Azucarera has launched a pioneering product in the bakery segment: a moisture-resistant bakery coating that maintains its consistency and texture after defrosting and is the first on the market not to contain palm oil. This differentiating product is the result of a collaborative innovation strategy between Azucarera and Blendhub, an innovation technology platform for the agri-food industry.

"We were looking for very concrete collaborative innovation to improve product performance and at the same time to align it with today's consumer demands. And we chose Blendhub because traditional solutions are not enough to differentiate in the food industry. We look for innovative solutions and for that we need the best in each segment", explains Manuel Ibᱥz, responsible for new products at Azucarera.

Blendhub is a platform that integrates a network of expert formulators around the world: "We identify at each moment and for each client the best formulators to guarantee unique and pioneering products in the market, with tailor-made solutions for each specific demand," says Sergio Bravo, director of Blendhub's production center in Murcia, where this product has been developed.

"This product has emerged from the search for solutions to the problems of using sugar in the decoration of confectionery/pastry products, namely, moistening, agglomeration, dissolution with the heat of baking, etc. It is also more resistant to heat than existing products on the market and more environmentally sustainable, as it does not contain palm oil," explains Paco Serrano, the product's formulator.