Top Editors ... New food products from around the world

Title: New food products from around the world
Date: 11/07/2006
Autor: By David Jago

The total number of new product introductions was up globally in
2005 compared with the previous year, but 2005 was characterised by a high percentage of line extensions – new flavours and varieties added to existing lines – rather than genuinely new products. Nevertheless, looking globally, 2005 saw the launch of a number of innovative new products featuring new ingredients, new claims, new
positioning or new packaging.
Health & wellness again dominated the scene in 2005. Indeed, more than 40% of all food and drink introductions globally in 2005 carried some sort of health positioning claim prominently on-pack.
Total launches of low fat foods globally were relatively stable in 2005, in fact seeing a decrease of 4% over the previous year. This is quite surprising, given that low fat introductions grew by some 30% in the period 2004-2005. Last year, the number of new products flagged as low fat increased in some categories (confectionery, snacks), but others saw a decrease in low fat launches (for example bakery and beverages). The latter categories are large in terms of total numbers of introductions, resulting in an overall decrease.
One significant area of growth within low fat foods has been the area of trans fat free. The number of new products labelled as trans fat free or low in trans fats doubled in 2005 to reach nearly 1,000 new items.
The great majority of these were in the USA, where trans fats have become a hot topic in the past 12 to 18 months. In
other parts of the world, especially Europe, trans fats or hydrogenated fats are not widely ‘discussed’ on-pack, for the time being at least.
Launches of low calorie products, in contrast, grew by 9% overall in 2005, still on the up but growing much more slowly than in previous years. Products labelled as low sugar remained stable, while low carb foods saw a fall in new product activity of 85%, indicating that the low carb fad is well and truly over (and it never really started in some markets!).

Towards a more holistic approach

If consumers are not being bombarded with more variety of low fat, low calorie, and low carb foods, what are they seeing that is new on supermarket shelves?
Well, it is not necessarily fortified foods either: launches of food and drink products labelled as vitamin- or mineral-fortified fell 12% globally in 2005. That masks an increase in certain regions, notably Latin America and parts of Asia, but nearly all of the world’s more developed markets saw a decrease in products with added vitamins and minerals.
However, as consumers become more knowledgeable, and more healthaware, more and more products address health positioning a little differently, such as products that communicate balance and the importance of a balanced diet; products that are promoted as being naturally rich in beneficial ingredients, and products that fundamentally help consumers to eat the right things in the right quantities.
Balance is not a new phenomenon, but the phrase is increasingly seen on everyday processed and convenience foods, often in English.
There are also more products that address the issue of a balanced diet linked to a healthy lifestyle. Pilgrim’s Pride, in the USA, launched a broad range of fresh chicken products under the brand name EatWellStayHealthy, which seems to typify this trend perfectly. The products are simply chicken portions (with flavouring in some cases), but the presentation communicates much more.
While the emphasis in NPD shifts away from fortified foods, there has been a rise in foods described as ‘naturally rich in’ or ‘a good source of’. This ties in to the longerterm trend towards ‘natural’ foods in the widest context – in particular foods that are not modified or ‘tampered with’. An increasing number of new products simply encourage consumers to eat more of what we know is good for us such as vegetables, milk, and wholegrains.
Today’s time-pressed consumers may be well aware that they should enjoy five portions of fruit and vegetables
a day, but how many of them manage to fit that into their daily diet? Companies have responded with a variety of new
ways of consuming fruits and vegetables, notably via convenient beverage formats.
Unilever, for example, launched its Knorr Vie product in several European markets. This is a ‘daily shot’ of fruits and
vegetables in a 100ml bottle, claimed to provide 50% of the RDA of fruit and vegetables per serving. The product is
not unique, but it represents an interesting move for the Knorr brand and a development of the ‘little bottle’ concept
into new health benefits. A much smaller company, Yagua of the Netherlands, introduced Water Salad, a ‘100% natural’ purified water drink with vegetable juice (cucumber, broccoli, lemon and lettuce), packaged in a 500ml
Tetra Prisma carton and claimed to be rich in vitamins and minerals.
Japanese company Kagome has taken a more innovative approach, which is geared specifically to children. Under the brand name Yasai Seikatsu (‘vegetable life’) its product is a condensed vegetable juice made from 90g of green and yellow vegetables and fruit, in a 20ml stick pack. This is designed to be added to a glass of milk, so that the
child receives the dual benefit of the vegetable matter and the dairy content at the same time.
Wholegrain remains a key issue, especially in the USA. Overall introductions of wholegrain foods were up 17% in 2005, and there have been wholegrain reformulations in every category. Even Kraft Foods’ Macaroni & Cheese Dinner has had the wholegrain treatment, with the new Supermac variant said to provide an excellent source of wholegrain (thanks to the inclusion of wholewheat flour in the pasta), as well as calcium and vitamins.
For the most part these products are positioned on what might be termed a ‘soft’ health platform, but in some cases these issues are addressed via specific diet regimes. Kraft Foods, in the USA, started referring on-pack to the South Beach Diet in late 2004, and in spring 2005 the company launched a range of frozen pizzas and meals under the South Beach Diet brand. These focus on choosing the ‘right’ carbs (whole grains, fruit, vegetables), the ‘right’ fats (olive and canola), and lean sources of protein, and the packs display the calorie and protein content on the front to help consumers make an easy choice towards a balanced diet.

