With coffee and tea products exploding in popularity, it would be all too easy to say beverages in foodservice run hot and cold. Soda sales, however, are just on the cold side, while juices, waters and smoothies are seeing mixed results.
Capitalizing on a powerful brand can reap generous rewards, yet radical approaches to the tried-and-true often go unexplored, as manufacturers are wary of damaging the reputation that is so difficult to earn. DiGiorno already was a powerhouse; it stands to gain even more from a brave move into the microwave.
As this issue goes to press, the food industry is less than two months removed from one of its largest annual gatherings--the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT, Chicago) Show in
In this age of constant warnings about obesity and its unfortunate consequences, consumers still seek to indulge. Manufacturers are responding with a bit of the familiar, some innovation and a lot of the little.
Recent years have not been kind to the yogurt category. While growth is at a standstill, there is hope in the introductions of light and health-conscious options, new products that add an extra layer of healthfulness to products already regarded as healthful.
With gum and mints accounting for $3.3 billion in sales, premium chocolate selling $1.5 billion worth per year and sugar confectionery tallying $11.3 billion annually, there is no doubting the vast size of the overall confectionery category. However, these striking numbers may mask a troubling future, as Mintel predicts none of the three will see inflation-adjusted growth over the next few years.
In this health-oriented era where the consumer is looking for a quick fix, the functional food category has a great deal of potential. Yet, much of that potential remains unrealized.
If you haven't heard, the big-screen adaptation of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy will be in theaters shortly after this sees print. After the release, those of us