Archive for category: Consumer Packaged Goods

Low-Calorie Foods and Drinks Drove Sales From 2009-2013

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It seems that people are becoming aware of what they are eating. A recent report by the Hudson Institute, a think tank based in Washington DC, shows that low-calorie foods are driving sales in supermarket chains. The report indicates that between 2009 and 2013, the sales of low-calorie foods grew by 59%. The study described the following products as low-calorie foods; fruits and vegetables, pasta, milk, snacks, cereal, and packaged meals. The study used the criteria laid out by the Nutrition Coordinating Center to classify low and high-calorie foods.

Consciousness Rising Amongst Consumers

With the rate of obesity increasing in some states, the news that people are now conscious of what they are eating is a positive development. The news may spell doom to companies who produce high-calorie food, especially soft drinks, and candy companies. Packaged food companies will have to evolve to meet the demand of the new healthy consumer. A ninety-six percent rise in the availability of low calories foods and drinks is an indication of growing health consciousness.

Despite the rise in calorie consciousness, Americans are still categorized as the unhealthiest snackers, a study found that out that while other parts of the world prefer fresh fruits, yogurt, and chocolate as their number one snack, Americans are still stuck to their potato chips. Potato chips are categorized as a high-calorie food. With the rise of the calorie consciousness, this trend is predicted to change, perhaps in the future, we will see more people ditching potato chips for low-calorie foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

Low-Calorie Foods are Just the Beginning of Healthy Eating

With the industries spearheading the move to “better-for-you” products, the journey to healthy eating has already started, more and more adults will switch to low-calorie foods, reducing the demand for high-calorie foods. Companies stuck in the production of high-calorie foods will be in trouble going forward and will rely on young, uneducated consumers to move their products. Adults, who are more threatened by lifestyle diseases, will opt for the low-calorie foods given the benefits they drive in building a healthier body. 

Inspired by marketwatch.com

NutriFusion® is the Leader in Fresh, Low-Calorie Nutrition

So, how do you start reinventing your products to meet the growing demand for low-calorie, “better-for-you” foods? For packaged food companies, it all begins with the ingredients. Forever, we have been unable to add a significant amount of fruits and vegetables to our products, because of the nutrient degradation experienced during processing. Well, that has officially changed with NutriFusion. We developed a patented method for stabilizing the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables. Our stabilization has a two-year shelf life and can withstand the extreme heating and cooling of modern day food processing. If you are interested in learning more about how our process and products, please visit the consumer packaged foods page below.

Adults Not Meeting Daily Value of Fruits and Vegetables

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Eating more fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of heart disease, strokes, some cancers, and also adds vital nutrients to our diets. When consumed in place of more energy-dense foods, vegetables and fruits can help in managing body weight. It is recommended that adults who engage in less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity should consume 2 – 3 cups of vegetables and 1.5 – 2.0 cups of fruits daily.

There are two methods of determining the daily vegetable and fruit intake recommendations for adults who engage in less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily. The first is the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) while the other is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and is expressed in cup equivalents. However, a recent study conducted during 2007 – 2010 found that half of the total U.S. population consumed less than 1.5 cups of vegetables and less than one cup of fruit daily; 87 percent did not meet the daily value recommendations, and 76 percent did not meet fruit intake recommendations. National estimates indicate low fruit and vegetable consumption with substantial variation by state.

CDC’s Model Says Fruits and Vegetables Intake is Abysmal

Vegetable and fruit consumption information are available from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which is the sole source of dietary surveillance information for most states. However, the federal vegetable and fruit intake recommendations, expressed in cup equivalents are not directly comparable to the frequency of input captured by BRFSS.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) did an analysis of the median daily frequency of vegetable and fruit intake based on BRFSS’s 2013 data for the District of Columbia and the 50 states. They applied newly developed prediction equations to BRFSS to calculate the percentage of the population of each state that meets vegetable and fruit intake recommendations.  The result was a bit disturbing. Overall, only 13.1 percent of the participants met the recommended fruit intake, ranging from 17.7 percent in California to 7.5 percent in Tennessee, and 8.9 percent met the recommended vegetable intake, ranging from 13.0 percent in California to 5.5 percent in Mississippi.  What this means is that a lot of effort is needed to build consumer demand for vegetables and fruits through placement, competitive pricing, and promotion in schools, child care, grocery stores, worksites, and communities.

