by Janet on July 27, 2009
The recession is making its impact throughout the grocery industry, according to the Food Marketing Institute’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2009 report. Consumers are changing what they buy, how they shop and even where they shop. The new FMI report outlines three major shopping trends related to the economy:
- Saving money on eating out: 55% of shoppers now spend less money on dining out than they did one year ago. People are eating out less (69%) or eating out in less expensive places (50%). Consumers also believe they’re doing something good for their family when they eat at home; 92% believe that home-cooked meals are much healthier than the food they eat when dining out.
- Money-saving measures at current store: Shoppers are trading down, substituting and eliminating in efforts to save money on groceries. The most frequently cited change was the switch to private label (66%). Shoppers also said they were more likely to compare unit prices, clip coupons, seek sales specials, make grocery lists, and resist impulse purchases or luxury items.
- Switch primary grocery store: Shoppers tend to have a great loyalty to their primary store and only 6% said they switched primary stores to save money. However, 45% said they occasionally shop at other stores to capitalize on sales specials.
Price has become shoppers’ primary means of comparison. While appearance, nutrition and brand are key features, 76% always check the price when purchasing an item for the first time. Beyond the first-time purchase, price is now the number one factor in selecting their primary store. The report concludes than many of these changes appear to be quite durable and not likely to be abandoned quickly after the economy improves.
One recessionary trend that Elizabeth Sloan identifies in Food Technology is the “pleasure principle.” As people cut back on dining out, she writes, they’ll be looking for additional excitement in the foods they eat at home. She says that despite a tough economy, consumers have demonstrated their willingness to splurge on indulgent treats, beverages that ensure enjoyable “me time,” and snack foods that provide a unique, emotional, flavorful and fun experience.
Ice cream and chocolate are tied as the top treats that people (55%) are willing to pay a premium; these categories are followed by cookies (37%), frozen 
novelties (31%) and coffee (28%). Snacking frequency has rebounded and indulgent snacking has gained momentum, with 47% of consumers snacking on what tastes good rather than what’s healthy. The snacking trend includes foods that bring the restaurant experience home, “minis” (snack-sized versions of favorite indulgent treats), and extreme/unique flavors, such as Kettle Brand Chips that range from Cheddar Beer to Island Jerk.
Other recession-related “pleasure principle” food trends:
- Comfort foods redefined: Feel-good foods will be dressed up with more authentic regional recipes, preparations and flavors. In 2009, chili topped the list of comfort foods appearing on restaurant menus, followed by fried chicken, ribs, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, catfish, waffles, meatloaf, chicken fried steak and pot roast. Terms like New York-style, Southwestern, Southern-style, Cajun-style, Boston-style and Santa Fe-style were the most frequently used American descriptors on menus.
- Traditional, ancient and heritage: Food marketers and restaurateurs are touting traditional recipes and back story-laden “ancient” or “heritage” ingredients, such as ancient grains (quinoa or spelt).
- Basic scratch ingredients with upscale twist: Flavored butters, exotic salts, unique forms of rice, preserves infused with wine or herbs, and unique oils, such as pine-flavored Smoked Olive Oil are appealing to cooking enthusiasts.
- Party fare: With nearly half (47%) of consumers having people over at least once a month, it’s not surprising that there’s an explosive demand for foods
and beverages that help make entertaining at home easier, fancier and more fun. New products include party-sized portions for potlucks, church gatherings and book clubs. Micro-distilled/artisan liquor tops the list of alcohol and cocktail trends for 2009.
- International flair: With a 78% downturn in foreign vacations anticipated for 2009, U.S. consumers will be relying on more “armchair” culinary travel. Mexican food, regional Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Greek, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese and Moroccan top the list of restaurant foods consumers would like to prepare at home.
- Flavor-driven products: Among IRI Pacesetters, 83% carried a new or unique variety claim, 69% boasted a new or unique recipe, 51% a new flavor combination and 27% an improved taste claim. Popular exotic fruit flavors include lychee, dragonfruit and black currant.
