Value-added proteins – proteins that are pre-portioned, pre-sauced, or pre-seasoned – have never been more popular in the grocery sector. Why? It’s simple: Consumers are looking for quick, easy protein options that support their busy lifestyles without sacrificing flavor.
As consumer tastes get more adventurous, sauces, dips, and marinades are an easy way to enhance your brand’s value-added proteins. These flavorful additions allow brands to leverage current culinary trends, driving sales and meeting consumers at the intersection of convenient and delicious. Below, we’ve outlined some of our favorite applications for custom sauces specifically designed to elevate value-added proteins.
Why Value-Added Proteins Need Custom Sauces
First things first: Small-format sauce pouches or dip cups are the quickest way to elevate your product, adding a premium touch in an affordable, innovative way. Small-format custom sauces also allow consumers to experience new and exciting flavors without shelling out for an entire bottle of sauce, which is a huge plus for cost-conscious shoppers. Finally, small-format sauces can be formulated and packaged specifically for private label food products, reducing excess packaging and ensuring quality throughout the product lifecycle. Read on for a few more ways that custom sauces can drive the bottom line when you’re working with value-added proteins.
Dazzle Your Audience: New (and Familiar) Flavors with a Twist
As we mentioned above, custom sauces for value-added proteins allow consumers to try something new in an affordable, risk-free way. Younger consumers, especially consumers in the Gen Z and millennial brackets, are especially jazzed about exciting global flavors (Mintel, 2024). Brands can attract these consumers by offering value-added protein options with international flavor notes, like the following:
- Gochujang Hot Honey Chicken Bites
- Thai Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce
- Tandoori Marinated Chicken Skewers with Mint Chutney Dip
Of course, plenty of consumers are still looking for the classics. Ingredients and flavors like garlic and barbecue continue to rank well with consumers; however, there’s still an opportunity to reinvigorate these familiar tastes with regional notes or unexpected combinations. Consider the following applications:
- Black Garlic Teriyaki BBQ Glazed Salmon
- Spicy Korean BBQ Baby Back Ribs
- Chicken Strips with Roasted Garlic Aioli Dip
Lean into Health-Conscious Trends in Custom Sauces
Surprisingly, consumers tend to view value-added proteins as less healthy than homemade proteins (Mintel, 2024). Fortunately, that couldn’t be further from the truth. There are plenty of ways for brands to add healthy touches to value-added protein products – focusing on transparency, minimizing processing perceptions, and using more natural ingredients, just to name a few. Intentional transparency about the ingredients and production methods in value-added products can also help bridge the disconnect. The following are just a few examples of value-added proteins with fresh, health-conscious sauce applications:
- Blackened Tilapia with Jalapeño Lime Crema
- Mediterranean Spiced Turkey Burger with Cucumber Tzatziki
- Lemon Dill Marinated Chicken Breast
Embrace Small-Format Packaging for an Instant Value Add
Not many brands incorporate sauces in small-format pouches or dip cups with their value-added protein products – which is pretty short-sighted, if you ask us. Small-format packaging is a huge opportunity for a value add, instantly positioning a product as a premium offering. When included with a product, custom sauces, dips, or marinades offer convenience and a boosted culinary experience. The following are a few examples of proteins that lend themselves perfectly to small-format sauces, dips, and marinades:
- Chimichurri Marinated Chicken Breast with Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
- Hot Honey Glazed Chicken Wings with Spicy Sriracha Ranch Dip
- Ginger Soy Glazed Beef with Sesame Garlic Sauce
So, why are custom sauces such a no-brainer for value-added protein products? Not only do they instantly elevate products; they also allow consumers to experience global flavors, enjoy old favorites with a twist, and reach for health-conscious products with quality ingredients.
If you’re working on a value-added protein product and feeling ready to get in on the custom sauce game, our culinary experts can provide to-the-minute insights into trends, flavors, and ingredients to guide your brand. Our experts know exactly what today’s consumers want to see, eat, and taste when it comes to value-added proteins. By partnering with a custom sauce formulator like Giraffe Foods, you can get ahead of the competition.
