January 2012/Prepared Foods -- The 29th Annual New Products Conference was held September 12-14, 2011, in Naples, Fla., with a range of speakers and topics addressing the latest trends and expectations of food and beverage consumers. Delivering the keynote address, Denny Belcastro, executive vice president of industry affairs and membership services with the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), explained how shopper trips are shrinking, and in-home pantries now have reduced amounts of grocery staples. He also delved into the effects of the troubled economy on consumers of all incomes and related GMA research into shopper views.
The factors influencing shopper purchase decisions was also a topic for Laurie Klein, vice president of The Family Room, (formerly Just Kid Inc.; for more information, go to www.familyroomllc.com), who explored the changing dynamics of the relationships between parents and kids’ shopping experiences. Purchase decisions are now a web of collaboration, with moms trying to balance their non-negotiable needs (easy preparation, kid delight and “real food” expectations) with those of the children (taste, portability and the “fills me up” factor). Klein noted, “Those companies that are engaging the whole family are seeing the greatest success.”