Since vegetable and fruit consumption is currently low across all states and affects multiple health outcomes, continued efforts are needed to increase demand and consumption. Improving intake during childhood might be the key to improving fruits and vegetables consumption for adults.

Inspired by cdc.gov

NutriFusion® to the Rescue

All the research points to the health and nutrition benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. The problem is we are not doing a good job as a society in encouraging that behavior and making fruit and vegetable nutrition readily available. This study by the CDC speaks to why we do what we do. Our special blends give consumer packaged food companies, beverage companies, and supplement companies the ability to incorporate natural nutrition from fruits and vegetables into their products. NutriFusion® is processing stable meaning that it can withstand the heating and cooling of modern day food processing. The NutriFusion® innovation is leading a revolution in the food industry to use simpler ingredients and make some of our favorite foods much better for us. If you are interested in learning more about NutriFusion® for your processed foods, beverages, or supplements, please click below.

 

Consumers Want Healthy Snacks

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Consumers are getting smarter and more health conscious these days especially when it comes to snacks. According to a report from The NPD Group, consumers are eyeing snacks that have perceived health benefits whether it’s salty, sweet, high or low-calorie snacks.  The most common requests are protein, natural and no sugar snacks.

Younger Generations Lead Growth in Healthy Snacks

The youngest generations are leading the pack in hunting for healthy snacks. Generation Z are people ages (0 to 23), millennials (ages 24 to 37) and generation X (ages 38 to 48) are actively looking for healthy alternatives. They are expressing positive attitudes in snacking and eating healthier. However, the later generations are looking for food that is low in sodium and sugar content to be able to deal with medical conditions.

The Three Major Snack Categories:

  • Better-for-you snacks – these are snacks that are known to provide nutrients and are generally healthier choices. These include fresh fruit, sports bars and yoghurt. Demand has increased by 14 percent since 2006.
  • Savory snacks – these snacks are usually salty snacks and dips which have increased in demand by 4 percent since 2006.
  • Sweet snacks – there is a significant decrease in the demand for sweet snacks but studies show that levels will stabilize over the next few years.

Among the three categories, better-for-you snacks are expected to increase the fastest according to NPD’s The Future of Eating: Who’s Eating What in 2018.

Snacks Sell: Healthy Snacks are Destined for Growth

“Snacking today is a prevalent behavior and there is an opportunity in every snack category for manufacturers to call out the specific health benefits –from desirable ingredients to clean labelling.There is also a generation slant to take into account for each category when positioning and marketing snack foods.” – Darren Seifer, a food and beverage industry analyst

Other features of healthy snacks that consumers are looking for are easy to consume and natural snacks. This means that this kind of food should not contain chemicals or synthetic ingredients that can cause harm to health. Artificial coloring, artificial flavors, and preservatives alter the taste and appearance of snack foods and are perceived to have negative effects on consumers’ health.

Would you give up eating your favorite salty snack for a healthy alternative?

Inspired by www.npd.com

Simple Ingredients = Clean Labels

NutriFusion shopper reading a food label in the packaged foods aisle.Simple ingredients are the key to answering the call for healthy snack alternatives in the market. It’s important to find trusted suppliers of simple and natural ingredients. Look no further than NutriFusion® for natural nutrient fortification of your products. Instead of using typical synthetic nutrient materials, you can use our whole food based products. NutriFusion® is made from organic, non-GMO produce in a variety of blends. We can work with you to develop a custom fruit and vegetable blend to meet your needs. If you are interested in learning more about NutriFusion® for consumer packaged foods, click the button below to learn more.

