Food Flavors and Ingredients Outlook 2011, 8th Edition

The super slow and seemingly jobless recovery that defined 2010 will linger in 2011, further hampered by food inflation. Concurrently, addressing America’s obesity epidemic will take on heightened importance. This combination of factors will impact the what and why of consumer food and beverage selection, both at home and away in 2011. This report aims to highlight key flavor and ingredient trends for the coming year and provide relevant insights for food manufacturers, retailers and foodservice.

In addition to taking a look back at 2010, the eighth edition of this annual report provides insight into major flavor and ingredient trends for 2011 including:

• Flavors From Around the Globe
• Sustainability Trumps Local, Organic and Natural
• Wellness Overhaul
• Overcoming Obesity
• Plethora of Produce
• Flavor & Ingredient Crossovers
• Salty & Big: Wellness Be Damned
• Bolstering Breakfast
• Simply Savory
• Satisfying Sweets

The information in Food Flavors and Ingredients Outlook 2011. 8th Edition is based on both primary and secondary research. Primary research included interviews with the Kruse Company and the Center for Culinary Development in addition to firsthand examination of the retail marketplace. Secondary research involved gathering data from various trade, business and government sources, including company websites and Internet blogs.

What You’ll Get in This Report

Food Flavors and Ingredients Outlook 2011 highlights predictions for the key drivers that will affect the U.S. food and beverage industry in 2011 including rising food prices, consumer desire to take control and remain tight-fisted, actual vs. perceived thrift, government and industry pressure for a healthier diet and more focus on pragmatic lifestyle choices to promote happiness and well being.

This year’s report provides more coverage of health and wellness topics, primarily as a result of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 and concern about dietary sodium and obesity. An insightful discussion of ten key trends impacting food and beverage manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators sheds light on how these areas are likely to unfold in the coming year.

Benefits of This Report Include:

• Comprehensive coverage of the food flavors and ingredients trends expected to impact consumer food and beverage choices in 2011 contained in a single source
• Insight into how flavor and ingredient trends are moving through the retail and foodservice arenas
• In-depth assessment of how consumers, manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators are focusing ever more on freshness, healthy eating and value, with produce a key feature
• Reference citations provided for secondary research sources throughout the report

Market Insights: A Selection From The Report

Flavors From Around the Globe

2010: Packaged Facts expected that Korean food would be the fastest growing Asian food while Japanese would continue to have a strong presence, especially in relation to udon and other noodles, and the popularity of Vietnamese and Cambodian foods would rise, primarily the result of banh mi sandwiches. All types of Latin foods were expected to grow in popularity, and French food was thought to become more commonplace following the release of the foodie film, Julie & Julia. It was anticipated that American Southern food would become better established throughout the United States due to its strong nostalgic and comforting connotations.

2011: With the number of food trucks on the rise, Packaged Facts anticipates that there will be a wider assortment of ethnic food available with the specific skills and inclinations of individual entrepreneurs driving local trends. Food trucks are expected to accelerate familiarity with the South American cuisines of Columbia, Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela and those of specific regions of Mexico, including the Yucatan. In terms of Asian food, it is predicted that Japanese food will draw the most attention, especially with yakatori, while Indian and Korean food continue to become better established. Already ubiquitous Greek food is likely to gain a greater presence at retail with hummus and yogurt while it is anticipated that Moroccan and Turkish food will gain recognition and an entirely new genre of Scandinavian cuisine could well create a culinary stir.

Wellness Overhaul

2010: Last year Packaged Facts predicted that health and wellness would get a lot of attention in anticipation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 with sodium reduction being of primary interest. Concern about sugar intake and advertising of empty-calorie foods to children along with more FDA scrutiny of front-of-pack nutrition labels and health claims associated with probiotics was anticipated. Beverages to boost cognitive function and promote relaxation were predicted to gain consumer interest.

2011: One year later, Packaged Facts anticipates that food will get more attention as the foundation of health, and wellness activities will be better integrated into overall lifestyle. Continued focus on sodium reduction is expected to preoccupy packaged foods manufacturers while foodservice scrambles to offer menu items with fewer calories in time to comply with Obamacare legislation mandating its posting. Growing recognition that digestive health is a key link in promoting overall good health will help drive sales of yogurt and other foods containing probiotics, but gluten-free foods will likely show signs of slowing down after a year of unjustifiable, fad-like explosive growth.

