Souping it Up

Obviously as we head into the summer months soups may not be at the top of your mind but here is an interesting little trend. Refrigerated soups are a very small sub segment of the retail soup category however according to Mintel, Chicago this small segment has growth that out paces the other types of soup, including canned soups. Refrigerated soups enjoyed 12% growth 2006 to 2008. Why? These soups fit well with current health trends and consumers preference for "fresher" options. Another advantage with refrigerated soups is that the manufacturing process is easier to modify, so manufactures can modify flavors and varieties to adapt to seasonal preferences. So next time you are are at the grocery store check out the refrigerated soup options and see if there is anything there that appeals to you.

A Popular Nut to Crack

Did you know that almond consumption in the US has doubled in the past 8 years? According to Mintel Global New Products 2007 Database they are the second most frequently used nut in new nut containing food products. Just think of all the wonderful foods you see on shelf these days that contain almonds, like confections, baked goods, cereals and ice creams.

So what is making this nut so popular these days? Well for starters , of course, almonds are plain old fashion delicious but there is more to them than just taste. They are popular with food manufactures because they are a very low moisture nut with naturally high levels of antioxidants making them a very stable ingredient and easier to work with than some other varieties of nuts. Another factor adding to the almond appeal is the fact that they are one of the healthiest nuts around. Compared ounce to ounce to other nuts, almonds are highest in lots of key nutrients like protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin and niacin. But it is not just about what is in almonds, they are also attractive for what is not in them as well - lots of extra calories. Almonds are also among the lowest calorie type of nut.

So as you are looking for a delicious new ingredient for your next creation, consider the almond. Popular, versatile, nutrient packed and delicious almonds can be a great addition to many dishes.

Grease Pirates

Some trends are not necessarily a good thing. One of the newest rising trends in the food industry is grease piracy. Have you heard of this one? People are stealing used cooking oil or grease from restaurants and selling it to biodesiel companies to be recycled into fuel. Apparently there is profits to be had in the used cooking oil (and to think most of us home cooks probably just think of used cooking oil as a messy hassle rather than a potential profit center).

According to April issue of Gourmet Magazine, the average restaurant can produce 35-50 gallons of used cooking oil per week and they can sell it for about $1.50 per gallon to refineries who recycle the grease into gasoline alternatives. That represents a potential income of $3,000-$4,000 per year per restaurant. Of course if grease pirates start raiding multiple restaurants their potential profit stream goes up substantially. One man was arrested last year in California with more than 2,000 gallons of stolen oil in his tanker that he had siphoned off from various restaurants. I guess people can turn anything into a black market commodity. The best thing I can say about this trend is at least this waste product gets recycled in the end.

Foodie 2.0

If you are looking for food and cooking trends you have come to the right place - just let your fingers do the walking on the world wide web! Consumers are looking for a communities that centers around food. Websites, blogs, iPhone applications even twitter exchanges are rushing to fill this need. And there are places for everyone no matter what their particular food interests or level of engagement maybe.


So where are people going on line? Well that totally depends of course. There are the big dedicated food websites like FoodNetwork or Epicurious for people looking for general information and recipes. These monster sites get more than a million hits a month! There are tons of branded food recipe sites like Kraft that can help you with all kinds of semi-homemade recipes...using their products as a base. There are site dedicated to improving your diet like HungryGirl even specialty diet sites like GluttenFreeGirl. There are niche sites for moms like FoodForTots or upcoming sites for the semi-homemade cooks like FunnySpoon. Of course there are more food blogs than you can shake a stick at. (A couple I like are BecomingAFoodie and FoodMayhem.) You don't even have to go looking for food information just down load a recipe widget that can live on your desktop.

So if you want to be on trend for 2009 jump on-line and go searching for like-minded food souls to connect with. There really is something for eveyone out there.

McCormick's 2009 Flavor Forecast

It is out - the 2009 McCormick® Flavor Forecast™. Every year McCormick makes its prediction on the top flavor pairings that will influence food trends for the year. So take a look at the list and see what you think.

Toasted Sesame and Root Beer

Cayenne and Tart Cherry

Tarragon and Beetroot

Peppercorn Mélange and Sake

Chinese Five Spice and Artisan-cured Pork

Dill and Avocado Oil

Rosemary and Fruit Preserves

Garam Masala and Pepitas

Mint and Quinoa

Smoked Paprika and Agave Nectar

Finding Comfort

No doubt you have heard (or felt) that these are not the best of economic times. In fact things are not predicted to get better until sometime in 2010. This has most of us tightening our wallets, hunkering down and staying home to ride out this economic down turn. Some trend watchers have called this behavior "hiving" (which is tendency to stay home and invite friends and family over) but I think it is actually a return to "cocooning" (which is more staying home and bonding with your close family). Either way we are staying home more and eating out less.

So as a brand manager or cookbook author or food writer how can you tailor your offerings based on the mood of the typical consumer these days? Think comfort foods! Things like soups, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, casseroles and desserts. Of course it will depend on your target consumers' age as to what types of comfort foods provide the most appeal. According to a study conducted by the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, Young adults tend to prefer cookies and ice cream. The 35-54 crowd will tend to favor pizza, pasta and soup. While the 55+ group will want mashed potatoes and soup to take them to their happy place.

But don't think you have to be totally predictable with your comfort food offerings. Today consumers often look for traditional comfort foods with a modern twist. For example a simple ice cream dessert with an exotic fruit compote or beef stew made with gourmet blend of mushrooms. Consumers like to try the modern interpretations of their favorite childhood foods.

Nutrition Trends

Now here is a refreshing trend - the move towards healthier eating. The American Dietetic Association recently released the results of their "Nutrition and You: Trends 2008" which was conducted earlier this year. The study separated people into 3 groups based on their attitudes on maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise routine. The groups were "I am Already Doing It" (people who believe in maintaining healthy eating habits and regular exercise and trying to life that lifestyle); "I Know I Should" (people who believe in maintaining healthy eating habits and getting regular exercise are very important, but may not have taken steps to achieve this lifestyle), and "Don't Bother Me" (people who are least concerned with healthy nutrition and regular exercise and are not making an effort to life a healthy lifestyle). Since 2002 there has been a definite decrease in the latter group. There is a shift towards taking more interest and even action towards a healthier nutrition and exercise routine. 40% of people now report that they actively seek information about nutrition and healthy eating, which is up from 19% in 2000.

Why is this important to you? Because your consumer wants knowledge and they want help as they try to feed their families healthier foods. They want to know how to fit the products they love into a healthier lifestyle. You can talk about the nutritional benefits of your product on pack, on the web or in your advertisements. You can show consumers how to incorporate your products into a healthier diet for their families by featuring nutritionally balanced recipes on pack or on your product website (don't forget to include that nutritional information at the bottom of your recipes!).

Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying you should totally change your brand positioning to be a health brand if that is not who your brand is. What I am just advocating is that your brand keep up the the healthier lifestyle trends that consumers - find ways to fit in. Help educate your consumers on how your products can fit. You can also keep nutritional benefits in mind as you develop new products to launch. Give consumers lots of reasons to believe in your brand.