MAKING THE PERFECT PLANT-BASED SNACK
The story of Spoothie
Virtasalmen Viljatuote is a Finnish manufacturer of gluten-free flour and flour mixes, operating for over 20 years. The company grinds buckwheat and rice in its mill. Buckwheat is a relatively unknown ingredient for Finnish consumers, and unlike oats, consumers are not widely used to the taste of buckwheat. Buckwheat's nutritional values and properties are excellent. This gluten-free source contains a lot of protein and fiber. It is an ecological crop, the cultivation of which does not burden nature like traditional grains. Buckwheat has been found to keep cholesterol levels balanced, and it also helps control blood sugar levels - the perfect ingredient.
Entrepreneur CEO Matti Toivanen contacted Foodiq at the end of the year 2021. He wanted to find a more reasonable use for the waste product, dark buckwheat grit. Grits are produced as a by-product in buckwheat flour production when the buckwheat seed is peeled. Earlier, this by-product has been fed to the deers in the field next to the mill, and some has been sold to the animal food industry.
It would be more meaningful to make these nutrient-rich grits into human food.
It would be more meaningful to make these nutrient-rich grits into human food.
"Can we do something more valuable out of it?"
Matti asked.
Matti Toivanen, CEO, Virtasalmen Viljatuote
Let's make it into the milk first
We at Foodiq first prepared a plant-based drink from the grits. Since gluten-free buckwheat is high in protein and fiber, the drink would serve as an excellent base for various plant-based dairy products.
We set our target to develop a healthy, natural snack product from the base milk. A product that would be excellent in its nutritional value, content, composition, and taste. A genuine super product for today's health-conscious consumer.
Let's make it perfect
Product development started in our Kitchen Lab. Clean-label, natural ingredients, real berries, and fruits are used in the final product combined with Foodiq's unique non-dairy production process, MLC-IQ. The technique combines mixing, homogenizing and pasteurizing into one step. Bringing more nutritional value from each ingredient unit in a clean label methodology.
The product's properties - composition, taste and healthiness were emphasized by fermenting the final product. The final product contains microbes that affect health, which, according to the latest research, affect the entire body's immune system.
Spoothie was born, fermented, a lactose-free, 100% plant-based, gluten-free snack product. It is a source of protein and fiber. Spoothie has half the ingredients of many other plant-based products and includes more than 10% natural fruit or berries.
From waste to good Spoothie's first public appearance occurred at the beginning of June in Barcelona, at the Free From Food trade fair. The product was presented to the European food tech industry, buyers and the media. The novelty product aroused great interest and received exceptional comments on its excellent taste, composition and nutritional values. Spoothie won "The Product of The Year" award at the event.
Matti comments enthusiastically on Spoothie's early days: "Co-operation with Foodiq has been inspiring and encouraging. They have helped us not only in developing the product but also in understanding the product category, consumers, and their needs. Waste turned into a healthy and clean snack, supports our company values and strategy.”
Spoothie is available from Kesko stores in Finland.
We at Foodiq wish this great product a successful future. We make more responsible and better future food for modern consumers. If you have a goal to bring something new to the market, get in touch.
We at Foodiq first prepared a plant-based drink from the grits. Since gluten-free buckwheat is high in protein and fiber, the drink would serve as an excellent base for various plant-based dairy products.
We set our target to develop a healthy, natural snack product from the base milk. A product that would be excellent in its nutritional value, content, composition, and taste. A genuine super product for today's health-conscious consumer.
Let's make it perfect
Product development started in our Kitchen Lab. Clean-label, natural ingredients, real berries, and fruits are used in the final product combined with Foodiq's unique non-dairy production process, MLC-IQ. The technique combines mixing, homogenizing and pasteurizing into one step. Bringing more nutritional value from each ingredient unit in a clean label methodology.
The product's properties - composition, taste and healthiness were emphasized by fermenting the final product. The final product contains microbes that affect health, which, according to the latest research, affect the entire body's immune system.
Spoothie was born, fermented, a lactose-free, 100% plant-based, gluten-free snack product. It is a source of protein and fiber. Spoothie has half the ingredients of many other plant-based products and includes more than 10% natural fruit or berries.
From waste to good Spoothie's first public appearance occurred at the beginning of June in Barcelona, at the Free From Food trade fair. The product was presented to the European food tech industry, buyers and the media. The novelty product aroused great interest and received exceptional comments on its excellent taste, composition and nutritional values. Spoothie won "The Product of The Year" award at the event.
Matti comments enthusiastically on Spoothie's early days: "Co-operation with Foodiq has been inspiring and encouraging. They have helped us not only in developing the product but also in understanding the product category, consumers, and their needs. Waste turned into a healthy and clean snack, supports our company values and strategy.”
Spoothie is available from Kesko stores in Finland.
We at Foodiq wish this great product a successful future. We make more responsible and better future food for modern consumers. If you have a goal to bring something new to the market, get in touch.