Food Desert Showdown - Convenience vs. Drug Stores

Jeff Lenard, Vice President of communications for the National Association of Convenience Stores commented, “Food presents some opportunities. We’re looking to take the lead on providing healthier options in areas that are considered food deserts.” Packaged Facts believes that at least two challenges must be addressed: Creating the physical space in many convenience stores to display produce, and creating the desire on the part of residents to purchase and incorporate healthier foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, into their diets. The price of fresh produce relative to other food options must also be taken into account along with the ability for these Americans to tap into government assistance programs where they shop for food.

Packaged Facts anticipates that drug stores will act more quickly and be more successful than convenience stores in exploiting the opportunity to address America’s food deserts. The nation’s largest drugstore chain, Walgreens, expanded the food sections of 10 Chicago stores in areas considered to be food deserts and they now contain more than 750 new food items...

New York, January 11, 2011 — Consumer thriftiness and health-consciousness will continue to exert a notable influence over the food and beverage ingredient and flavor trends to emerge in 2011, according to Food Flavors and Ingredients Outlook 2011, the eighth edition of the annual series by market research publisher Packaged Facts.

"Heading into 2011, consumers are growing evermore weary of economic and nutritional health gloom and doom.  Many have spent the last few years reinventing their financial and employment lives, and are now starting to focus more emphasis on their overall wellbeing and happiness in a way that is reflective of their values, being more pragmatic and deliberate in making decisions about how to spend both their time and their resources," says Don Montuori, publisher of Packaged Facts.

Packaged Facts believes food marketers, from the retail and foodservice sectors, will take that consumer mindset to heart in 2011. Some of the key trends Packaged Facts forecasts to hit it big in 2001 are:

• Flavors From Around the Globe - Ethnic food will remain a bright spot for foodservice and retailers, providing variety and interest without taxing smaller food budgets. The growing presence of food trucks, with their varied ethnic fare at reasonable prices, will bring this national trend home to the local level.

• Sustainability Trumps Local, Organic and Natural - Local, organic and natural foods will more often be connected with eco-friendliness and a more holistic lifestyle approach to eating that promotes sustainability.  As a result, Packaged Facts predicts that there will be greater use of natural, organic, local and antibiotic and hormone-free ingredients at quick serve restaurants (QSRs) and fast casual restaurants in 2011.  At retail, the popularity of private label organic products is anticipated to continue while growth in directly marketed local and organic produce, meats and locally processed foods sold via farmers’ markets and community-supported agriculture (CSA) is anticipated.

• Wellness Overhaul - Packaged Facts anticipates that food will get more attention as the foundation of health, and wellness activities will be better integrated into overall lifestyle. Growing recognition that digestive health is a key link in promoting overall good health will help drive sales of yogurt and other foods containing probiotics, but gluten-free foods will likely show signs of slowing down after a year of explosive growth that some might consider to be a fad.

• Plethora of Produce - Vegetables, more so than fruit, will take on added importance in 2011 as they move to the center of the plate. More fine-dining restaurants are starting to focus on vegetables as the main attraction, with either no accompanying meat, or used sparingly, as a condiment to accentuate flavor. Look for considerable menu experimentation with taste palates developing to savor a broad array of produce, with the likes of turnips, parsnips, black and purple kale, broccoli, spigarello, Romanesco, eggplant, celeriac, and sunchokes becoming more commonplace.

• Flavor & Ingredient Crossovers - A key trend will be even more two-directional crossover of savory ingredients into sweet foods and sweet ingredients into savory foods. For example, Packaged Facts expects the use of olive oil to extend into a wide range of desserts and sweet goods including ice cream and gelato, cake and muffins.

• Satisfying Sweets - Packaged Facts anticipates that agave will surrender some of its sweetening prominence to less exotic but always special honey as stevia still gains ground at a slower pace. Figs, pears, cherries and blackberries look likely to be the most popular fruits, along with the superfruit combination of blueberry and pomegranate. America’s appreciation of artisanal and retro desserts is expected to continue in 2011 with home-made pie and ice cream showing a great deal of creativity.

Food Flavors and Ingredients Outlook 2011, 8th Edition highlights predictions for the key drivers that will affect the U.S. food and beverage industry including rising food prices, consumer desire to take control and remain tight-fisted, actual vs. perceived thrift, government and industry pressure for a healthier diet and more focus on pragmatic lifestyle choices to promote happiness and well being.

About Packaged Facts—Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer goods and retailing, foods and beverages, demographics, pet products and services, and financial products. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services.