If you want to share your insights on the topics below with the editorial team, or if you are interested in advertising on any of these special newsletters, please get in touch using the contact details at the end of this article.
JANUARY 2014: Plant-based diets
FEBRUARY 2014: Gluten-free
MARCH 2014: Nuts, pulses and legumes
APRIL 2014: Healthy Beverage Trends
Plus - Innovation in action: Getting more bang for your NPD buck
MAY 2014: Organic and non-GMO
JUNE 2014: Oils and fats, the next generation
SEPTEMBER 2014: Natural & clean label trends: Sweeteners, colors, flavors, preservatives
OCTOBER 2014: Snacking trends
NOVEMBER 2014: Sodium reduction
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WHAT WILL THE SPECIAL EDITIONS COVER?
January 30, 2014: Plant-based diets
With a growing body of evidence suggesting that people on a plant-based diet live longer - and healthier - lives, food manufacturers are increasingly looking to develop better-tasting dairy and meat-free products, from almond-based yogurts to meat-free BBQ options.
In this FoodNavigator-USA special edition we'll look at some the key players in this space from Earth Balance to WhiteWave Foods, Quorn, Gardein (Garden Protein), Boca (Kraft), Tofurky (Turtle Island Foods) and Morningstar Farms (Kellogg).
We’ll also explore what plant-based protein options are available for formulators, from new algal-based proteins to pea, soy, canola and rice.
February 27, 2014: Gluten-free
The range of gluten-free foods available on supermarket shelves has skyrocketed in recent years, as mainstream retailers wake up to the opportunity and drug, club and foodservice channels start to bid for a slice of the action as well.
Suppliers have stepped up with a wide range of gluten-free ingredients, allowing manufacturers’ product development teams to provide a wider variety of gluten-free foods and beverages than ever before.
In this special edition, FoodNavigator-USA looks at innovations in ingredients and finished products, and examines the market’s long-term potential.
March 27, 2014: Nuts, pulses and legumes
As more research is conducted into the myriad health benefits of nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans...), pulses (peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas) and legumes (soy, peanuts), consumer awareness of the role they can play in a healthy diet is growing.
In this FoodNavigator-USA special edition, we look at the latest research around these healthy-plant-based foods and related ingredients (proteins, fibers, flours, oils) explore how food manufacturers can incorporate them into foods and beverages.
April 30, 2014: Healthy beverage trends
Few sections of the store are as dynamic as the beverage aisles, with new launches covering every area of the market from novel 'breakfast to go' concepts, natural energy and natural relaxation offerings, to high protein shakes, ever more coconut-water based products, botanical-inspired concepts and scores of new ready-to-drink tea and coffee launches.
Meanwhile, the pressure to clean up product labels and banish artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and sweeteners continues unabated.
But which trends - and ingredients - have legs, and which are here today, gone tomorrow? And who are the entrepreneurial companies driving innovation in this category?
In this FoodNavigator-USA special edition we look at what's hot, what's not, and what's next for healthy beverages.
PLUS: Innovation in action: Getting more bang for your NPD buck
We’ve all seen the statistics: Nine out of 10 new food and drink products fail when they hit the market. Which amounts to a lot of bucks, and very little bang. So what's going on? How can manufacturers improve their NPD processes to achieve a better return on investment and bring more genuinely innovative products to market?
This FoodNavigator-USA special will explore how companies can best marshal resources to keep up a healthy pipeline of new products that meet consumers’ short, medium and long-term needs.
We’ll also talk to experts at the nation’s most innovative CPG companies at the 8th annual food technology and innovation forum to find out the secret to their success.
May 29, 2014: Organic and non-GMO, the road ahead
Californians might have voted against GMO labeling initiative Prop 37, but the GMO labeling issue show no signs of going away. A new class action lawsuit over ‘all-natural’ claims on products containing GMOs is filed almost every week, and with sales of products with the Non-GMO Project verified stamp continuing to surge, more and more manufacturers are exploring how to avoid GMOs.
Meanwhile, sales of organic foods and beverages continue to grow strongly.
In this FoodNavigator-USA special edition, we explore how challenging it is to source non-GMO ingredients, where the non-GMO market is going, and where organics fit in.
June 26, 2014: Oils & fats, the next generation
Fats are often classed into good, bad and ugly categories. But do consumers know which are which, and how can manufacturers help increase consumption of the healthier variety (MUFAs and PUFAs) and reduce trans- and saturated fats? And are saturated fats really the bogeyman many dietitians have made them out to be?
And then there’s the next generation of healthy oils, from SDA-rich soybean oil to new high oleic vegetable oils. But will concerns over GMOs thwart their progress?
Finally, we’ll explore the latest developments in sustainable palm oil and ask whether the industry is on track to meet commitments on this front.
September 25, 2014: Natural & clean label trends: Colors, flavors, preservatives, sweeteners
While the precise definition of ‘natural’ remains the source of much debate on both sides of the Atlantic, one thing remains clear, consumers want foods and beverages that are natural, wholesome, and minimally processed - made from ‘kitchen cupboard’ ingredients with names they recognize.
But reducing fat, sugar and salt - and keeping ingredients declarations as short and consumer-friendly as possible - is an ongoing challenge for the food industry.
In this FoodNavigator-USA special edition we look at natural and clean label trends, and explore the latest developments in natural sweeteners, from oat-based sweeteners to monk fruit and new stevia blends; natural colors; flavors and preservatives, antioxidants and anti-microbials.
Are they as good as their ‘artificial’ counterparts? And what will the next generation of these ingredients look like?
October 30, 2014: Snacking trends
With NHANES data suggesting that the diet of many Americans equates to 'one continuous snack' , and the percentage of energy derived from snacks in the American diet increasing from 12% in the late 1970s to 24% in 2009/10, the pressure is on to make those snacks better for you.
But would consumers rather eat a small bite of a luxurious chocolate brownie than a larger 'healthier' snack? And are the boundaries between snacks and meals blurring? How many calories should a 'snack' contain? And how can firms 'sneak' in fruits, veggies and other healthy ingredients into snacks targeting kids?
This FoodNavigator-USA special edition explores the latest snacking trends, and the tools at food formulators' disposal to create great-tasting, satisfying snacks.
November 25, 2014: Sodium reduction: The road ahead
It's expensive, risky, and difficult, but manufacturers have made huge progress on sodium reduction in recent years. But how much further can they go, and where is the return on investment if consumers are at best indifferent to their efforts, or at worst downright suspicious?
FoodNavigator-USA’s special edition on sodium reduction explores the technical and commercial challenges of sodium reduction – but also provides examples of creative solutions developed by food ingredients suppliers to help manufacturers reduce sodium without compromising on taste or functionality.
GET IN CONTACT!
If you want to get involved with the editorial content of any of these specials, please drop a line to Elaine Watson (elaine.watson@wrbm.com) or Maggie Hennessy (maggie.hennessy@wrbm.com).
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If you are interested in advertising on any of these specials, please drop Elodie Delannoy a line: elodie.delannoy@wrbm.com