Original article posted on commercialbaking.com
As consumer demand for clean-label food and beverages soars at a time when supply chain is struggling, many retailers can’t fill their shelves fast enough. But Icon Foods, an erythritol supplier, is working to keep clean-label sweet goods in stock.
The company has taken strategic steps to mitigate rampant supply chain issues that have dominated 2021. Many food manufacturers are struggling to get their hands on clean-label sweeteners due to rapidly increasing demand, price increases and a shortage of Chinese-produced erythritol, yielding some major headaches when it comes to the production process.
“Consumers have not dialed back their desire for no-sugar, healthy products,” said Icon Foods’ CEO Thom King. “If anything, that has increased during the pandemic, and that’s why our team at Icon began assessing alternative sources and other steps months ago so we could meet our customers’ growing needs.”
After doubling the number of approved supply partners it works with in the past year, the company vets each one through third-party testing to ensure reliability and quality along the whole supply chain. King said this can lead to better price and stock security.
“Icon Foods is a trusted name in the clean-label food and beverage industry because we take uncertainty out of the equation,” he said. “We have a global supply network, so we’re not reliant on one country — or region — for the high-quality ingredients our customers demand. While we all hope for some return to supply and demand normalcy in 2022, at Icon we are prepared for any eventuality. We can help manufacturers with their erythritol needs even if the market remains challenging.”