FDA Says No More “Unsafe” Trans Fats

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In a bid to reduce heart attacks and heart disease among Americans, the U.S. Food safety regulators have decided to ban a primary source of artificial trans fats in processed foods. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) are not “generally recognized as safe” for human consumption. PHOs are an important source of artificial trans fat in the diet of many Americans.

The regulators have given food manufacturers until June 18, 2018 (3 years) to remove PHOs from food products. The food safety regulators feel this is enough time for food manufacturers to ask the FDA for permission to use foods that contain PHOs or to reformulate their products to eliminate PHOs. The regulators say that at the end of the compliance period, no food manufacturer will be allowed to add PHOs to human food unless they have been permitted by the FDA to do so.

FDA’s Ostroff Sees Link Between Trans Fats and Heart Health

Dr. Stephen Ostroff, FDA’s Acting Commissioner, says this action is expected to prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year and reduce coronary heart disease. The FDA anticipates that many companies will achieve compliance with the deadline since some companies are already removing PHOs from their processed foods. Following consultations with experts and a review of the scientific evidence, a preliminary determination to regard PHOs as unsafe for human consumption was announced by FDA in 2013. Currently, regulators are in the final stages of the resolution after taking into consideration the comments from the public.

According to Dr. Susan Mayne, the Director of the FDA’s Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Center, the determination is based on the input from all stakeholders received during the public comment period, as well as extensive research into the effects of PHOs. Food companies use artificial trans fats to increase the stability of processed foods, extend their shelf life, and improve their texture. This is because they are more readily available and cheaper than natural versions from dairy and meat sources. Since 2006, companies have had to show trans fat content on the nutrition facts labels of food products sold in the US.

The primary sources of PHOs in the American diet are savory snacks such as coffee creamers, microwave popcorn, ready-to-use frosting, and frozen pizza. Other sources include cakes, pies, cookies, fried foods, kinds of margarine, and spreads. PHOs are bad for health because consuming them increases “bad” cholesterol ( LDL) and lowers “good” cholesterol (HDL) in the body, raising the risk of coronary heart disease.

Inspired by www.medicalnewstoday.com

Can Big Brands Adapt to Healthy Consumer Demands?

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If you visit any supermarket or grocery store, then you will surely notice something new. Established packaged-food brands find it hard to compete with their healthy counterparts that are cashing in with double-digit growth. But even with this outstanding customer support, it is hard to keep up with healthy consumer nutrition demands.

Healthy Consumer Brands Sell Out For Growth

Products that are additive-free, organic and non-GMO are growing at specialty-food stores, even though these companies may lack the money, marketing knowledge, and distribution chain to compete with the traditional food brands in local supermarkets. The solution that most of these firms come up with is simply to sell out. The much-needed support comes through selling to larger brands and food conglomerates. Niman Ranch, a natural pork, beef and lamb producer sold its company to become a Perdue Farms division, Applegate Farms producer of natural deli meats sold its company for $755 million to Hormel Foods. Finally, a Berkeley, California-based organic packaged foods company named Annie’s Inc. sold its brand for $820 million to General Mills.

There is no doubt that these marriages are the ideal response to changes in customer preferences when it comes to eating healthy. Customers are getting smarter, and they do not trust huge food brands anymore. It’s also tough for these big brands to use the words “healthy” or “healthier” when they use a laundry list of ingredients that are hard to pronounce. Large companies, therefore, have one option, and that is to acquire these smaller but healthy consumer brands.

The Tale of Two Brands: Kashi and Annie’s

Kellogg Co. purchased La Jolla, California-based Kashi in 2000. The cereal company gave Kashi resources and allowed it to manage its products. For a decade, the healthy cereal alternative grew, however, after Kellogg merged Kashi into its manufacturing arm that is also responsible for Frosted Flakes, the growth stopped. Kellogg customers sued the company for using synthetic ingredients for cereals that were branded as all-natural. Kellogg paid out a $5 million settlement for this case and in 2013, Kashi lost its California office. Its sales have never recovered.

