Your end-to-end partner for innovative plant protein solutions
At a glance
- Ingredion is a leading North American pea protein manufacturer, with a reliable supply chain and scalable production capacity
- We provide application-driven formulation support to help brands deliver protein, taste, and functionality across food and beverage categories
- We take a broader approach to nutrition, connecting protein with fiber, sugar reduction, texture and other consumer-preferred benefits
- Partner with a trusted innovation leader that combines consumer insights, formulation expertise and resources to help accelerate protein fortification success
Plant protein solutions supporting food and beverage innovation
As consumers place greater value on protein, plant-based options have moved firmly into the mainstream. Today, plant proteins are helping brands create food and beverages that deliver nutrition, functionality and the eating experience consumers expect.
Consumers are seeking products with recognizable ingredients, balanced nutrition and benefits that fit seamlessly into their everyday lifestyle. As a result, plant proteins are finding their way into a growing variety of foods and beverage applications, supporting weight and muscle management, flexible eating patterns and everyday nutrition.
With a versatile portfolio of sustainably sourced pea proteins, Ingredion helps food and beverage manufacturers formulate with ingredients that support:
- Protein fortification across a wide range of applications, including nutritional beverages, bakery, snacks, pasta and more
- Clean, consumer-friendly ingredient labels
- Evolving expectations for nutrition and taste
What it takes to formulate successful plant protein products
Formulating with more plant protein creates significant opportunities for brands, but success depends on getting both nutrition and consumer appeal right. Ingredion works with manufacturers to help solve the most common barriers to consumer acceptance and commercial scale-up.
- Managing off-notes and beany flavors
- Avoiding typical chalkiness and grittiness associated with plant protein
- Clean, neutral taste, compatible with a range of flavor profiles
- Smooth, consumer-preferred textures
- Optimizing solubility and dispersibility in nutritional beverages
- Delivering structure and binding in snacks and bakery
- Preserving shelf-life stability in bars
- Great dispersibility, no lumps, no foaming
- Reduced sedimentation in RTM and RTD products
- Maintaining softness of protein bars over the shelf life
- Meeting protein content targets and on pack claim requirements
- Optimizing PDCAAS and amino acid profiles
- At least 80% protein content on a dry basis
- PDCAAS of 1*
- Enabling clean label positioning
- Navigating evolving labeling expectations
- Non-GMO ingredients
- Allergen-friendly labeling (non-soy, non-dairy)
- Securing a consistent, reliable protein supply
- Meeting sustainability and sourcing objectives
- North American supply chain
- Plant protein with a lower environmental footprint than many animal protein sources
*Does not apply to all products
Ingredion brings together ingredient expertise and formulation support to help you address these requirements with confidence.
Ingredion’s pea proteins are designed to solve real formulation challenges across food & beverage applications
Deliver smoother, better tasting nutritional beverages
Create a high-protein ready-to-mix beverage mix with smooth and creamy mouthfeel using VITESSENCE ® Pea 200D. Boost protein while tackling flavor challenges, instability and solubility issues.
Keep protein bars soft and enjoyable from first bite to last
Create consistently enjoyable eating experience to boost consumer preference in nougat type cold-pressed nutrition bars. VITESSENCE® Pea 100 HD delivers minimum of 84% protein on a dry basis while providing consistent softness throughout shelf life, a common challenge in protein bars.
Create smooth, protein-rich yogurt consumers will enjoy
Optimized for high-moisture applications, VITESSENCE® Pea 400 N offers excellent solubility and protein quality to support smooth, appealing yogurt and nutritional beverage formulations.
From cookies to chips to tortillas, make protein work harder in bakery & snacks
Consumers increasingly expect more from everyday bakery and snack products, seeking options that deliver both enjoyment and nutrition. Ingredion helps brands increase protein content while preserving product quality and eating experience. Achieve good or excellent source of protein with VITESSENCE Pea & Rice Isolate 1780.
