Consider for a moment Kate Spade launching her newest creations by securing placement in every flea market in America. What a ludicrous suggestion, you say! The fashion industry has long recognized the need to channel its most sophisticated offerings into stores where the customer experience can match the quality and price of the item.
But the food industry's version of designer bags, functional foods, are launched into mainstream supermarkets. The expectation is that the consumer will figure out why she needs to pay a hefty price to enable her to live a longer life. How many of us wander the shopping centers looking for the elixir of life? Although supermarkets fill an important role in our society by distributing food on a mass scale, they are not a good place to educate the consumer about the functional benefits of food. The market is a great place for shoppers to compare prices, making it even more unsuitable for functional foods.