The Medical Food Trend is Growing

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Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Despite the advancements in medical technology, many people are now considering medical food and nutrition to treat diseases and improve health conditions.

In a survey conducted by Nielsen, 39% of American households have someone who suffers from a particular ailment. And with the aging population increasing, chronic diseases will only grow in the coming years. Traditionally, people have turned to medications to solve these problems.

According to the Nielsen’s Global Health and Ingredient Sentiment Survey, 70% of consumers worldwide and 60% of the American respondents noted that they are actively making choices for their health to avoid different conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol.

What is Medical Food?

Medical food is a new concept, but it is defined as food formulated for the dietary management of diseases with distinct nutritional needs that a traditional diet cannot fulfill. Medical food should be nutritionally complete and are designed to meet the distinct nutritional requirements of particular patients.

Companies like Hormel and Nestlé are now looking into medical foods to help their consumers manage their ailments through nutrition. Manufacturers want to join the niche of medical food because of the rising trend. Food brands who are delving into medical food are looking into producing foods intended for patients suffering from obesity, lactose intolerance, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and gluten intolerance. Food companies understand that being health-conscious is one thing but using medical food is a safer way to treat chronic illness.

The Future of Medical Food

The concept of medical foods is still in its infancy stage, but many question its future. With many people suffering from chronic diseases, consumers are looking for ways on how to manage their conditions without relying too much on conventional medicine and treatments.

Medical foods will go through a lot of scrutiny than conventionally processed foods. The extra attention that medical food gets will not only be focused on its nutrition claims, but also its safety as well as marketing. Marketing is critical because brands should not sell medical foods that fail to meet its promises.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for regulating medical foods under the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act Regulations 21 CFR 101.9(j) (8). The regulations for medical foods is not yet that strict, so food companies are not required to get approval by the FDA nor undergo premarket review. Moreover, they are exempted from getting labeling requirements for its health claims. Although the regulations for medical foods are not that stringent, they will surely change as the market expands. Medical food has a bright future but will face challenges from the FDA and consumers as the industry niche grows.

Inspired by http://www.fooddive.com

Innovative Food Brands Sneak Veggies on to Your Plate

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Clean eating is taking over as more people connect their health to the food they eat. Many consumers are moving away from eating artificial ingredients for better and healthier options. Food companies are taking advantage by adding fruits and veggies to a variety of convenient foods that consumers eat.

The Clean Eating Shift

sneaky veggies innovative foodThis shift towards clean eating has not gone undetected by food manufacturers. As a result, many manufacturers have developed new products with one goal in mind and that is to create delicious products charged with clean ingredients.

In a study conducted by the Produce for Better Health Foundation in 2015, researchers noted that the per capita consumption of vegetable decreased to 7% in the years 2009 to 2014. This was attributed to people consuming fewer side dishes during their meals.

The US Department of Agriculture recommends eating at least five cups of fruits and vegetables every day, but Americans only average two cups daily. This dietary problem was acknowledged and seen as an incredible opportunity for food manufacturers to create food products that use fruits and vegetables creatively to fill the nutritional void in most Americans.

Innovative Hidden Veggies

Companies such as Archer Daniels Midland, Green Giant and B&G Foods are now rolling out new products that sneak fruits and vegetables in them. For instance, the Green Giant brand introduced a new line of frozen veggie products like mashed cauliflower, veggie tots, and roasted vegetables.

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Vice president and general manager of Green Giant, Jordan Greenberg, noted that many consumers are looking for products that are not only convenient but also healthy. Many companies are seeking alternatives to starches as well as looking for ways on how to introduce vegetables to children in the most appealing ways.

While this trend is very popular today, many marketing analysts of food companies believe that the trend will not die down anytime soon. In the food prediction trend called The Pinterest 100, the website noted that people will still continue to follow the trend of cutting their calorie intake by swapping vegetables for their carbohydrate and meat comfort foods.

Aside from prepared foods and meals, food manufacturers have also created drinks that are based on fruits and vegetables. Unique combinations of fruit drinks like ginger-pumpkin-orange or cucumber-kiwi-spinach have already found their way onto store shelves.

With the increasing obesity rate in the United States, many Americans are trying to eat clean and better. The problem is that most consumers are not willing to give up their comfort foods, so they don’t bother doing clean eating at all. As a result, a large population of Americans remains overweight. To answer the need of consumers for satisfying yet clean and healthy foods, many food businesses have found a new niche and have innovative products that incorporate fruits, vegetables, and other natural ingredients to provide real nutrition and not just empty calories to consumers. This results in a win-win situation for both consumers and food manufacturers.

