Dear Dennis:

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Retail Hydrocolloid Sales - Consumer Perceptions

Making hydrocolloids more pantry friendly should be an objective of all hydrocolloid suppliers and/or users. Several hydrocolloids are already pantry friendly, starch, pectin, gelatin and agar to name a few. Xanthan is familiar to most gluten free consumers and is available in most grocery stores from Bob's Red Mill. But most of the other hydrocolloids could do with a consumer awareness boost. In 2007 IMR reported in our Quarterly Review on such an effort by CP Kelco as follows:

CP Kelco Targets Retail Sales

On March 28, 2007 CP Kelco announced a partnership with Santa Monica’s Le Sanctuaire, a gourmet boutique and consulting service. According to a press release, “the partnership involves a joint culinary development as well as hydrocolloid material supply… Future plans for the partnership include promotion, supply and tradeshow participation.”

Today, some 27 years later Le Sanctuaire continues to offer CP Kelco hydrocolloids online under CP Kelco tradenames. See a list here. Aside from achieving consumer friendliness, which hydrocolloid supplier would not like to see prices of $115 for 23 oz of Genugel (TM) Kappa Carrageenan. (referred to as "Vegetable gelatin powder!!!")

The Modernist Kitchen and other online sources of hydrocolloids are available to consumers. In general, however, most hydrocolloids remain an unknown to consumers and subject to spurious & ill founded negativity. Sadly, efforts to make hydrocolloids consumer friendly still leave much to be desired. Suspicion abounds and consumers continue to make irrational decisions about hydrocolloids, for example, judging it by how it is spelled!!!

Emulsifiers and Stabilizers - There is a Difference

Can you trust the "scientific" opinion of those that do not even know the difference between an emulsifier and a stabilizers/thickener/gelling agent (hydrocolloid)? (Yes I do know some hydrocolloids are also emulsifiers).

A recently publicised French study has been given much time on social media and talk shows. Here's one RTL link (in French) that confuses E471 (mono & di glycerides) with E407 (carrageenan) and classifies both as emulsifiers.

Subscribers to The Quarterly Review of Food Hydrocolloids will have seen our 'corrective coverage' of the French study in Q1-2024. Here is an extract :

Carrageenan and mono & diglycerides were singled out by the media, but the study mentions several other hydrocolloids such as xanthan gum, pectin, carob bean gum, guar gum, and gum arabic. These were on top of actual emulsifiers such as mono & diglycerides and polysorbate 80. Leavening agents like sodium bicarbonate and dipotassium phosphate were also implicated. The applications that contain emulsifiers at high levels include dairy desserts, cakes and biscuits, and pastries. What else do these foods have in common? High levels of fat and sugar and relatively low levels of fiber. And except for the former the last two product groups use almost none of the hydrocolloids mentioned above (but are very dependent on surfactant emulsifiers).

The study concludes that high consumption of “emulsifiers” has an effect “on the intestinal microbiota and the metabolome, leading to chronic inflammation and increasing susceptibility to carcinogenesis.” This claim is made despite the fact that there was no correlation between consumption of emulsifiers and colorectal cancer.

Correlation does not equal causation. Excessive consumption of high levels of fat and sugar are known to increase risk of many diseases, including cancer. It is incorrect to draw the conclusion that consumption of "emulsifiers" alone increases cancer risk. This is one more example of poor science implicating hydrocolloids. Link to report is https://tinyurl.com/25zwvw2s. 

Excess Inventory

IMR does not buy, sell, represent or accept advertising for any hydrocolloid. We do, however, use our extensive Hydrocolleague network to connect potential buyers with sources of excess inventory that we have become aware of.

Resistant Maltodextrin

20,000 lbs, 9.1 tonnes

Made in USA - ADM Fibersol 2

Expiry - June 2025

Located UK warehouse

Specification sheet available upon request.

Agar

12.5 tonnes food grade gracilaria agar.

Gel strength >900

Kosher Certified

7 palletised lots. Finished and packed in Europe.

