The challenge: Reformulating Snack Cakes Without Compromising Quality
What if you could reduce eggs by 67% - and still elevate your snack cake performance? In a market where volatility is the new normal, manufacturers are facing a challenge they never expected. Eggs have long been the cornerstone of snack cake formulations, delivering essential functions like emulsification, aeration, structure building, and moisture retention. But today’s dynamics are rewriting the rules.
Unpredictable egg prices, supply chain disruptions, and shifting consumer expectations - favouring clean-label ingredients, elevated mouthfeel, and better-for-you products—are driving manufacturers to rethink traditional snack cake formulations. But replacing eggs is no simple task. Eggs deliver a unique combination of functionalities, making them difficult to substitute without compromising product quality. The question is no longer whether to explore alternatives, but how to do so while maintaining the texture and taste consumers expect.
Consumer Insights
1. Affordable Quality & Convenience Drive Purchase Behavior
- Brands are responding with microwavable, grab-and-go, and ready-to-eat formats that fit fast-paced lifestyles.
- Affordable indulgence is a key motivator, especially in economic uncertainty.
2. Satisfaction Meets Better-for-You Snacking Expectations
50% of consumers purchase snack cakes as a treat. While taste and texture remain top priorities, there is a growing expectation for healthier options, driven by preferences for healthier options.
3. Health, Ethical and Clean Label Preferences
- Egg reduction aligns with rising demand for:
- Plant-based and vegan products
- Cholesterol conscious and allergen-aware choices
- Eco-friendly and clean-label formulations
4. Market Volatility & Supply Chain Awareness
- Consumers are impacted by:
- Egg price volatility
- Supply chain disruptions (e.g., avian flu, feed costs)
- Regulatory pressures
5. Snack Cakes as a Format for Innovation
- The category presents significant opportunities for advanced reformulation and differentiated sensory enhancement
- Consumers are open to new textures, formats, and claims - especially when they deliver indulgence with health benefits and supply chain reliability
Science-Driven Innovation: Unlocking Egg Reduction with Proven Value
At Tate & Lyle, we approach every formulation challenge with curiosity, precision, and a commitment to delivering measurable value. Our HAMULSION® Stabiliser System has been rigorously tested and validated to replicate the key functionalities of eggs - while unlocking up to 40% cost savings. We began by analyzing market dynamics and reviewing the customer’s brief. Our team mapped performance profiles and identified critical formulation challenges from both consumer and manufacturing perspectives. This led to the development of a “gold standard” benchmark - a formulation that met technical and sensory goals.
Benefits, Differentiation and Added Value: Designed to deliver uncompromised taste and versatility while meeting cost constraints, Tate & Lyle’s egg-reduction solution is transforming snack cake production with reliable, scalable innovation.
- Exceptional Performance
Delivers improved batter stability and bake volume - comparable to full-egg systems. - Enhanced Eating Experience and Nutritional Appeal
Maintains mouthfeel and elevates texture and structure for a satisfying bite.
These benefits informed a solution that not only mimics egg functionality but also elevates consumer appeal - cleaner label and improved performance - enabling brands to add value and drive consumer preference.
Solution
Tate & Lyle’s Functional Stabilizer System is a multi-functional egg-reduction solution that serves as a reliable partner for your formulation team - it works as hard as eggs do - but without the volatility.
It enables uniform batter texture and viscosity, supports increased baked structure, and achieves excellent crumb quality, springiness, and bake volume - comparable to full-egg controls. Critically, it may allow manufacturers to achieve up to 40% cost savings, while maintaining product integrity and consumer appeal.
Beyond technical performance, this solution helps brands reduce risk and mitigate supply chain complexity, minimizing reliance on volatile egg systems. With Tate & Lyle’s stabilizer system, manufacturers gain a more reliable, scalable, and cost-effective path to reformulation - empowering them to meet evolving consumer expectations for indulgence, affordability, and cleaner-label innovation.
Results: Delivering Egg-performance with Tangible Cost Benefits
The result of Tate & Lyle’s innovation was a snack cake system that replicates egg functionality - without compromise. In a snack cake formulation, our Functional Stabilizer System enabled:
- May allow up to 67% egg reduction and up to 40% cost savings compared to full egg control
- Comparable specific volume, firmness and crumb to full-egg formulations
- Cleaner labels that resonate with health-conscious consumers
- Improved consumer experience in taste, texture, and convenience
This solution delivers egg-like mouthfeel, volume, and light texture, enhancing the eating experience while maintaining visual appeal in finished baked goods. The result is a high-quality product that is affordable, and ideal for on-the-go consumption.
By reducing reliance on traditional egg systems, manufacturers can mitigate supply chain risks, simplify operations, and confidently meet evolving consumer expectations - without sacrificing taste, texture or performance.
Society
This project delivers solutions aligned with market needs, empowering manufacturers to reformulate with confidence. It enables the creation of satisfying, affordable, and healthier snack cakes – designed to meet modern consumer expectations. It supports:
- Agile innovation in presentation formats and packaging claims
- Sustainable positioning
Whether targeting specific consumer demographic demands, navigating cost pressures and supply challenges, or enhancing label appeal, Tate & Lyle’s solution helps brands lead the change in bakery reformulation.
Why Partner with Us?
Our tailored solutions empower your innovation: backed by deep technical expertise, streamlined formulation processes, and robust supply chain support - we enable your teams to accelerate speed to market, optimize cost efficiency, and unlock innovation with confidence.
References
Mintel Insights, 2025 Snack Cakes