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by Janet on June 22, 2009
“Naturally sourced” is a hot trend and companies are quick to tout this attribute on product labels. “Natural” is now the leading claim on new products, according to the Mintel Global New Products Database, which indicates that the claim was included on 23 percent of foods and beverages launched last year.
The recent Institute of Food Technologists meeting in Anaheim, California, featured a ton of examples. Take a look at this IFT trend tour that showcases the array of naturally sourced products on display.
Included in this video is black garlic, which is one of the emerging flavors and foods that Dana McCauley writes about in the Topline Trends section of her food blog. Dana is a wonderful food trend tracker and I encourage you to check out her site (”a recipe writer’s diary”). Black garlic was also hailed as an “it” ingredient by The Washington Post: “In relatively short order, black garlic has morphed from obscure dietary supplement to trendy top-chef ingredient.”
Black garlic even has its own web site Black garlic, where you can learn more about this product, find recipes and order it online.
It does appear that black garlic is poised to be the next naturally sourced super food. So what is it? Black garlic is made by using a patented, month-long heat-curing process that boosts the antioxidants and natural compounds in raw garlic that have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer. The fermentation also creates a softer, chewy texture and a slightly sweet, licorice taste. Forms of fermented garlic have long been eaten for health reasons in Korea and Japan. In fact, black foods overall are a hot trend in Asia – a topic I wrote about previously for the Chicago Tribune.
So it seems…natural is the big buzzword and black is the new black.
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naturally sourced ingredients,
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In a few weeks, the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo will showcase “The Best of Food Thinking 2009.” This is where the major food and ingredient companies from around the globe will showcase the latest, greatest products — hoping to be the next big thing. This month’s Food Technology journal has a preview of what will be unveiled at the meeting. Here are a few highlights:
- Beauty From Within. Several companies will be touting ingredients for “beauty foods,” which appear to be coming on strong lately. There’s even a session on the science of beauty foods, including the role of vitamins, essential amino acids and other nutraceuticals on skin health.
- Fiber. Looks like fiber will be a big deal on the exhibit floor — promoted for heart health, immunity and digestive health. It’s all about barley and oat beta-glucans, ancient grains, prebiotics, maltodextrin and gluco polysaccharides.
- Joint Health. New “natural” remedies are on the way for arthritis and inflammatory diseases — ingredients that claim to stimulate cartilage tissue and ease joint pain.
- Eye Health. Could marigolds be the new super flower? One company is touting a natural extract of marigold flowers that contain lutein and zeaxanthin — two carotenoids linked to eye health. These are the same nutrients found in eggs (and there’s even an enriched egg that was co-developed by ophthalmologists).
- Weight Management. With obesity a global health problem, numerous products are showcasing the ways they can be part of the solution. Ingredients include CLA, which the company says can be used to make “marketable claims” about reducing body fat and increasing lean muscle. Other ingredients are focused on satiety or appetite control, including Hi-Maize resistant starch and Slendesta potato extract.
Other major players appear to be probiotics and healthier fats, including companies touting various sources of DHA and EPA omega 3 fatty acids. There’s even a high DHA omega-3 fortified brownie “positioned for the children’s nutrition market.” Protein looks like it will be a hot nutrient on the exhibit floor, with whey-derived ingredients promoted for muscle strength and healthy skin. The Chia Company will be there boasting about the wonders of this super seed — which is beginning to show up in a range of products. But, you know how I feel about that…if you read my earlier post about chia seeds.
The article in Food Technology talks about a range of “forward thinking” new products that will be on display — probiotic ice cream, nutricosmetic licorice, heart-healthy chocolate chip muffins and satiety smoothies. A conference like this is where it all starts. So stay tuned — like it or not, these new fortified foods will be coming soon to a store near you.
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by Janet on April 23, 2009
Keep it simple stupid. That’s the current rallying cry in the food industry. Simplicity is a dominant trend — perhaps it’s an antidote to the complexity and stress of these uncertain times. Maybe it’s a backlash against the onslaught of pumped up, engineered foods. There does seem to be a growing skepticism of complicated formulations and unfamiliar ingredients – and food companies are taking notice.
