Concepta Ingredients, a division of the Sabará Group, is a leading provider of sustainable, natural, and innovative solutions for the food, pharmaceutical, and animal nutrition industries.
With over 30 years of expertise, Concepta specializes in delivering ingredients that are not only natural but also traceable, organic, and aligned with the highest environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.
Rooted in biodiversity, the portfolio of Concepta Ingredients features over 50 products, including plant-based proteins, oils, flours, and sweeteners derived from Brazilian biomes such as the Amazon Rainforest and Cerrado.
Through its Bio Abundance Program, the company connects local communities with global markets, promoting socio-economic inclusion, forest conservation, and reducing social inequality.
Concepta Ingredients stands out for its commitment to sustainability, zero-waste production, and innovation. The company’s ingredients, like the Arboreto Premium Protein range, are 100% plant-based, gluten-free, GMO-free, and ideal for a range of applications from baked goods to beverages.
With operations spanning across multiple countries, Concepta continues to drive sustainable development and foster relationships with partners who share its vision of promoting biodiversity and sustainable food systems.
Total Food Service had the opportunity to interview Concepta Ingredients’ Sales and Marketing Director, Andre Tomazelli Sabará to learn more about their new plant-based proteins for foodservice operators.
Can you provide a brief history of Concepta Ingredients and its mission in the foodservice sector?
Concepta Ingredients is part of the Sabará Group, a company with over 70 years of experience in sustainable technologies. Our journey started over 30 years ago, focusing on delivering natural, sustainable, and innovative ingredients to the food and beverage industry.
Our mission is to connect the rich biodiversity of Brazilian biomes with the global market while promoting socio-environmental responsibility.
Concepta’s approach to the foodservice market is to deliver high-quality, functional ingredients that ensure culinary performance and authentic flavor, without compromising health or sustainability.
Our technical team supports chefs and operators with tailored solutions, streamlining the development of modern, healthy menus aligned with consumer demands and global trends, while continuously driving innovation.
We aim to provide foodservice solutions that not only meet the highest standards of quality and functionality but also drive positive social and environmental impact.
What unique products or solutions does Concepta offer that differentiate it from competitors in the foodservice industry?
What sets Concepta apart is our unique portfolio of plant-based protein flours, like the Arboreto Premium Protein range, which is gluten-free, dairy-free, GMO-free, and soy-free.
Our products are designed to offer superior nutrition, functionality, and sensory appeal, ideal for plant-based food solutions. The upcycling of ingredients, such as our babaçu-based products, also differentiates us by contributing to the zero-waste movement.
When working with plant-based protein ingredients such as pea protein, soy, and rice, formulators often encounter significant challenges related to improving both texture and flavor. Many plant proteins can present issues such as a gritty or chalky mouthfeel, along with a pronounced bitter or off-flavor that can be difficult to mask.
These sensory drawbacks often necessitate additional processing steps or the use of flavor enhancers, which can complicate the formulation process and potentially compromise the product’s clean-label appeal.
Furthermore, compatibility with other ingredients is crucial, as some plant proteins may require careful adjustments in hydration, emulsification, or binding properties to achieve the desired consistency and functionality in the final product.
However, sesame protein distinguishes itself from these other plant proteins with several unique advantages.
It not only offers a superior taste profile, which is milder and more neutral compared to pea, soy, or rice, but also exhibits better absorption capabilities, allowing it to blend more seamlessly with other ingredients.
Sesame protein boasts a naturally rich amino acid profile, which enhances its nutritional value and makes it an attractive option for formulating high-protein, plant-based products.
Moreover, its functional properties contribute to the simplification of clean-label formulations, as it reduces the need for excessive additives or flavor-masking agents.
How does Concepta Ingredients incorporate sustainability into its sourcing and production processes, and why is this important for foodservice clients?
Sustainability is embedded in everything we do. Through our Bio Abundance Program, we ensure that all our raw materials are sustainably sourced, supporting local communities and conserving Brazilian biomes like the Amazon and Cerrado.
This initiative helps protect biodiversity, ensures fair compensation for agro-extractivist communities, and reduces social inequality. For our foodservice clients, this means ingredients that not only perform well but also contribute to a sustainable future.
Can you share examples of how Concepta Ingredients collaborates with foodservice clients to create customized ingredient solutions?
We work closely with our clients to develop custom solutions tailored to their specific needs.
For instance, we’ve partnered with multinational bakery companies to create plant-based protein blends that improve texture and nutritional profiles, and with beverage manufacturers to enhance their formulations with our PRO 1000GB protein, which improves yield and sensory attributes.
Concepta’s R&D team collaborates with foodservice clients on menu co-creation, optimizing flavor, texture, and cooking properties. We provide expertise in ingredient substitution to help clients modify recipes while maintaining quality and performance.
