In 2000, mealtimes and snack times blurred even further, with products to match, and new healthful ingredients appeared in several product categories. Beverages became more than thirst-quenchers, and candy had an identity crisis (am I a toy or a treat?).
Although new food and beverages exhibited innovation, the number of product introductions in 2000 was down about 6% compared to the year before. This continues the pattern of decreasing new product introductions for the past several years. The difference between this last year and the previous, however, was smaller than it has been between year-end totals over the past few years, which may mean that the downward spiral is leveling off.