Peruvian companies hope Europe goes nuts for its new “superseed” sacha inchi

22 Nov 2017 --- Peru is going to make a big effort to introduce sacha inchi to the European market this autumn. This is according to Andean & Amazonian Super(b) Foods, a news platform set up by the companies CBI, PromPeru, Adex and CCL to promote Peruvian foods. Sacha inchi is a nut-like seed with strong health benefits and the platform states that it “will be one of the stars of the Peruvian participations in Food Matters Live and Fi Europe this autumn.”

Sacha inchi is a seed that’s eaten like a nut and is described by the news platform as the next big superfood trend in Asia at the moment. The seed is native to South America and Southeast Asia and is currently sold as a snack, natural, with salt or in other flavors. Its taste is described as crunchy like a nut, with a buttery after-flavor. The seed has high levels of plant-based omega 3s and is rich is proteins.

“Sacha inchi seeds are rich in protein, omega 3, 6, and 9, alpha tocopherol vitamin E, carotenoids (vitamin A) and fiber,” Reindert Dekker of Nutridiant, which supports the Peruvian ingredients companies in the area of commercial and product development, explains to NutritionInsight. “They are interesting primarily due to their amino acids profile, which is very broad for a plant based protein.”

The seeds primarily serve the current trend for healthy snacking, Dekker adds, along with the trends for plant protein products and non-animal based omega 3 intake for brain health, vascular and heart health and healthy aging.

According to Innova Market Insights data, product launches featuring sacha inchi (global) have seen a CAGR of 24 percent between 2012 and 2016. Almost half of the global food and beverage launches tracked with sacha inchi fall in the Sports nutrition product category. The top three claims in F&B launches tracked with sacha inchi (Global, 2012-2017YTD) are GMO free, Gluten free and High/Source of protein, respectively.

Big plans for spreading awareness
One of the companies in Peru that has long been involved in sustainable development of sacha inchi is Agroindustrias Osho from Callao, and the company is relishing the chance to get across its message. The company is involved in the whole supply chain, from farm to processing and exporting. It produces sacha inchi seed oils, protein powders, extruded snacks and roasted and flavored seeds.

According to the management team of the company, Juan and Miguel Navarro, demand for sacha inchi seed is booming at the moment. Consumers in markets like the US and South Korea are said to be extremely interested in the seed as a natural and healthy snack product, appropriate for direct consumption or in salads or healthy breakfast mixes. Sacha inchi is therefore recommended as an excellent product for consumers looking for green proteins and omega 3s.

Visitors to Food Matters Live in London and Fi Europe in Frankfurt, both at the end of this month, will have the opportunity to taste different snacks with sacha inchi seed and also can learn more about the health benefits, the Andean & Amazonian Super(b) Foods news platform has announced.

“Together with PromPeru and the main exporters in Peru, we will join different international trade shows and we will speak at events like the Intertek seminar on healthy ageing and side events like the innovation tours at Fi Europe,” Dekker says of future events to spread awareness. An agency of the country’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, PromPeru is responsible for the promotion of Peru in exports, tourism and image.

“We also intend to work with a number of food bloggers and consumer media outlets to share information about a healthy Inca diet and some recommendations for healthy snacks such as roasted – and salted or flavored – sacha inchi seeds,” Dekker adds. “Furthermore, we intend to organize some retail and consumer tasting events in Europe.”

PromPeru is currently working on a novel food application for the sacha inchi seed with AgroIndustrias Osho and other companies from the sector, with additional support from Dutch development agency CBI.

Sacha inchi oil is already for sale on the European market, the news platform notes. The expectation is that in the near future, many European consumers will follow the international snacking trend and will embrace the sacha inchi seed.

“The commercial applications for the seed are as a healthy snack (natural, with sea salt, caramelized, dark chocolate coated), as an ingredient in cereal mixes, nut mixes and cereal and seed bars (organic, raw, vegan, and so on),” Dekker notes. “Alternative products from the sacha inchi seed are sacha inchi seed oil (already a registered novel food) and sacha inchi flour, a protein- and omega-rich ingredient for the food industry.”