Christine Lopes, Innova Markets Insights, reveals the 28% growth of Soy Protein ingredients in the Central and South American Snacks category.

Representatives from WISHH’s key food and beverage account in Latin American recently participated in a webinar highlighting the growth, versatility and resiliency of soy in snack foods. The WISHH-hosted webinar featured speaker and Innova Market Insights’ Business Development Manager Christine Lopes, who shared that soy protein ingredient inclusion in snack foods has grown at a 28% annual growth rate, outperforming all other plant proteins launched in Central and South America over the last five years. Lopes also shared that COVID-19 has affected snack buying decisions, with 73% of global consumers shifting toward purchasing nutrient-and-protein-dense snack foods as compared to 66% before the pandemic.

The webinar participants also heard from nutrition and food production experts, including registered dietician Connie Diekman. She is a former Rams football team dietitian, as well as a member of Parents magazine advisory board and the GMO Answers Independent Experts Group.

Diekman discussed the nutrition of smart snacking and soy protein health benefits. Mian Riaz, Ph.D., Texas A&M Food Science and Technology professor, explained the functionality of soy protein ingredients and important extrusion processing aspects of producing snacks containing plant-based protein sources.

Indiana soybean farmer David Ring guided the attendees through a virtual tour of his soybean operation, highlighting some of the various sustainable practices he and his son use to control water runoff and reduce compaction of their farm’s soils.

More than 30 participants attended the webinar that WISHH convened using USDA Foreign Market Development funds.  Attendees included food development and innovation directors from the largest snack manufacturers in the region, ingredient distributors interested in carrying U.S. soy proteins and university directors of food science engineering who want to learn how to incorporate soy proteins into snack items. This webinar was the third of a five-part series demonstrating to WISHH Central American food and beverage key accounts how soy protein offers both versatility and nutrition for a variety of food and beverage applications.