General Mills did the same thing when it acquired Annies. Annie’s offices remained in Berkeley, California. General Mills took a different route and improved its commitment to organic agriculture. It plans to double their organically-farmed facility to 10 million acres in the next ten years. Annie’s president John Foraker uses Kashi’s tale as a reminder. “Annie’s values are a guiding influence at General Mills,” he adds. “There is a lot of change at Big Food. If they want to remain relevant to healthy consumers, they have to change.”

Change needs to be real to convince customers. This vigilance to provide the best and the healthiest food options may just be the best brand protection to consider.

Inspired by Entrepreneur.com

Change Starts With New Ingredients like NutriFusion®

It’s up to big brands to either acquire new, healthy brands, reformulate existing products, or develop new healthy products. All of these options can work for the growing healthy consumer segment. We are here to help you reformulate existing products and develop new products with our highly nutritional ingredients. Our products are made from organic, non-GMO produce and stabilized in our patent pending process. Our technology gives you the ability to create and fortify products with natural vitamins and minerals from whole fruits and vegetables without degradation through processing. If you are interested in learning more, please see the consumer packaged food page and download our products deck.

Beyond Meat CEO Says Plant-Based Protein is the Future

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Beyond Meat is a privately held company based El Segundo, California. Its CEO, Ethan Brown, believes plants are the future of protein. Beyond Meat is on the cutting edge of plant protein research and development. The company’s aim is to drive progress and innovation; it provides plant-based protein foods – without compromising the satisfaction, chew, or taste of meat. The company makes all its meat substitutes with pea or soy protein and without bioengineered ingredients, gluten, trans fats, dairy, or cholesterol. It’s all about creating a product that is completely indistinguishable from animal protein but with health benefits. They believe the future of protein is increasingly plant-based. Cattle farming is responsible for between 18 and 51 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and is also land and water–intensive. That’s why Beyond Meat is racing to diversify protein sources so as to be able to feed the world’s population for as long as possible.

Why Beyond Meat and Plant-Based Protein?

While talking to Food Business News, Brown said they’re not there yet, but every day they do get closer, and they do know that it’s scientifically possible. To support its growth, the company recently hired three food industry veterans: Jerry Joye, as the COO of Beyond Meat – he is the former COO of Fiji Water; Mark Mortimer, as the chief commercial officer of Beyond Meat – he is the former chief customer officer and president of Annie’s, Inc.; Mark Nelson, as the CFO of Beyond Meat – he was most recently the treasurer and CFO at Farmer Brothers Co.

A report by Markets and Markets, released in August 2015, lists Beyond Meat as one of the leading players in the global meat substitutes market, and projects that by 2020 that market will reach $5.17 billion, representing a CAGR of 6.4 percent from 2015. The company uses protein from plants to create products ranging from meatballs and burgers to chicken poppers. It has partnered with elite athletes to promote the benefits of plant-based protein. Specific partners include Tia Blanco, J.J. Redick, Maya Moore, David Wright, Eric Bledsoe, April Ross, and Maggie Vessey. The athlete partners come from the AVP, WNBA, MLB, NBA, and World Surf League.

At Beyond Meat, their plant-based meats let consumers continue to eat what they love, from vegetables to chili to Bolognese to burgers to hemp, without the downsides of animal protein. Beyond Meat’s, convenient and tasty products can be found at Safeway, Whole Foods, Target Publix, and in over 7,500 stores across the US and growing. Beyond Meat realized that many plant proteins contain components that promote overall bodily health and can help protect against chronic disease. Nuts, soy beans and legumes are three plant-based sources of protein that possess such beneficial properties.

