New Nutrition Business

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This month's articles

Kellogg signals fibre’s future as must-have ingredient for all healthy foods

July 2009 - Kellogg is enhancing the fibre content of many of its ready-to-eat cereals in the US and Canada, pledging that nearly 80% of its cereal line will become “at least good to excellent sources of fibre” by the end of next year.

Dairy giant now number one in soy

July 2009 - Most dairy companies have chosen to see soy milk as an undesirable rival in the chiller cabinet, but Dean Foods, America’s largest milk processor, has instead seen it as a profitable business opportunity. Long the biggest soy milk company in the US, through its Silk brand, the recent acquisition of Belgian-based Alpro makes Dean the biggest soy milk company in the Western world. By Dale Buss.

EFSA: business as usual despite crunch meeting with industry

July 2009 - Europe’s health claims regulator – EFSA – has proclaimed its recent much-heralded meeting with industry representatives as a “very successful consultation”. But many in industry who were present don’t feel that the word “successful” is the right one to use. All that is clear is that nothing much will change and that the future for Europe’s food industry remains one in which few health claims will be approved and most will be rejected, using requirements for evidence that ignore established scientific practice for evaluating claims. By Richard Clarke.

Food industry adopts front-of-pack mentality

July 2009 - Signpost labelling schemes that graphically represent the nutritional credentials of products to consumers are now ubiquitous in the UK, and some supermarkets report sales of healthier foods increasing as a result of their introduction. But manufacturers, retailers and the government remain split over which is the best system to use – confusion that may only be resolved by an EU decision. By Richard Clarke.

Marketers target power of mothers who blog

July 2009 - Mothers who blog about products – thus influencing the purchasing decisions of thousands of other mothers who trust them more than they trust any institution – are fast becoming a new marketing focus for food and beverage companies. But companies need to tread carefully to get the best out of “mommy blogs” – and to avoid potential pitfalls. By Dale Buss.

Gluten-free is growing up

July 2009 - No longer the domain of dusty products with poor flavour made by tiny companies and sold solely in health-food stores, the buzz around the gluten-free category – fuelled partly by Oprah Winfrey’s declaration that she is on a gluten-free diet – is attracting more consumers and also bigger, more mainstream companies who want a piece of the action. By Dale Buss.

Resveratrol juice drink toasts first year

July 2009 - US start-up Embodi set out to differentiate itself from pomegranate, blueberry, açai and other superfruits by leveraging the heart-health effects of grape extract resveratrol and providing the health benefits of red wine without the alcohol, all delivered in a highly distinctive package. The company has defied recession and completed its first full year on the market. By Dale Buss.

Snack a Jacks battles to crack new market

July 2009 -PepsiCo once thought that its Snack a Jacks rice snack brand could become a $160 million/€115 million business in the UK. In fact, after nine years on the market, it has reached only half that level. But getting even to that point has been a major achievement, driven by constant new product development, a female-focused brand positioning, wholegrain credentials and heavyweight marketing expenditure. It’s a case study that vividly illustrates how creating healthy snacks that satisfy consumers and keep their loyalty is one of the toughest challenges. By Richard Clarke.

Quaker pushes power of oats as sales slip

July 2009 - With its sales slipping over the last couple of years, Quaker Oats has launched an umbrella ad campaign that aims to remind consumers of the “power” of the high-fibre grain in all Quaker products, without majoring on heart health as it has done in the past. Will the new approach turn consumers back on to oats, or will it prove too vague? By Dale Buss.

Last month's articles

Cheerios fall foul of tougher stance on health claims

June 2009 - The Obama administration appears to be signaling a tougher stance towards better-for-you-food marketing. General Mills and Kellogg already have received wrist-slaps from new federal regulatory regimes about their health claims on popular cereal products, and many observers expect more similar strikes to follow.

Kellogg makes second attempt at protein drink market

June 2009 - With sales of its Special K protein water having proven to be a disappointment (see Case Study on page 11), Kellogg is making a second attempt at extending its Special K weight management brand into beverages, this time in the form of a shake. By Julian Mellentin.

Ruling brands gelatine, juice concentrates not ‘natural’

June 2009 - A controversial ruling by UK regulators on use of the term ‘natural’ has divided the food industry. Whether you agree with the ruling or not, it’s clear that calling products ‘natural’ could now be more difficult, even risky.By Richard Clarke.

Yakult: sales soften but strategy sound

June 2009 - Even a company with Yakult’s track-record of success is feeling the effects of the economic downturn. But it isn’t all bad news – many markets are still growing rapidly and the company’s direct-to-consumer sales strategy is paying big dividends in Asia. Julian Mellentin reports.

Kellogg protein water sales slump

June 2009 - Sales of Kellogg’s Special K20 Protein Water were never high – and now have collapsed, falling 28% this year. Kellogg’s extension of a breakfast cereal brand to water with a weight management benefit has proved to be a brand stretch too far. Poor merchandising didn’t help. With sales apparently tumbling it’s hard to see how this brand can survive. The recent launch of Special K Protein Shakes (see page 3) suggests that Protein Water’s days may be numbered and Kellogg is keen to take a new direction in weight management beverages. By Dale Buss and Julian Mellentin.

JU are so beautiful

June 2009 - Targeting skin, hair and nails, JU chilled juice drinks offer ‘external benefits delivered internally’. Sporting strong health claims about their beauty benefits, they could hit a barrier when they come up against EFSA’s regulation, but for the time being the company behind them says it is enjoying good sales – despite selling at a hefty premium over even upmarket smoothies. By Richard Clarke.

Tree Top Trim targets weight management

June 2009 - A group of American apple growers that until now has been producing kids’ juices has made a bold step into the adult market with a juice promising weight management benefits. Tree Top says the product offers consumers more fruit, as well as fibre and chromium. By Richard Clarke

Hint Waters hit celebrity sweet-spot with sugar-free water

June 2009 - Kara Goldin may be the luckiest entrepreneur on the planet, or she just may be onto something with her Hint water. The idea, she says, is simple – pure water with a hint of flavour derived from fruit extract – no sugar, no artificial sweeteners. Goldin didn’t know anything about the beverage business, but that hasn’t stopped her from building a fast-growing company with a co-branding deal with the Walt Disney Company, celebrity endorsements and an almost evangelical consumer following. By Karen Raterman

Old brand steams ahead with modern, “natural” makeover

June 2009 - Acknowledging that consumers’ perceptions of good-for-you eating have changed, ConAgra Foods has breathed new life into its Healthy Choice range – the brand that kicked off the frozen healthy foods category in America two decades ago. The latest changes follow the success of Café Steamers, a line of frozen vegetables that has become a $120 million brand in less than two years. By Dale Buss

Consumer challenges abound in cereal aisle

June 2009 - The success of Kellogg’s Special K weight loss challenge, which has been running for eight years now, appears to have prompted other food and beverage companies to use challenges to get consumers to try their product, and to build a “community” around their brand. But they’re putting their own spin on the challenge, with some companies opting for a longer-term – and, they believe, more sustainable – approach. By Dale Buss.