As 2010 comes to a close, it's time to look forward to next year and the food trends that will dominate the headlines. Based on this year's hot topics and current industry conditions, here is what I believe you can expect to see in 2011:
- A resurgence of real sugar. The people have spoken, and high fructose corn syrup (soon to be rebranded as corn sugar) is no longer welcome. Expect to see more food made with real sugar, following in the footsteps of Häagen-Dazs five ice cream, Sierra Mist Natural, and Jones Soda.
- Less salt and sugar in your favorite foods. A few weeks ago, food and beverage consumer packaged goods companies including Butterball, Heinz, Hostess, and Snyder's of Hanover agreed to use less salt in some products as part of a national campaign against high blood pressure. The National Salt Reduction Initiative aims to reduce Americans' salt intake by 20 percent over the next five years. Just this week, General Mills announced that it successfully reduced sugar in cereals advertised to children by an additional 8 percent on average this year. Expect more food manufacturers to lessen the amount of salt and sugar in products in the coming year.
- More whole grains. Store shelves are now lined with items containing whole grains. Chef Boyardee canned pastas, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Lean Pockets, Fig Newtons, and SunChips all boast whole grain goodness. With consumers demanding healthier products for themselves and their families, whole grains are here to stay. Anticipate more variety at grocery stores in 2011.
- Portion control. 100 calorie packs have been popular in the past few years. Everything from chips and cookies to ice cream and soda come in smaller packages for better portion control. This year, DiGiorno debuted 200 calorie portion frozen meals and Pillsbury introduced Sweet Moments, individually packaged desserts for one. Healthy eating will remain a top priority for shoppers next year, so count on more companies to launch snack-sized portions of your favorite foods.
- A shake-up in the Fortune 500. This year, sales at J.M. Smucker will top $4.6 billion, with profits increasing to $494 million. With well-known brands such as Jif, Crisco, and Folger's all doing well in 2010, Smucker's is poised to enter the Fortune 500 list after sitting at number 540 this year. In addition, PepsiCo is bound to increase its rank on the Fortune 500 after completing its acquisition of Pepsi Bottling Group earlier this year.
What do you think will happen within the food and beverage CPG industry next year? Deeper focus on better foods in schools? Improved sustainability practices? Manufacturers making a stronger attempt to buy local foods for the products they produce? Look into your crystal ball and leave a message to let me know your predictions for 2011.
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