Today, people are looking for foods that have been stripped back to basics. They want unpretentious, unadorned or “natural” foods, which are perceived as more real and authentic. That often comes down to few and familiar ingredients — a trend that Haagen Dazs nailed on the head with Five. This new ice cream focuses on the small number of ingredients that go into every carton — and it’s all ingredients you’d likely have at home: milk, cream, sugar and eggs.
In a recent Marketing Daily article, simplicity was described as the new sophistication. Margaret Kime, director of innovation for the brand-building consultancy Fletcher Knight, said “brands that celebrate the aesthetic beauty in real ingredients, simple preparation and artful presentation will be aligned with the driving philosophy that good food is eaten fresh and prepared unpretentiously.” She cited several new products in the beverage category that are redefining simplicity, including all-natural Pepsi Raw and Honest Beverages (”Be Real. Get Honest.”).
But it’s not only about new food products. One of my favorite cereals is Shredded Wheat. And this no-nonsense breakfast food is coming on strong to tap into the recession-driven demand for comforting, simple and familiar foods. And the company is really playing up the anti-innovation factor. Now it’s hip to be behind the times.
Post Foods just announced that it will be embarking on a new campaign to highlight that the cereal has remained unchanged since it was first introduced 117 years ago, and still contains only “one simple, honest ingredient – 100 percent natural whole grain wheat. ”
“There’s been a marked change in American values, with a greater desire for honesty, trustworthiness, and security during a time of economic and societal uncertainly,” said Kelley Peters, director of integrated insights and strategy for Post Foods. The company said that its focus on remaining the same for more than a century should come as a “refreshing change…in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world.”
This old-fashioned cereal couldn’t be more modern. Not only does it have the simplicity thing going for it, but it’s also high in fiber — a shortfall nutrient that’s being added to all sorts of foods and beverages today. Digestive health is a hot claim, according to Packaged Facts, who predicts that it will rule in 2009.
Shredded Wheat is also playing the natural card, and “natural” is now the top label claim on new products, according to the market researcher Mintel. Additionally, as nutrition information moves front-of-pack, more companies will be turning their attention to simplicity and looking to remove artificial colors and flavors.
Sometimes, what’s old is really new again.
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by Janet on February 19, 2009
No doubt, kids need to eat more fruits and vegetables. All too often french fries dominate the plate and juice is the only form of fruit many children consume. So it’s great to see companies develop innovative new products with kid appeal.
However, must we have squirtable fruit?
Smashies is a new line of squeezy applesauce for kids that I happened to stumble upon when grocery shopping last week. I give the company credit for not adding sugar to the fruit, but I’m struggling with the squirt-in-your-mouth approach. Don’t think that’s how I want to encourage my kids to eat. Sure, it’s great the product is portable and ideal for lunch boxes or on-the-go snacks…but remember apples?
The puree in the pouch contains “organic apple flavor” (what is that?) and 0 grams of fiber — a significant disadvantage over real apples. I’d much rather encourage the whole fruit, or look at other options on occasion to add variety and interest.
Rather than sucking on pulverized apples, I like the idea of freeze-dried apples better (all natural, no added ingredients) and mini-bags of sliced apples. But, of course, real apples are the best of all.
What do you think?
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Smashies
by Janet on February 8, 2009
Here’s a new product that had me intrigued. I found it when walking the exhibit floor recently at the American Dietetic Association’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo.
I wrote about several new products on display at the Expo for my column in the Chicago Tribune. But this one didn’t make the cut. Primarily because it’s not available yet in the Windy City. For now you can only find Flavor Magic online.
This innovative product is intended to help you easily reduce portions and boost flavor of meat, fish or poultry. You simply place your protein choice on top of a pre-cut seasoning sheet and trim the meat to match the recommended 4-ounce serving. The goal is to manage portions before you sit down to eat.
Let it marinate for 30 minutes, remove the portion-control “transfer sheet” and then grill, bake or broil. The dry marinade contains no MSG or preservatives, and comes in several flavors including Zesty Cajun Creole, Riviera Tomato & Basil and Dijon Honey Mustard. Available at PortionControl.net, along with some valuable information on fighting “portion distortion.”
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