The consumer industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by convenience and environmental sustainability, and the growing importance of technologies such as alternative proteins and personalised nutrition. In the last three years alone, there have been over 450,000 patents filed and granted in the consumer industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Consumer: Encapsulated proteins. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
40+ innovations will shape the consumer industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the consumer industry using innovation intensity models built on over 110,000 patents, there are 40+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, hydrogel dressings, dextrin-based compositions, and artificial sweeteners are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Emulsified food composition, fatty oil extraction, and textured vegetable protein are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are vitamin fortified fodder and anabolic muscle supplements, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the consumer industry
Encapsulated proteins is a key innovation area in consumer
Protein encapsulation in nanoparticles helps to improve its properties. Such proteins are more stable against denaturation and degradation by proteases. Moreover, encapsulation of proteins expands the applications of natural proteins to be used for many biomedical purposes/applications.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 10+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established consumer companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of encapsulated proteins.
Key players in encapsulated proteins – a disruptive innovation in the consumer industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to encapsulated proteins
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Royal DSM | 44 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Anabio Technologies | 35 | Unlock Company Profile |
| PepsiCo | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ocean Nutrition Canada | 19 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Spanish National Research Council | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Advanced BioNutrition | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Washington H Soul Pattinson and | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mondelez International | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Colarome | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CKD Bio | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Progel | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| KB Biomed | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Royal DSM is one of the leading patent filers in encapsulated proteins. Some other key patent filers in the encapsulated proteins space include Anabio Technologies, PepsiCo, and Ocean Nutrition Canada. Recently, Royal DSM acquired Ocean Nutrition Canada to extend its portfolio of omega-3 fatty acids, reaching a wide range of different market segments and applications. Ocean Nutrition Canada is the world’s largest supplier of fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids to the dietary supplement and food & beverage markets.
In terms of application diversity, Progel leads the pack. Colarome and PepsiCo stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, PepsiCo held the top position, followed by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and Ocean Nutrition Canada.
Encapsulated proteins will help food manufacturers extend the life of food items against extreme conditions such as moisture, temperature fluctuations, and other severe issues, thus preserving the overall molecular structure of the products and extending their longevity. To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the consumer industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Consumer.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