Inspired by fooddive.com/news/vegetable-food-innovation

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American Meat Consumption at Highest Point in 40 Years

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Meat is a staple on the American dinner table. In fact, the per capita consumption of meat in the United States last year was 5% higher compared to previous years. According to the research firm Rabobank, the average American now consumes around 193 pounds of meat last year which is higher than the 184 pounds recorded in 2012. Rabobank believes this is the peak in American meat consumption over the past 40 years.

Reasons Behind the Growth

In the same study, consumers consumed more chicken than other types of meat, and that trend is sure to continue. The main reason for higher consumption is the stronger U.S. dollar. With a stronger dollar, more people have the capacity to afford meats. Moreover, strong demand empowers the industry to increase their production.

Rabobank also projected that the meat consumption in 2018 would be more than 200 pounds annually per capita. The expanding meat and poultry industry will lead to lower prices which will influence the high consumption of meat in the future.

A Closer Look at Meat Consumption

Currently, the meat of choice for most Americans is chicken. Consumption of dressed chicken is at its highest with 89 pounds annually. This is followed by 54 pounds of beef and 50 pounds of pork consumption per capita annually. Chicken meat is very appealing to American consumers because it is cheaper than pork and beef. This is the reason why many fast food restaurants like Chipotle and KFC are serving chicken dishes to their customers. Moreover, people who are looking for lower calorie meals with high protein turn to chicken.

Beef consumption in the United States has declined because of its expensive price tag. While agricultural technology allowed livestock farmers to increase their meat production, cattle raising remained expensive because cows need to eat grain as well as require more grazing land than pork and chicken. These factors influence the high price of beef. Also, many people believe that the consumption of beef is less healthy because of the many research studies on red meat.

Pork consumption, on the other hand, has remained flat for many years. Aside from being dubbed as an unhealthy type of meat, the reason for the low consumption is probably due to cultural and religious practices of a large population of Islam and Jewish people in the United States.

Meats are now becoming a favorite snack option. In fact, most American consumers are now munching on jerky and meat sticks.

The massive consumption of meats in the United States indicates that the country has come a long way over the last 40 years. Although this shows an improved meat economy in the following years, large consumption of meats may also equate to increased health risks.

Inspired by marketwatch.com

Energy Drink Industry Reached Record Global Sales in 2015

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Energy drinks are all the rage these days. People are fascinated with the idea that a drink will give them enough energy for all their daily activities. But how is the energy drink industry faring these days? In the study conducted by research firm, Mintel, it revealed that the number of energy drinks launched in 2015 surpassed the previous highest number recorded in 2008. Between 2010 and 2015, the numbers of energy drinks have grown by 29%. The key country leading the industry is Germany which had the highest share of new energy drinks at 9% launched in 2015.

However, it is not just the new products that are booming. The sales volume of traditional energy drinks rose by 10% globally which is translated to around 8.8 billion liters. The top markets for energy drinks regarding volume sales include U.S. (at 3.3 billion liters), China (at 1.4 billion liters), UK (at 561 million liters), Thailand (at 465 million liters), and Vietnam (at 351 million liters).

The Popularity of Energy Drinks

So why is there such a massive increase in the sales of energy drinks? Mintel’s Global Food and Drink Analyst Alex Beckett noted that while there is a huge controversy surrounding energy drinks, it remains successful because of its promise to deliver a quick energy boost to consumers. And this is something that resonates with consumers all over the world.

 

Moreover, major brands are devoted to investing in advertising as well as creating high profile initiatives to give energy drinks an exciting image. To make the products more appealing, Mintel noticed that many brands are now introducing organic claims to promote their products for people who are on a clean eating lifestyle.

In fact, 7% of the energy drinks that have been launched in 2015 have an organic claim. This is 3% higher compared to the products launched in 2011.  The products that have been launched with organic claims are 58% greater in Europe than anywhere else in the world with North America (39%) and Latin America (3%) trailing behind.

 

All-Organic Claims

The study confirmed that 26% of the consumers in the US are more comfortable drinking energy drinks that are made from natural ingredients while those in Europe opt for products that contain natural flavors and colorings. This trend is also observed among Chinese consumers where 40% are motivated to buy products that are made from natural ingredients.

The most important target market for energy drinks is young parents who are very self-conscious of the types of drinks they consume. The Mintel research reveals that these kinds of parents are also responsible for motivating their children to drink energy drinks.

This trend indicates that the energy drink sector is trying its best to appeal to a wider range of audiences. It also implies pressure on the rest of the energy drink manufacturers to formulate a new line of drinks that come with better and healthier ingredients.

