This year's selections for the top 10 new food and beverage items proved that perhaps a product can target several types of consumers and still meet the key ideals of any new product— novelty in taste or flavor, nutrition and value. The importance of those factors has remained constant, but they must be considered in light of recent trends, including a move to functional foods, a focus on ethnic foods and beverages, and kid-friendly, fun elements.
These factors all played a role in R&D departments throughout the industry in the past 12 to 18 months, and they also were essential when Prepared Foods' editors evaluated the wealth of new product introductions during that timeframe. Sales success, of course, was an important criterion, but other factors came to the fore as well, including formulation and packaging technology, innovative marketing strategies, creation of a new category, and relevant line extensions.