Inspired by www.fooddive.com/news and www.foodbusinessnews.com

NutriFusion® Plant-Based Products

NutriFusion® was created on the development of unique, plant-based products. Our traditional GrandFusion® blends are focused on stabilizing the micronutrients and phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables. Our fruit and vegetable GrandFusion® blends can withstand all of the hurdles of modern day food processing. From there, we developed a plant-based protein product called GrandFusion® Complete, it is derived from Hemp. Hemp is considered by many to be the most complete protein in the world. It has a highly digestible balance of the 20 known amino acids. If you are interested in learning more about our products, check out our products page or contact Myra Mackey directly.

Most Americans Believe GMO Foods are Unsafe

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Many Americans are becoming more and more aware of the problem we are faced with, and it’s one that hits us where it hurts. The debate over the safety of genetically modified foods has put state lawmakers who favor requiring labeling of these products at odds with counterparts in Congress who oppose it. The GMO lobby is pushing congress around to keep their products from facing the scrutiny that this recent Pew Research highlights in detail.

The House last month passed a bill that would nullify any state laws that require labeling, dealing a blow to state lawmakers and advocates who support such a move

Vermont Connecticut and Maine passed legislation this year making GM food labeling mandatory; dozens of other states are exploring similar bills on the issue.

Pew Research: Most Americans Believe GM Foods are Unsafe

As this issue plays out on Capitol Hill, polls show that a majority of Americans support labeling genetically modified foods, and half check for GM food labels while shopping. “More than half (57%) of U.S. adults believe that GM foods are generally unsafe to eat, while (37%) say these foods are safe”, “Women are more likely than men to view GM foods as unsafe (65% vs. 49%).” Opinions also vary by race and ethnicity; blacks and Hispanics are more likely than whites to say that genetically modified foods are generally unsafe to eat according to a Pew Research Center survey

The Pew Research survey also found differences in vie
ws based on education levels and science knowledge. Those with lower levels of educational attainment or science knowledge are more inclined to view GM foods as unsafe.

NutriFusion® agree with the majority of American that genetically modified foods are unsafe. We have been committed to the non-GMO movement since we started. Our concentrated, fruit and vegetable powders always come from non-GMO produce. We believe in the transparency and honesty that health conscious consumers expect in 2015.

 

 

Millennials Leading an $18 Billion Food Revolution

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Our post focuses on a recent article from Fortune about a panel discussion, The New Food Revolution, at the Most Powerful Women Summit. The panel included Julie Smolyansky, Denise Morrison, and Tracy Massey.

 

Trends Facing the Food Industry

Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, believes the dramatic change in food is being driven by millennials and their desire for transparency. Our smart phones are enabling smarter choices at the point of purchase because of the unlimited access to information about the food we buy.

Denise Morrison, CEO of Campbell Soup Co., said,”I believe consumers have a right to know what’s in their food, how it’s made, and where it’s grown,” she said. “As a company, we’re working on it, and we have a lot more work to do.” Food companies need to lead the education effort to consumers about their food to gain the trust of millennials.

Tracy Massey, president of Mars Chocolate North America said,“Low-fat was big a few years ago, and that’s gone away now.” “We need to make sure we label our products and be very transparent about what’s in them. You can’t dictate what people eat, but you can make sure they’re very clear on what they’re putting into their bodies.”

 

 

What is the Next Big Thing in Food?

The panel strongly agreed that that health is no longer about fat and calories. It’s more about supplementing your diet with simple, nutritious foods. NutriFusion® was created to help many of these large brands develop more nutrition in their existing products. Our ingredients are created from whole, non-GMO, ogranic produce. We use our proprietary technology to stabilize the vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables, so that we can supercharge many of the processed foods that we already love. We believe our products are the next big thing in food and we are excited to see more and more brands create nutritious, healthy snacks.

For the Full Article: http://fortune.com/2015/10/13/food-revolution-millennials/