Location – Mexico

Production date 4-2022. Shelf life to 4-2025

Seriously interested parties please contact IMR International for further details. In the interest of full disclosure, IMR will receive a small finder’s fee, if and only if, a buyer has successfully been connected with the seller.

Hydrocolloid People and Positions

Let us know if you are looking for a position or have a hydrocolloid position to fill. IMR is not a 'head-hunting' recruiting company. We do, however, have thousands of "Hydrocolleagues" amongst whom we sometime engage in 'Matchmaking.'

People

Candidate 1

Thirty years Commercial and Technical executive PhD Food Chemistry and exec MBA. Skilled in formulations/ ingredient interactions, hydrocolloids/ texturants, flavor science, sugar reduction, bio-based precision fermentation. Excellence at growing global key accounts and building strategic partnerships. Strong external orientation, follows consumer trends, keen ability to lead cross-functional multi-cultural teams to deliver sustainable solutions to customer. Passion for health, nutrition, biotechnology.

Candidate 2

Experienced hydrocolloid professional who has led R&D initiatives in both CPG and B2B ingredients. Innovative problem solver for commercial technical hurdles and opportunities in both new product development and cost out initiatives. Strong hydrocolloid foundation with a PhD in polysaccharide chemistry, followed up by 20+ years at some of the largest multi-national food companies with increasing responsibilities.

Candidate 3

High level executive in hydrocolloids. Past president and CEO of a major gelatin and collagen producer. over 30 years of global experience in the use of hydrocolloids in food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications. Successful in driving revenue growth and profitability in highly competitive markets. Strengths in business strategy and management, sales, manufacturing and team leadership and development.  

Dual citizen US/EU. Willing to relocate.

Candidate 4

Over twenty years experience in strategic ingredient sourcing and procurement. Many years of experience specific to hydrocolloids at major end-users AND at major hydrocolloid producers. Negotiates with knowledge of both sides of the equation. Team management and leadership capabilities. Technical capabilities allow good collaboration with food formulators, R&D, engineering and QC. Mid-West US based.

Candidate 5

Thirty years of focused hydrocolloid experience at a blue chip hydrocolloid company.

Multi-national postings in technical service, technical sales (commercial), key account management, product management, market positioning and market/competitive intelligence. Food science degree combined with wide commercial exposure at the producer, food company and consumer level. Curious, innovative and self-driven.

Candidate 6

High level executive. Candidate has 16 years of food ingredients experience with a focus on hydrocolloids and in particular cellulosics. Business development in food, pharma and industrial applications. Most recently plant based innovation. Successful team building record with a broad understanding of hydrocolloid functionality , raw material vulnerability and pricing strategies in a competitive environment.

Candidate 7

Bilingual Hydrocolloid Expertise. Decades of hydrocolloid experience, commercial & managerial. Bilingual English/Spanish. Account Management, and new Business Development thru market analysis and consultative sales in the Food & Beverage, Pet, Personal Care, and Industrial applications of hydrocolloids. North American and Central American coverage. Familiar with food safety, imports analysis, and applications of water-soluble polymers, food and non-food.

POSITIONS

Site Manager - EU

An International Gelatin and Collagen company is seeking an experienced individual to lead a European manufacturing facility.  Candidate will be responsible for all aspects of the business but must have extensive operations experience in the same or similar field. Excellent opportunity with a high level of independence. Salary commensurate with experience and position.

Sales & Business Development

A leading and major Asian producer of several key hydrocolloids.

Seeking two US based individuals to take existing sales volume to the next level.

Self starters with good knowledge and contacts in the food market.

Minimum 5 years experience in hydrocolloid sales.

Some technical knowledge a plus to serve as initial technical service responders.

Excellent opportunity with a high le vel of independence.

All positions in IMR Tidbits are of course hydrocolloid related. In the interest of full disclosure, IMR will receive a small finder's fee, if and only if, we have successfully matched a candidate to a position.