Inspired by mintel.com

Annie’s Wants Organic To Be Affordable For All Consumers

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The rise of organic food is creating waves all over the United States. The news circulating about the dangers of eating foods laced with pesticides and other harmful agricultural chemicals is shifting people towards clean eating. Consumers are seeing the benefits of eating organic products. However, the accessibility of organic foods is mostly exclusive to people who can afford them. In reality, not everyone can afford to buy a pound of strawberries for $15. It is just too much!

Fortunately, there are now organic companies trying to reach out to a broad spectrum of consumers. The all-American favorite food company Annie’s is encouraging people to eat food products made from organic ingredients by launching new healthy and price sensitive products.

Annie’s Leading Revolution in Affordable Organic Foods

A survey conducted by the USDA in April 2016, reveals that only 23% of American consumers can afford to buy organic foods. With the rising cost of organic food, it is no wonder why many people cannot afford to buy organic even though they are now available in most grocery stores.

Poor nutrition is a big problem in the United States. Poor nutrition is often translated to high obesity rates in the country. Having seen this issue progress over the years, Annie’s has vowed to launch at least 30 new products made from certified organic ingredients.  These organic products will be sold in the form of soups, yogurts, cereals, and baking mixes. The acquisition by General Mills has opened doors to supply chains that Annie’s never thought was possible.

John Foraker, Annie’s President, noted that the company has been passionate about making organic foods for decades and this principle not only benefits the farmers and consumers but the planet as a whole. Moreover, the company believes that organic foods should not be restricted to people on high social and economic tiers. The company’s decision to make their foods available to people from all income levels is ground-breaking on its own.

To fortify its new campaign, Annie’s launched an integrated digital campaign which helped the growth of the company. With the launch of the new campaign on August 19 of 2016, it allowed people to find out about the exciting campaign and participate in it by buying the new products.

So what is the implication of Annie’s campaign on the rest of the industry? Perhaps this bold move by the company will push the other primary players of the industry to opt for the wider distribution of organic foods thereby increasing the accessibility of healthy foods to all consumers. Will this happen in the future? We can only hope so.

Inspired by prnewswire.com

Beverage Giant, PepsiCo, Joins The Organic Bandwagon

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Food and beverage manufacturers are revamping their products by using organic and natural ingredients. One company that has recently joined the bandwagon is PepsiCo.

PepsiCo is launching a new version of Gatorade that has been certified organic by the USDA. The new product is devoid of any artificial flavoring and coloring. PepsiCo is releasing the new product to adapt to the growing natural food movement in the United States amongst athletes.

This is not the first time the company has changed ingredients found in Gatorade. In the past, it has removed some ingredients like brominated vegetable oil (BVO) after the company has been criticized online for using a questionable ingredient. However, this time, PepsiCo will launch organic Gatorade as a new product line with a higher price than traditional Gatorade.

Beverage Companies Like PepsiCo Must Give Consumers the Option

Gatorade controls 70% of the sports drink market, but it faces pressure from newcomers like coconut water which is favored by many people. Moreover, the organic food industry has increased its sales to $43.3 billion in 2015 which is equal to 11% of the total consumer food and beverages sales.

It took the company two years of research before it could launch the new line of products. Today, the company released different flavors of organic Gatorade such as lemon, mixed berry, and strawberry in Kroger for the initial beverage launch. Gatorade’s senior vice president Brett O’ Brien noted that the company aims to expand the distribution of the product to many natural convenience stores as well as select groceries.

Ordinary consumers are not the only ones who prefer to drink organic beverages. Athletes, who are the biggest consumers of Gatorade, want to go organic. According to the survey conducted by Gatorade, 12% of athletes show interest in buying organic products.

Revamping Gatorade to an all-natural product means that the company had to shed all artificial ingredients and refine its manufacturing practices. One of the major concerns from consumers is a change in taste because of the significant changes in ingredients.  PepsiCo assures its current customers that the taste will remain the same without sacrificing the nutritional value.

This bold move is not only observed in PepsiCo. Other companies have also shifted and joined the natural movement. For instance, General Mills has stopped using artificial ingredients in some of its cereal products while Kraft Heinz Co. released an organic version of its fruit juices.

While the product is sold at $0.50 more than the non-organic equivalent, the company is still confident that people will patronize the product because of its organic claim. After all, many consumers are now after organic products, and this is what the new Gatorade is all about.

Inspired by bloomberg.com

Kid’s Menus Should Not be a Marketing Gimmick

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Are you raising picky eaters? Then you will be surprised with the recent trend of restaurants offering healthier kid’s menus. Gone are the days when your only fast food option was chicken nuggets, burgers, and fries.

