A new snack bar launched in Singapore demonstrates the versatility of Solein®
The limited-edition Fazer Taste the Future snack bar, powered by Solein® is another step forward in commercializing the novel ingredient. Fazer and Solar Foods share the aim of developing more Solein-powered products in the next few years as production volume scales up.
The Finnish food experience company Fazer is introducing a limited-edition chocolate snack bar under the Taste the Future concept at the selected Cocoa Tree stores across Singapore, available from today. What makes the snack bar special and gives it a taste of the future is Solein®, the novel protein grown out of thin air and developed by Solar Foods.
Solein’s varied uses on display: adding iron to a plant-based snack
Fazer Taste the Future is a vegan-friendly, palm oil free snack bar made of 70% dark chocolate, hazelnut, dried strawberries and crunchy oat puffs. The recipe also includes 2% of Solein: the novel ingredient gives the snack bar iron, a nutrient usually lacking in plant-based diets. Introducing innovative and sustainable food solutions such as this are among Fazer’s strategic priorities; Solar Foods is proud to support Fazer in this goal with Solein to power the company’s future-looking foods.
For Solar Foods, the new Fazer Taste the Future snack bar again demonstrates the versatility of Solein: not just a nutritious protein, it can also be used as a fortifier to complement the nutritional profile of various foods. Solein can be a source of iron, fibre, and B vitamins, as well as bring different techno-functionalities into food products.
From a business perspective, the new limited-edition snack bar is a good test for future market roll-outs. Singapore is an ideal market for Solar Foods to see how innovative, Solein-powered products are received: the city state combines a pioneering drive that embraces innovations with a rich, local food culture that’s not afraid to boldly combine new influences with familiar staples.
Full Solein production begins in 2024, paving the way for new product development
Working together with Fazer comes at an excellent time, co-founder and CEO of Solar Foods Pasi Vainikka emphasizes, as there are plenty of exciting developments happening in the world of Solar Foods.
The company’s Factory 01 is close to completion and will begin operations on H1 2024. Once this first commercial-scale facility ramps up production, it will produce 160 tonnes of Solein a year. After this, development and release of new Solein-based products becomes more viable. With this in mind, Solar Foods has already filed for novel food approvals in other key markets, such as the EU, UK and the United States. The time to gain more feedback and understanding of consumer expectations is now.
“This is an exciting moment for us working with Fazer – the very first time people can try Solein within a consumer snack bar. This also demonstrates the potential of Solein as a sustainable and nutritious fortifier. With this introduction in Singapore, we are getting valuable customer feedback on Solein’s viability in a new product category and also get a sense of the consumer acceptance of future ingredients. Our shared aim extends beyond this pivotal moment, targeting a wider scale European launch in 2025-2026 with a whole range of products,” Vainikka commented.
