Beauty foods and drinks and anything that’s good for the planet are recurring themes in this year’s packaged goods forecast from the Datamonitor Product Launch Analytics. Here are some highlights.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts have become the new superfood, according to Datamonitor, and will show up in numerous new product launches. We’ll see more and more snack bars ‘getting naked’ to showcase nut ingredients. Seeds will also continue to grow in popularity as a health food, including flax, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
Relaxation Drinks
Next year’s new supplement drinks will emphasize relaxation in the mold of Drank, the so-called ‘world’s first extreme relaxation beverage.’ Other newcomers include: Purple Stuff Pro-Relaxation & Calming Elixir, Nescafe Body Partner Relax Coffee, which is decaffeinated coffee infused with chamomile, and Lotte Relax Gum Apple Tea Mint.
Beauty Foods
Nestle’s new Glowelle Beauty Drink Supplement Powder fights signs of aging from the inside out with skin-beautifying antioxidants. Masterfoods’ Dove Beautiful Milk Chocolate has skin nourishing ingredients such as vitamins C and E along with biotin, zinc and cocoa flavanols.
Gaining Steam
Food products designed to be steam-cooked in the microwave will come on strong in 2009, according to Datamonitor. The report notes the launch of Dole Easy Steamer Potatoes, Birds Eye Steamfresh Specially Seasoned Rice, and Bonduelle Vapeur Vegetables.
Detox Drinks
Food products promising to detoxify will come on strong in ’09. Products such as Function Urban Detox Goji Berry Drink and V Water Detox Vitamin Water will make an impact in the coming year.
Stevia Sweetened Foods
The sweetener from the South American stevia plant has the potential to become the next big thing in calorie-free sweeteners. The FDA will soon decide if stevia variant Rebaudioside A can be safely used in processed food products. If it gets the green light, Pepsi and Coke are expected to roll out new stevia-sweetened drinks, according to Datamonitor’s report.
Flower Power
Floral flavors will be big in the coming year, the report says. They’re subtle, non-fattening and aromatic. Watch for products such as OOBA Sparkling Refreshing Hibiscus Beverage, which is said to have a high level of antioxidants, Simply Hibi Health Drink and Lavender-Jalapeno flavored Theo Caramel Collection Chocolates.
Brain Gain
Mentions of the word “brain” in new food and beverage products worldwide have nearly tripled in the 2007-2008 period vs. the 2005-2006 period, according to Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics. The trend will continue thanks to new products such as Kellogg’s LiveBright Brain Health Bar, IQ Plus Brain Drink, and Unilever’s Rama Idea! Margarine.
Keep an eye out for these new product developments in the coming year to see just how prescient the Datamonitor people were in their prognostications.
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