Over the past few years, various restaurants started providing dishes that contain ingredients that your kids might not currently eat. For instance, the restaurant chain, Laughing Planet Café, is offering healthy options for their young diners that are made from tempeh (a soy product), quinoa, and kale. On the other hand, some restaurants also give children the freedom to choose healthy items to match their foods like brown rice, roasted yam, or tofu.

 

Healthy Trend Leads Transformation of Kid’s Menus

What is influencing this trend? Franz Spielvogel, CEO of Laughing Planet, noted that they are embracing such bold moves because modern parents are becoming more educated and health-conscious. Moreover, diners now have more access to different flavors and children grow up in households that eat a variety of cuisines.

Another reason why restaurants across the United States are changing their kid’s menus is that most adults think that kid’s menus are not given too much thought. Most of the dishes included in the menu appeal to the kids taste-wise, but their nutritional value was never taken into account. Kid’s menus should be more than a marketing gimmick. Although this may be the case, traditional burgers will never go away; but restaurants are making moves to incorporate healthier ingredients in their burgers to provide more variety and nutrition to children.

This trend has pushed other food companies to revamp their products to become healthier for children. For instance, Panera Bread Co. will offer its kids menu minus the sweeteners, artificial flavors, and colors. Diners can expect to see black bean soup and Greek salad on its new kid’s menu.

How to Make Healthy Foods More Appealing to Kids

Aside from creating new and healthier products for children, companies are also looking into how the foods will be presented to children. MAD Greens, a food chain that has branches in Utah, Texas, Colorado and Arizona, devised a way to make their food boxes more appealing even if it contains edamame, pasta, and citrus chicken–not your child’s usual favorites.

Giving children more control to foods they eat is also the key to letting them develop healthy eating habits even while dining out. According to Molly Siegler, culinary editor at Whole Foods Market, if children are allowed to participate in choosing which vegetables they want in their soup, then they are likely to eat the finished product. Letting children have control on the kinds of foods that they consume is necessary as long as they have their parents guiding them in the right direction.

Restaurants today are embracing the fact that they are accountable when it comes to feeding young diners with not only delicious but also nutritious foods. This revolution is reshaping the food industry, and it might help provide the solution to the obesity problem among children.

Inspired by marketwatch.com

Nielsen Says Consumers Are Now Ingredient Inspectors

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With the advent of healthy living and clean eating, more people all over the world now practice due diligence when it comes to their food. In the recent Nielsen’s Global Health and Ingredient-Sentiment Survey, 70% of the respondents said that they make dietary choices to avoid health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Nielsen has nicknamed these consumers the “ingredient inspectors.”

 

People Are Willing to Pay More for Healthy Foods

Around 68% of the respondents surveyed agreed that they are willing to pay more for healthy food and beverages. This was supported by U.S. retail sales data which indicated that the sales of health and wellness products are outpacing other types of fast-moving consumer goods.

According to Director Andrew Mandzy from Neilsen’s Strategic Health and Wellness Insights group, most consumers want to eat healthily. But they need the commitment from food manufacturers to create products that are made from simple and clean ingredients. Consumers depend on food companies to develop “better-for-you” products that are still convenient for their busy lifestyles.

 

Reasons for The Rise in Ingredient Inspectors

So why is there a rising trend in the food and wellness industry? Perhaps one of the reasons is food sensitivity or intolerance. The same survey conducted by Neilsen indicated that 36% of the respondents revealed that they opted for healthy foods because they are suffering from allergies or live with someone who does. The rise of lactose intolerance and seafood allergies was cited by 12% of the respondents.

Aside from food allergies, many consumers are actively excluding several ingredients from their diets. This motivation to eliminate certain foods can be brought about by religious influences or just small lifestyle decisions. Regardless, 64% of the respondents follow diets that prohibit certain foods or ingredients. For instance, 84% of the African and Middle Eastern respondents reveal that they follow a special diet as cited by their religion.  Respondents from Asia-Pacific scored 72% on the survey indicating that they support it for lifestyle and religious purposes. Most of them adhered to a vegetarian diet as reflective of their beliefs. Only 44%  of people living in North America and Europe cited motivation from religion to exclude ingredients in their food.

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In the global survey, it was indicated that sugar is the most common ingredient that is eliminated by 31% of the respondents. Others limit their intake of carbohydrates and sodium for health reasons. Many of the interviewees are well aware of the effects caused by the foods they eat. In fact, 75% of people are anxious about the long-term impacts of incorporating synthetic ingredients into their food. Most of the respondents avoid foods that contain preservatives, coloring, and artificial flavors.

Consumers are demanding better food, and it’s up to food companies to supply this growing demand. It’s up to food companies to capitalize on the new opportunity and win customers with new healthy options.

Inspired by nielsen.com