Portion control

One of the simplest ways of addressing obesity is by consuming less fat and calories. That may sound obvious, but it has spawned a trend that started in the USA in 2004 and has since spread to Europe. Kraft Foods launched 100
Calorie Packs for some of its sweet cookie and savoury cracker lines in summer 2004, and others have copied its success. Procter & Gamble, for example, launched 100 Calorie Packs for Pringles Light snacks and Kellogg introduced Right Bites fruit snacks in 100 Calorie Packs. What these have in common is that they are simple portion
control packages, designed to deliver exactly 100 calories per portion plus a controlled amount of fat and (usually) no
trans fats or cholesterol.
The concept spread to Europe with the UK launch of Walkers potato crisps (chips) in packs flashed ‘Under 100 Kcal’, and the launch of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk chocolate bar in a small size labelled as ‘Under 99 Calories’. These packs present the consumer with a very easy choice, and effectively remove the need to calculate calories and serving sizes. An added advantage is that they offer indulgence in a controlled way – a small portion of a sweet treat for ‘guilt-free’ snacking.
Even without the calorie indicators on front of pack, sweet snack products have been shrinking in size over recent years. More than ever before, the emphasis is on little, bite-size yet premium products as a personal reward or for sharing. Nestlé, for example, has introduced an upmarket line under the KitKat brand in Japan, designed by a celebrity Japanese patissier. The line includes Noir (dark chocolate, hazelnut and almond cream) and wine (with alcohol) varieties, in very small, individually-wrapped KitKats for adults.

New claims in functionality

With probiotics now well established in the dairy category in most European and Asian markets, the focus has shifted somewhat towards the addition of other ingredients to health-orientated ‘little bottles’. There has been a number of new launches of ‘symbiotic’ dairy drinks that contain both prebiotic fibres and probiotic cultures for digestive health benefits. Müller, for example, reformulated its Vitality yoghurt drink as ‘prebiotic enhanced’ with inulin, and more recently added omega-3 from refined fish oil, described as ‘an essential nutrient for the functioning of the brain and
helping to maintain a healthy heart’.
The mental function benefit if omega-3 has long been accepted in many parts of Asia, but 2005 saw the claim spread to western markets with launches of everyday food and drink products geared to cognitive development. Nestlé, for example, introduced in France P’tit Yoco fromage frais for kids with omega-3, talking on the label about the ingredient being essential for children’s brains. In the UK St Ivel launched Advance milk enriched with omega-3, aimed at families with young children and referring to its role in brain function, enhancing learning and concentration.
Numerous yellow fats brands have also been reformulated and relaunched with a highlight on their omega-3 content
for both heart health and mental benefits.
One trend in functional ingredients that has yet to make the leap from east to west is that of amino acids specifically linked to relaxation. While amino acids are commonly referred to on-pack in Japan, associated with diverse health benefits, we have recently noted the emergence of products featuring GABA or gamma-aminobutyric acid, which allegedly aids relaxation. Ezaki Glico introduced a line of chocolates under the brand name Gaba, where each piece
contains 7mg of the amino acid claimed to help one relax. Lotte introduced + Relax chocolates, containing 100mg of theanine and 100mg of GABA per 100g.
Kanebo, a Japanese company with interests in both the food and cosmetics markets, took functionality to new
extremes with its Fuwarinka candy. This is a lemon or rose flavoured sweet that leaves a vanilla fragrance on the skin
after consumption – a sweet treat and a scent all in one!
The product is based on the concept that elements in garlic travel through the bloodstream to be excreted from the sweat glands, and uses vanillin, which has been shown to have an effect on the odour of sweat.
Kanebo reportedly plans to use the technology in a broad line of food items in the future.
Anti-ageing foods are also starting to appear. We are familiar with antioxidants in food and drink, and increasingly with the beauty benefits of antioxidants via skin creams and cosmetics, so it is perhaps not surprising to see new products positioned around anti-ageing benefits thanks to antioxidants.
Parmalat in Italy launched the Jeunesse range of juice, milk and dairy desserts featuring vitamins A and E and coenzyme-Q10, an ingredient more commonly seen in skin lotions. Although the product package does not specifically refer to antiageing, the brand name translates as ‘youth’, which practically says it all. French company Laboratoires Noreva opted for more adventurous labelling with its new Norelift jam, described on-pack as anti-age
and anti-wrinkle! The product contains antioxidants and essential fatty acids and is said to be effective against wrinkles if taken every day for a month. The benefit comes at a price, however: € 7 for a 120g jar.

