Products with a heart-health positioning continue to show good growth worldwide, with a 13% increase in product launch activity tracked by Innova Market Insights from 2009-2010.
Digestive/gut health ranks as the most popular active health positioning, from global product launch activity tracked by Innova Market Insights in 2010, constituting 26.7% of active health* product launches.
An October 2011 report from the Hudson Institute entitled “Better-For-You Foods--It’s Just Good Business” found food and beverage companies with a high percentage of sales in the better-for-you (BFY) category also do better financially.
New product developments for bone and joint health continue to remain relatively niche, worldwide. According to global new product launch activity tracked by Innova Market Insights in 2010, calcium and vitamin D are the two most widely used ingredients for new products for bone/joint health claims.
The term “Superfood” has been coined to convey foods which have a high phytonutrient content and may confer health benefits, such as cancer risk reduction. Foods with inherently high nutrition benefits, such as acai, blueberries, broccoli and chia, are viewed by consumers as natural remedies to fight disease.
Food manufacturers are responding to the diabetes epidemic facing the world, and the result has been annual growth in new product launches that tout a diabetic positioning, according to global product launch statistics tracked by Innova Market Insights.
Specialized sports nutrition products are increasingly finding their way into the hands of mainstream consumers; conversely, manufacturers are incorporating specific ingredients beneficial for sports performance into mainstream products.
With the number of aged consumers growing worldwide, products containing ingredients promising eye-health benefits will be sought after. Eye health is an area which receives less manufacturer attention, which results in fewer new product introductions, compared to other areas, such as digestive health.
Diet trends come and go, while obesity rates worldwide continue to escalate. Magic bullets for weight loss and maintenance are being put aside, in favor of products offering more traditional health benefits.
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