Kalle Group
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Press Release: “New products from Kalle at IFFA 2016 – New sausage casings boost consumer confidence and production efficiency”

05.02.2016

Kalle, one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrially produced sausage casings, will present a number of innovative new products at IFFA 2016 in Frankfurt (7-12 May). The company will use the top international trade fair for the meat-processing industry to address two key areas of concern. Firstly, Kalle will focus on the ongoing changes in consumer expectations. Secondly, it will present a number of new sausage casings that enable manufacturers in the meat-processing and sausage industries to improve the efficiency of their production process.

Clean-label casings: response to changing consumer expectations

Kalle will be presenting its first ever range of clean-label casings at this year’s IFFA. These new value-added products can transfer smoke, colour and/or flavouring directly to the filling surface but without the use of preservatives or artificial colouring. They are also entirely allergen-free.

Kalle developed its clean-label casings in response to changing consumer preferences. A 2015 study by Innova Market Insights in the United States documented the growing trend towards a healthier lifestyle and a more critical attitude towards food ingredients. According to the study, 60 percent of consumers read the ingredients on food packaging “on a regular basis”. In addition, almost 80 percent think it is important that the list of ingredients should be as short and comprehensible as possible.

“Foods should be made in the way people would make them at home – using ingredients they are familiar with from their own kitchens,” says Kalle Managing Director Kees Bras, summarising the mindset of many consumers. “And that is exactly what we are enabling sausage manufacturers to do with our new clean-label casings. Because we use natural ingredients, the sausages our customers produce are entirely free of the kind of E-number additives that many consumers now reject. On top of that, our clean-label casings bring the same efficiency benefits to the sausage production process as our existing value-added casings.”

NaloFerm: vapour-permeable polymer casings

Polymer casings have traditionally been used in the production of parboiled sausages and boiled hams. When it comes to the ripening process, however, these casings have always been considered unsuitable as they lack the permeability required for what are often large quantities of egressing water vapour. All that is set to change when Kalle presents NaloFerm, a vapour-permeable polymer casing at IFFA 2016. This innovative new product is also ideal for the manufacture and curing of raw sausage. Since it is possible to precisely configure the degree of permeability, NaloFerm-cased sausages can be cured in a regular ripening room with no risk of dry edge formation. NaloFerm casings are therefore a viable alternative to natural or collagen casings. This represents a major convenience for sausage manufacturers. In addition, NaloFerm is resistant to mould.

Prime Definition: attractive surface finish, more efficient production

Another innovation from Kalle at this year’s IFFA is the new “Prime Definition” range of net casings. These can be used to apply totally new exteriors to boiled ham products, e.g. coarse mesh structures with a distinctive look that gives the product a rustic quality. Prime Definition casings also feature Ultra-Kote coating technology, which makes the production process more efficient. There is no need for collagen films and nets, and the surface finish can be applied in a single step. In addition, the finished product is extremely easy to peel, while also shortening the cooking process up to 90 minutes. The Prime Definition with Ultra-Kote range offers manufacturers lower costs and better product safety.

“Kalle sausage casings enable manufacturers to differentiate their products and increase efficiency,” says Dr. Carsten Heldmann, CEO of Kalle. “Our casings also offer genuine benefits when it comes to improving product safety during the production process. The result is an increase in both quality and consumer appeal. As such, sausage casings have a decisive role to play in the production and marketing strategies of sausage manufacturers.”

Kalle at IFFA 2016: Hall 4, Stand C11

About Kalle

The Kalle Group, based in Wiesbaden, Germany, is one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrially produced sausage casings. In addition to its innovative value-added casings, Kalle is constantly developing new and customised solutions. With its functional ingredients and other complementary products, Kalle is a full-service provider to the meat-processing industry. Over the past 20 years, Kalle has enjoyed strong, sustained and profitable growth. Today, it is using its technological and innovative edge to accelerate the pace of development – both in existing markets and in many emerging markets in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia.