Plant-Based Food Industry

Datafox specialises in delivering R&D Tax Credits for those within the Plant-Based Food industry.

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The food and drinks manufacturing industry is one of the largest industries in the UK. It contributes more than £28 bn to the economy every year, which is more than all other manufacturing industries including aerospace and automotive. It is also one of the most volatile and versatile markets with new and innovative food and beverage products getting introduced fairly routinely. As more people are opting for vegan and vegetarian diets, the demand for plant-based foods has increased significantly in the last few years. Additionally, with increasing awareness about the nutritional value of food and its impact on health, consumers have developed a newfound inclination towards consuming food that is rich in plant-based proteins.

Plants are a rich source of various nutritional substances such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, and essential fatty acids that are beneficial to the immune system as well as for the overall wellbeing of an individual. Several food companies have identified the potential of these superfoods and are conducting vital R&D in producing high-quality plant-based foods that can meet consumer demands. This R&D often requires identification of novel ingredients as well as inventive production and distribution processes that may not have been utilised previously. If your company has been involved in such pioneering plant-based food manufacturing, it could be eligible to receive R&D Tax relief from the government.

However, many of these food manufacturers are unaware of the government’s R&D Tax Credit scheme and are missing out on millions that can help fund their research and development. Several others do not deem their work eligible and lose out on claiming what they rightfully deserve. Want to check your eligibility? Here are some areas within plant-food manufacturing that may qualify for R&D Credits:

• Development of an iterative production process for generating specific plant-based product.
• Identification of novel natural ingredients and their appropriate proportion.
• Improvement of existing plant-based food or drink product formulations to achieve specified nutritional requirements and enhance sensory qualities.
• Development of new machinery and equipment for the production and testing of plant-based food products.
• Improvement of existing plant-based food product formulations to extend product shelf life.
• Prototyping product samples for testing new recipe formulations as well as their microbiological and analytical testing.
• Development of cost-effective, transparent labelling and packaging practices.