Social responsibility

In terms of food and drink products, social responsibility nowadays is not just about environmentally-friendly packaging, although there have been some significant moves in that area. There have been notable developments
globally to reduce packaging materials, such as Eco-Mark glass jars as used by Nakashimato in Japan, which are 31.5% lighter than standard jars to save on materials and energy use. Biodegradeability and compostability of packaging have also reappeared as mainstream issues with the launch of Nestlé’s boxed chocolates in trays made of corn starch that dissolves when wet, and the more widespread use in the USA of NatureWorks labels made from
corn is used, for example, on Frützzo natural juice drinks.
The Fair Trade movement has seen significant growth in recent months, with new products appearing in categories more diverse than chocolate and coffee, and from major players. Kraft Foods has introduced ethically-sourced coffees in the UK and France under the Kenco and Jacques Vabre brands, while Nestlé has launched Partner’s
Blend Fair Trade coffee in the UK. An important trend for the future might be the inclusion of Fair Trade ingredients in
‘regular’ products. Unilever-owned Ben & Jerry’s now offers coffee flavoured ice cream in the USA that is made with Fair Trade certified coffee extract.
Cause-related marketing, where the proceeds from a product are donated to a charitable concern, have also grown in the past few months. Several companies backed Breast Cancer Research month in the USA, for example, including
Masterfoods with its limited edition pinkcoloured M&M’s. A more unusual campaign featured on the Republic of Tea’s
Man Kind blueberry green tea in the USA: the antioxidants in the tea and the blueberries are claimed to help prostate health, and the company donates a portion of the profits to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Overall, 2005 saw a 27% increase in new product introductions on an ethical platform of one kind or another,
including Fair Trade and cause marketing issues. Signs suggest that will grow and become more mainstream in the future.

Novel packaging

Recent months have seen further developments in on-the-go packaging, including the expansion of a concept first
seen in 2004: Kraft Foods’ Crystal Light On The Go instant drink mix, packaged in a single-serve stick pack designed
specifically to be added to a standard size of bottled water.
Unilever has since used the same principle for its Lipton Green Tea To Go product in the USA, which arguably has an edge, in that it additionally benefits from the health positioning of green tea.
More recently, in Germany, Kaufidee has introduced Wasser Maxx drink syrups in 20ml stick packs, designed to
be mixed into a 500ml bottle of water. These come in a tub of nine different flavours to provide added variety.
Some more complex solutions for beverage consumption away from the home have been launched. Austrian company Blue Cow introduced a fruit & whey drink in a double-walled 330ml ‘thermo bottle’, designed to keep the product cool for longer and thus enhance the product’s safety, given that it contains dairy ingredients that should be kept chilled.
Focusing purely on the enjoyment of the product, Canadian brewer Labatt introduced The Cold One, a can of Labatt
Blue beer featuring a Cool2Go insulated wrapper on each can, developed by Dupont, to protect the product from warm hands and temperatures. Heinz targeted younger consumers with its Silly Squirts ketchup in the USA. Following the success of its EZ Squirt products, the company’s new line is packaged in a 567g bottle with a grip area specially designed for smaller hands, and the cap features three differently-shaped dispensing nozzles to encourage kids to draw designs on their food or on the plate.