Denney-Finch On… Giving Consumers What They Want
By Denney-Finch, Joanne
‘It seems likely that there will be opportunities for more ‘superfruits’ in the future”
IGD recently asked shoppers what foods they wanted to see offered in more variety on the shelves, and we were a little surprised to find that the two categories where shoppers most wanted to see more choice in store were bread, and fruit and vegetables. More than one in five respondents wanted more variety in fruit and vegetables.
We believe a number of factors have contributed to this demand for more fruit and vegetable varieties. Shoppers increasingly experience different varieties of fruit and vegetables while on holiday, when dining out, or from specialist outlets such as farmers’ markets. They are also more aware of the importance of fruit and vegetables in a good diet as a result of the intense media focus on the link between diet and health, and specific public health campaigns such as “Five a Day”.
The focus on health has also increased interest in superfoods, and it seems likely that there will be opportunities for more “superfruits” in the future. But the same research cautions that consumers may become wary if new superfoods without a demonstrable health benefit appear on the market in droves.
The successors to the first superfoods such as cranberries and aloe vera will increasingly need to make clear what specific health or lifestyle benefits they can offer if they are to make the same headway. The study also suggests opportunities for foods which fulfil consumer demand for a combination of health, convenience and premium. The Innocent drinks company is an example of a firm that has managed to produce products that meet all of these criteria but many other opportunities remain for fruit and vegetable growers to meet shoppers’ insatiable demand for variety.
Joanne Denney-Finch is chief executive of international food and grocery expert IGD
Copyright Haymarket Business Publications Ltd. Feb 8, 2007
(c) 2007 Horticulture Week. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.