucier.
Describing Cheese Sauce Texture
When creating these cheese sauces, TIC Gums utilized the Texture Lexicon™ to articulate the desired textures and choose the appropriate hydrocolloid blends. The cheese texture profile chart, below, was then created to detail the different sensory experiences when using Ticaloid Ultrasmooth and Ticaloid Saucier.
Lower Ingredient Costs
The use of Ticaloid Ultrasmooth and Ticaloid Saucier in the cheese sauce formulations allows for lower ingredient costs without sacrificing taste. As gums are introduced into the formula, water is also introduced, decreasing the quantity of the more expensive ingredients. Hydrocolloids not only provide stability and texture, but can also help the bottom line.
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The good news is that consumers trust companies more now than they did in 2011. The bad news is that they still don’t trust them very much.
But before you despair, Americans do have very clear advice for how brands can rebuild this relationship.
According to Edelman’s Annual Trust Barometer, 58% of consumers believe that firms are trustworthy, up from 53% in 2011. However, there is a huge gulf between ratings for small and large organizations. 86% of Americans trust small companies, while only 55% trust big ones.
Consumers’ distrust of business shows up in how they respond to advertising and PR. The majority needs to hear a fact about a company 3 to 5 times before they believe it. And, they are much more likely to believe brand information that comes from an academic, a “person like them,” or an average company employee, rather than from the CEO.
What will it take for businesses to regain consumers’ trust? Americans' top five suggestions are:
- Listen to customers
- Treat employees well
- Place customers ahead of profits
- Take action and responsibility when a crisis occurs
- Be transparent and ethical in business practices
We’ll check next year’s Trust Barometer to see if brands follow consumers’ advice and consumers respond positively.
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- Entry posted May 6, 2013 by Maura Mitchell , tagged Sustainability, Trends in Blogs from partners > Brandology Blog publicEntry:
Later this month carbon dioxide levels will reach 400 parts per million (ppm) in the Earth’s atmosphere. It hasn’t been that high since the Pliocene era, 3 to 5 million years ago.
400 ppm is a milestone it would be better not to achieve. Historically, scientists warned that anything over 350 ppm would destabilize the climate. Some assert that 450 ppm will be the “tipping point,” when the damage from climate change cannot be reversed. 400 ppm is symbolic evidence that we are not making progress to stop global warming.
Carbon dioxide emissions---the vast majority from fossil fuel usage---hit a record high in 2012. However, because carbon dioxide molecules remain in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, cumulative emissions since the start of the industrial revolution are contributing to reaching the 400 ppm mark.
Last time carbon dioxide levels were this high, the earth was a far different place. Humans weren’t alive, the planet was roughly 10 degrees warmer, sea levels were approximately 100 feet higher, and there was almost no ice on the globe.
News of the impending 400 ppm record is being talked about extensively by scientists and climate change activists. It will be interesting to see if consumers take note.
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