Additionally, we offer technical training and support to ensure the effective application of our natural ingredients in various operations.
What trends are you currently observing in the foodservice industry, and how is Concepta Ingredients adapting to meet these changes?
The increasing consumer focus on health and wellness is a key driver behind the interest in plant-based protein-fortified food options. People are more aware of the importance of protein in maintaining muscle mass, boosting immune health, and promoting satiety.
This is particularly true for plant-based proteins, which align with trends like clean eating, sustainability, and dietary concerns such as lactose intolerance or gluten sensitivity.
The shift towards plant-based diets has spurred interest in plant-derived protein beverages. Products like Concepta’s Arboreto Premium Protein ingredient range cater to this demand by offering natural, vegan, and sustainable protein sources.
What are some of the biggest challenges Concepta Ingredients faces in the foodservice market, and how do you address them?
The food service market has this natural characteristic of being agile, dynamic and allowing for a lot of adaptability – in addition to receiving the same demand as the entire food market: special diets.
In this way, offering products that are gluten free, lactose free, non-GMO, plant based, clean label and that are also versatile in their application – as they don’t require changing recipes by including additives that help performance or mask flavor – is our answer to the market.
Customers can use our proteins in a variety of applications, without being locked into one ingredient for just one recipe: they can be used to replace starches, wheat flour, as texture enhancers, among many other benefits and characteristics that they have and that they can add to the final product.
Given that we work with natural ingredients, often exotic and unfamiliar, one of our key challenges is to demystify their use and demonstrate their consistent performance alongside their unique benefits.
To support this, Concepta provides technical assistance and hands-on training to foodservice operators, ensuring optimal ingredient application and resolving any operational issues.
Supply chain volatility presents another challenge, as natural raw materials are sensitive to environmental factors and market fluctuations. To address this, Concepta employs supplier diversification strategies, builds resilient supply chains, and maintains strategic inventories to ensure reliable, on-time deliveries.
Through these efforts, Concepta positions itself as a trusted partner in the foodservice market, offering innovative, sustainable solutions that overcome operational challenges and align with evolving consumer demands.
By proactively tackling these issues, we strengthen our role as a reliable collaborator, driving both innovation and sustainability in the sector.
How does Concepta Ingredients gather and utilize feedback from foodservice clients to improve its offerings?
Each food service client can act as a prototype (or even a pilot test) for clients in the large food industry, since the scale is smaller, the changes are quicker and the feedback from both consumers and those who apply the raw materials is more dynamic.
In this way, all the information we receive from this market is invaluable, as it certainly provides some insight that can be applied on a larger scale.
The case of Pro 1000GB itself is an example of this: we needed to offer a protein that could perform in as many ways as possible, a real wild card for substitutions.
And babaçu flour acts exactly on this aspect, allowing food service customers in particular to replace any starch with a product that is much richer nutritionally but has the same thickening and binding action.
BM: Concepta Ingredients collects feedback from foodservice clients through multiple channels, including meetings, joint product development sessions, surveys, innovation days, and follow-up visits.
Direct communication with chefs, operators, and purchasing teams allows us to understand their evolving needs, challenges, and preferences, which we integrate into our innovation processes to refine products and identify new ingredient opportunities.
In addition, we are recognized for our dual focus: tracking innovations and market trends while working in close synergy with clients who rely on us to develop and incorporate exclusive ingredients into their menus.
This collaboration is made possible by our multidisciplinary teams, equipped to provide expert support throughout the process.
In your opinion, what impact does Concepta Ingredients aim to have on the foodservice industry as a whole, particularly in terms of innovation and quality?
Concepta Ingredients aims to revolutionize the foodservice industry by combining sustainability with innovation.
We want to be known for delivering high-quality ingredients that not only enhance food performance but also contribute to environmental conservation and social responsibility. Our goal is to lead by example, promoting sustainable practices throughout the foodservice supply chain.
Concepta’s ingredients are offered in various applications. Can you elaborate on Concepta’s ingredients and how these applications enhance the overall culinary experience for chefs and customers alike?
Our ingredients are highly versatile and enhance a wide range of applications, from baked goods and snacks to beverages and sauces. For example, our Arboreto Premium Protein delivers high protein content and rich fiber while improving texture and mouthfeel in baked products and plant-based beverages.
These ingredients help chefs create healthier, sustainable, and delicious meals without sacrificing taste or quality.
What the next step for a food manufacturer or operator to receives samples and learn more?
For food manufacturers or operators interested in exploring our ingredients, the next step would be to reach out to our team for samples and detailed product information. We offer technical support to ensure seamless integration of our products into your formulations.
To learn more, visit Concepta Ingredients website or contact them directly at sales@conceptaingredients.com.
