Foodnavigator-usa Podcast

With a collective spending power of $1.5 trillion, the Hispanic and Latino population in the US is a highly coveted group of shoppers who represent a significant growth opportunity for food and beverage brands that earn their trust and loyalty.

In the past few years, Americans’ growing demand for protein and desire for on-the-go food opened the door for meat jerky to re-position itself as a healthy, convenient snack, which eventually lead to a full-blown love affair with all types of meat snacks – including sticks, bars and even pork rinds.

As US consumers embrace a healthier lifestyle focused on prevention rather than treatment, they increasingly are turning to the natural and organic channel for products that are clean, natural and have added health benefits.

As recently as 15 years ago, most Americans had never heard of hummus, or even its base ingredients of chickpeas and tahini. But now the dip is a staple in many US homes and makes common appearances in lunchboxes, at picnics and on many restaurant menus. 

Consumer demand for local food and beverages is no longer a niche market – rather it is fully mainstream. But an outgrowth of this trend that is just starting to peek over the horizon is a “do-it-yourself” food and beverage movement, according to market analysts.

Grass-fed claims on products are a beacon for consumers who are health-conscious, want minimally processed food and care about animal welfare, and as such manufacturers increasingly are using them on products across categories and channels to drive up sales sharply.

Seafood checks many of today’s on-trend boxes, including being high in lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids, sustainable, natural and minimally processed – yet consumption of it in the US continues to fall, prompting manufacturers and public health advocates to become more creative in how they market and package fish.

Trends may come and go, but they often don't stay gone forever -- rather most eventually cycle back in vogue, as is the case with the current focus on “ancient wisdom,” and time-tested, traditional cooking techniques and ingredients that are influencing today’s food and beverage industry.

Finding solutions to reduce sodium, sugar and calories in finished products is essential as regulators and consumers demand healthier products – but the increasing desire for “clean labels” adds a complicating twist to the process of sourcing suitable replacement ingredients. 

Consumer demand for products and companies that “do good” – such as donate a percentage of sales to a non-profit, follow environmentally friendly practices or meet religious needs – continues to rise and in doing so illustrates that doing good is not only good for the community and company moral, but it also is good for business. 

Consumers’ increasing demand for healthier options is reshaping the competitive landscape across categories – including indulgent ones such as chocolate, where they increasingly want darker chocolate, nutritious inclusions, and new formats that help them control their portions, according to an industry expert.

With thousands of startups, innovators and established brands packed into one convention center, the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City is a hotbed for spotting emerging and maturing trends in the food and beverage space.

With the effective date for Vermont’s GMO labeling law officially here and the debate surrounding whether and how to identify genetically engineered ingredients in food and beverage continuing to amplify, a recent CivicScience poll uncovered a startling fact: Almost half of Americans still don’t know what GMOs are and are undecided whether they harm human health.

Quinoa was one of the first superfoods to take America by storm more than a decade ago, and one of the few such stars to sustain its reign long enough to push past being a fad food to become a staple on restaurant menus and households across the country, but the popular grain faces challenges as it become commoditized. 

Sales of plant-based alternatives to animal products may be growing fast, but the road ahead for the industry is far from smooth with several substantial hurdles threatening to hold back the industry, according to key stakeholders. 

When many mainstream consumers think of plant-based alternatives to animal products they think of non-dairy milks – and for good reason: it is one of the fastest growing sub-categories and a key driver in the growth of the overall plant-based segment.

At the 2014 Research Chefs Association Conference & Culinology Expo, FoodNavigator-USA caught up with chef Michael Holleman, director of culinary development at artisan grain and legume supplier InHarvest, for a podcast Q&A on trends in pulses, lentils and legumes for our March special edition. As is so often the case, the trend toward increased use of beans and legumes began in restaurants, Holleman said.

Ingredient distributor Univar is looking to connect with the new generation of R&D professionals in new ways - and is inspiring novel formats for traditional favorites in the process.

New product developers need to be aware that texture has a strong impact on how flavor is perceived and should be considered at the beginning of the NPD process, according to president of TIC Gums Greg Andon.

The FoodNavigator team scoured the show for all the latest news and views at IFT 2012 in Las Vegas. Here are our top picks.