Beyond protein: Helping brands deliver complete nutrition solutions
Protein is rarely the only nutritional objective. Today’s products often need to balance protein, fiber and sugar reduction targets while meeting consumer expectations on taste and texture. Through Ingredion’s Healthful Solutions portfolio we help manufacturers bring those priorities together in a single formulation strategy.
Supporting innovation from concept to launch
Developing successful plant-based protein products requires more than sourcing the right ingredient. It takes formulation expertise, consumer understanding and a partner with experience solving complex technical challenges at every stage of product development.
Ingredion supports customers through:
- Technical expertise, application and formulation guidance
- Sensory mapping
- Proprietary consumer insights
- Fast track customer co-creation model
- Regulatory and quality expertise
Our team works with you to accelerate development and help you navigate formulation complexity.
Sustainable supply and scalable manufacturing
Procurement and innovation teams count on Ingredion for a dependable supply of North American pea protein, backed by scalable manufacturing, sourcing transparency and long-term commercial readiness.
Balance consumer demand with business goals
Discover the link between consumer preferences and sustainability, explore the environmental benefits of using plant-based proteins and learn more about our sustainable and versatile ingredient solutions just for formulators.
Greater transparency with HowGood partnership
Ingredion's partnership with sustainable food rating organization HowGood brings greater transparency to the sustainability of our leading products. It provides the critical data needed to help our customers make the best ingredient choices and enable the achievement of their sustainability goals.
Explore North American pea protein isolates
Overcome supply chain challenges while delivering great taste, nutrition, consistency and performance. See how North American-grown and processed VITESSENCE® Pulse pea protein isolates offer a sustainable, readily available supply for your plant-based brand.
Frequently asked questions about plant protein
Q1: What are plant proteins?
Plant protein is a food source of protein derived from plants. Pulses are among the leading plant-protein sources. They provide high levels of stable protein (up to 85% in some products). Not a top major allergen like other options such as soy and wheat. Pulses are nutritious, cost competitive and sustainable.
Q2: What is the difference between plant protein isolate and concentrate?
Plant protein isolate is the most concentrated form at 80% or more protein, offering the highest purity and best functional performance for high-protein applications. Plant protein concentrate sits at 50% to 80% protein and retains more natural fiber and nutrients, making it useful where balanced nutrition and cost matter more than maximum protein content.
Q3: What types of plant proteins does Ingredion offer?
Ingredion is a producer in North America that offers a robust portfolio of pea protein isolates.
Q4: What should food manufacturers look for in a plant protein supplier?
Procurement and R&D should look beyond price per pound and evaluate supply reliability, product breadth, functional performance, technical support, and label-friendly claims. Working with a plant-based protein manufacturer rather than a distributor usually means faster answers and deeper formulation expertise. Ingredion delivers each of those as a manufacturer and supplier of plant-based protein ingredients with a broad portfolio and dedicated applications support.
Q5: How can plant proteins support sustainability goals in food manufacturing?
Plant proteins can support sustainability goals through lower-input crop sourcing, agricultural rotation benefits, and reduced supply chain complexity when sourced regionally. Pulses like peas are nitrogen-fixing crops that contribute to soil health, and regional manufacturing reduces the footprint associated with long-distance sourcing. Brands can also use plant protein ingredients to support front-of-pack claims that align with consumer demand for plant-forward, environmentally conscious products.
Q6: How are pea proteins used in food and beverage applications?
Pea proteins are used across many applications, including beverages, nutrition bars, plant-based dairy, baked goods and alternative meat applications. They deliver high protein content, broad functional versatility, and clean-label profile that supports non-GM, gluten-free, and allergen-friendly positioning. For detailed application performance and product specifications, explore Ingredion’s VITESSENCE ® pea protein isolates.
Solutions and support every step of the way
Whether you’re developing a next-generation nutritional beverage, protein bar or better-for-you snack, Ingredion combines high performing pea proteins with the technical know-how and supply confidence to bring products to market successfully.
