Overall, non-GMO ingredients can cost around 20 percent more than their conventional counterparts.

“The increase in price is a function of identity-preserving raw material from the farm all the way to the plant. This ranges from 10 percent to 25 percent,” Yates said.

Companies Looking to Build Non-GMO Supply Chains

The non-GMO supply chain encompasses a wide range from grains, such as corn and soybeans and processed products, such as oils, flours, proteins, and meals, to sweeteners, starches, and minor ingredients such as lecithin, citric acid, enzymes, food colors, and flavors. There are now non-GMO sources for nearly all of those products, and many are becoming Non-GMO Project verified.

For example, Minneapolis-based Captain Drake, LLC is the only supplier of Non-GMO Project verified citric acid, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, and organic cane sugar.

Company president Mark Anderson said demand for his non-GMO citric acid is strong now due to the recent court ruling upholding Vermont’s GMO labeling law.

“Large companies have been resistant but now everyone is trying to find non-GMO ingredients,” he said. “This is the largest and fastest movement I have ever seen in the 45 years I’ve been involved in the food and beverage industry.”

Anderson emphasized that his product, which is derived from sugar cane, doesn’t cost more than conventional citric acid, which is derived from GM corn.

“It’s not true that if food companies switch to non-GMO ingredients, their costs will increase,” he said.

Non-GMO food flavors are also becoming available led by California-based Blue Pacific Flavors, which became the first flavoring company to receive Non-GMO Project verification.

“More companies are looking to build supply chains that simplify the process of going non-GMO,” said CEO Donald Wilkes.

More Non-GMO Alternatives

Ingredient suppliers are offering more alternatives to GM corn- and soy-based ingredients. Iowa-based World Food Processing recently introduced PURISPea Non-GMO Project verified proteins for use in a wide range of products including protein powders, nutrition bars, and ready-to-drink beverages.

According to Tyler Lorenzen, vice president of business development, peas offer many benefits as an alternative protein.

“Peas are non-GMO, free of allergens, high in starch, and not processed with hexane (a chemical solvent),” he said.

Rice is also being used as a protein source. Rice Bran Technologies sells products made from rice bran, including protein, fiber, and oil. The company’s RiBran food ingredient is Non-GMO Project verified.

Rice Bran Technologies’ CEO W. John Short said the verification helps food manufacturing customers that are also being non-GMO verified by making the verification process easier.

Ingredients derived from sunflowers including oil, lecithin, and vitamin E have also become popular alternatives to GMO soy products.

Rick Robbins, general manager at Colorado Mills, which processes sunflower oil, sees steadily growing interest in sunflower as a non-GMO alternative.

“From what we hear, companies are being asked by their customers: ‘are you using non-GMO products?’ ” he said. “Non-GMO is becoming as important as organic.”

Robbins sees a trend away from soybean oil to sunflower. “Sunflower is a healthier oil and can handle heat much better,” he said.

However, sunflower oil can cost twice as much as conventional soybean oil.

Recommendations for Sourcing

Supply chain experts recommend that long-term planning is essential when buying non-GMO ingredients.

“Now is the time for companies to make commitments, not next spring. Good buyers have already made arrangements for next year,” Clarkson said.

Third-party verification ingredient sources is also becoming important, according to Andrus.

“Make sure you can verify your sources,” he said.

This post originally appeared in The Organic and Non-GMO Report.