In the ever-evolving food processing sector, the role of food ingredients is crucial in determining product quality and consumer satisfaction. Azelis, a global leader in specialty chemicals and food ingredients, stands at the forefront of this industry, known for its innovative solutions and commitment to sustainability. Recently, Shweta Kumari from Food Infotech interviewed Aparna Khurana, the Managing Director of Azelis India. Their conversation delved into Azelis’ significant contributions to the food ingredients market, highlighting the company’s adaptive strategies in response to shifting consumer preferences, particularly the rising demand for clean label and naturally derived ingredients.
Aparna shared insights on key market trends, challenges faced in meeting consumer expectations, and the company’s approach to research and development. She emphasized Azelis’s dedication to fostering partnerships and leveraging advanced laboratory capabilities to drive product innovation. As consumer
awareness regarding health and nutrition grows, Azelis is committed to being an active driver in the shift towards responsible food manufacturing. Let’s explore the interview further to gain a deeper understanding of Azelis’s vision and its role in shaping the future of food ingredients.
Can you give us an overview of Your Company and its role in the food ingredients market?
Azelis is a leading global innovation service provider in the specialty chemical and food ingredients industry, driven by innovation through the application of science. Combining a global market reach with a local footprint, our experts are dedicated to specific market segments within Life Sciences and Industrial Chemicals.
With an extensive network of over 70 application laboratories, we work closely with customers to develop formulations and provide technical expertise in their product development journey, offering a lateral value chain of complementary products.
In Food & Nutrition, Azelis aims to create tastier, healthier products with partners, customers and principals. Our advanced laboratory capabilities allow us to support customers across all key applications, including dairy, bakery, confectionery, sauce, meat & poultry, plant-based formulations, and more!
What key trends are you currently observing in the food ingredients market, and how is your company adapting to these trends?
In India, food trends show that consumers are increasingly aware of the impact of their food and beverage consumption on overall physical and mental health, with a particular focus on chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart conditions, as well as weight management. As a result, they are pushing the food industry to shift towards responsible solutions, including the reduction of unhealthy ingredients and the offering of clean-labeled, more nutritive products with improved nutritional value through natural ingredients, reduced sugar, and healthier eating habits as consumers become more conscious of wellness and nutrition.
At Azelis, we stay ahead of these trends with innovation at our application laboratories, empowering our customers through solutions that align with evolving consumer preferences.
How has consumer demand for clean label and natural ingredients influenced your product offerings?
Azelis strategically develops and expands its portfolio to align with current and emerging market trends. This approach allows us to offer today, proactively, a robust portfolio of clean, naturally derived ingredients tailored to the evolving needs of our customers. We are equipped to provide clean solutions for every formulation, with expertise in naturally derived preservation, texturizing, and taste enhancement, to list a few, which has earned us a strong reputation in the market.
What challenges do you face in adapting to changing consumer preferences?
When addressing fast-evolving trends as a player in the food industry, we could face several challenges. Developing healthier concepts often requires altering existing products that customers are accustomed to, and at times, emotionally attached to. Price sensitivity is another challenge, particularly in today’s economy, impacted by inflation and uncertainty. Additionally, the food industry is highly competitive, with customers expecting to be surprised—they don’t settle for ‘good,’ they want ‘amazing!’ This demands swift launches in shorter cycles in a regulatory compliant way, with differentiated products, putting significant pressure on the industry.
This is where our technical expertise, combined with our global and local market understanding, creates value. Our regional and local labs work closely with our marketing and business development teams to develop concepts that meet market needs, maintain business viability, and align with local tastes to ensure successful adoption and effective launches.
Can you discuss any recent innovations or product launches?
Our most recent campaign was for FI India 2024, where we showcased more than 15 in-house developed concepts, highlighting our novel ingredients. We are proud to have been awarded third place for two of our formulations at the Innovative Product Showcase at the anual event.
Voted by the tradeshow’s visitors, the recognition highlights Azelis’ dedication to innovation through formulations that respond to the latest market trends and help food manufacturers reduce time to market and gain a competitive edge.
ProFi Mocha Milkshake is a creamy, shelf-stable milk drink enriched with fiber and protein, offering optimized stability, perfect suspension, and an indulgent taste. WellBites VitMi Gummy is a pectin- based gummy enriched with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, with 30% reduced sugar, meeting the demand for plant-based gummies.
How does your R&D process work, and what role does it play in developing new food ingredients application?
Azelis plays a pivotal role between ingredient suppliers and finished product manufacturers. We believe in simplifying processes and creating value for both, considering them as our partners. On one hand, we collaborate with the food and beverage industry to develop products that cater to the local palate and meet their specific requirements. On the other hand, we manage differentiation and cost-benefit analysis. With our strong local teams, we build close relationships with all players,
from small businesses to large corporations. This allows ingredient manufacturers to optimize their market reach by entrusting us, while also benefiting from our ability to share insights on emerging trends and market needs, enabling us to suggest and advise on future ingredient innovations.
What is Azelis’ vision for future growth and innovation?
At Azelis, our strength is our passionate and creative employees, driven by a culture that values ideas and science, enabling us to bring our innovative solutions to life. Through our global operations, we are committed to innovation, sustainability and digitalization to deliver value to our suppliers and customers through our expertise.