March 2023

Check out the March 2023 issue of Prepared Foods, featuring our 2023 State of the Industry New Products Annual, which looks at innovative food and beverage products across all categories.

2023 NEW PRODUCTS ANNUAL

New Foods and Beverages Leverage Flavor, Form and Function to Attract Consumers

Insightful R&D, product positioning and marketing moves that grew in the face of pandemic conditions and inflation

Robert Garrison

March 6, 2023

Last December saw Chicago retail data tracker IRI release its “November 2022 Retail Food and Beverage Price Check” report. Published on December 8, it noted that food inflation finally moderated after August and hit its slowest rate last October, at +0.3%.

2023 NEW PRODUCTS ANNUAL

Consumers Turn to Sauces and Dressings for Adventuresome Flavor

The hunger for new and different flavors lit a fire under sauce and seasoning product launches during 2022

Tom Vierhile

April 5, 2023

According to Innova’s 2022 Flavor Survey, 39% of Americans said they are most likely to experiment with flavors through sauces, seasonings, and toppings. These categories rank ahead of others such as bakery, soup, desserts and ice cream, cheese, savory snacks, and more.

2023 NEW PRODUCTS ANNUAL

Prepared Meals, Entrées Help Busy Consumers Navigate Lifestyle Change

Retail ready-to-eat foods are forecast to grow by double-digits through 2024

Robert Garrison

April 4, 2023

Last year saw The NPD Group, Chicago, share two consumer insight studies with implications for prepared meals and entrees. In its June “Future of Dinner” report, NPD said at-home dinner consumption still remains higher than pre-pandemic levels.

2023 NEW PRODUCTS ANNUAL

New Prepared Meat, Poultry and Seafood Offerings Address At-Home Occasions, Health

Consumers continue to prepare meals at home, which bodes well for packaged retail foods

Robert Garrison

April 3, 2023

IRI, 210 Analytics and Marriner Marketing joined forces to study meat department sales and trends. In an end-of-year review, 210 Analytics President Anne-Marie Roerink noted that department sales have increased more than $9 billion between 2018 and 2022. Moreover, sales reached a record high of $87.1 billion, up 5.8% from 2021 levels.

2023 NEW PRODUCTS ANNUAL

Side Dishes Capture the Mealtime Spotlight

At-home, plant based and convenience trends support side dish and soup innovations

Robert Garrison

March 29, 2023

The NPD Group suggests reports that consumers still eat most meals at home. Meanwhile, they’re continuing to try plant-based or vegetable-forward options for reasons of health or interest in sustainability. Others follow specialty diets and welcome quick, easy options. Everyday eaters also crave more international tastes.

2023 NEW PRODUCTS ANNUAL

Cereals, Nutrition Bars Boost Appeal with Flavorful Fun, Functional Nutrition

Plant based and ketogenic trends provide insight for the future of the cereal and nutrition bar categories

Tom Vierhile

March 29, 2023

Per the Innova Database of new products, snack bar new product introductions (cereal and energy bars) grew more than 6% while cold cereal launches expanded by more than 2% during the first 11 months of 2022 versus the same period in 2021. Hot cereal launches declined by around 10% during the same period.

2023 NEW PRODUCTS ANNUAL

New Beverages Target Essential, Environmental, Experiential Benefits for Consumers

Most consumers look for overall money-saving value and continue to reduce non-essential spending at restaurants, grocery stores, and on alcohol

Erin Costello

March 22, 2023

While 85% of consumers say rising inflation has had an impact on the way they shop overall, there are areas in which they are not willing to compromise. Today’s brands are being pushed to be different, accessible, and to seem premium and/or customized—all while driving cost savings for their own operations.

2023 NEW PRODUCTS ANNUAL

New Product Innovations Keep Bakery Foods Fun, Flavorful and Functional

Baking ingredients and mixes tapped a combination of diet and flavor trends in the past year

Tom Vierhile

March 15, 2023

Bread and bread products posted the biggest decline with launches down nearly 11% during the first 11 months of 2022. Crackers launches dipped just more than 2%. Innovation trends around specific health claims softened in 2022.

2023 NEW PRODUCTS ANNUAL

At-Home Snacking Behavior Brings Comfort, While Boosting All Product Categories

Nearly one-fifth of Americans say they snack four or more times a day

Tom Vierhile

March 7, 2023

Innova Market Insights’ 2022 Snacking Survey found that more than 54% of Americans say they snack two or more times a day. Nearly one-fifth of Americans say they snack four or more times a day.

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2023 NEW PRODUCTS ANNUAL

Dairy Products Continue to Entice and Excite Consumers with Healthful, Flavorful Choices

Balancing a drop in plain fluid dairy milk consumption is a steady rise in premium, specialty, and flavored milk products

David Feder , RDN

March 6, 2023

It’s always good to start a dairy report with a tall glass of milk. While it’s safe to say reports of dairy milk’s demise in the face of the plant-based boom are premature, unit sales slipped again in 2022 by 3.3%. Luckily for the industry, dollar sales increased by more than twice that percentage (7%) due to price-per-unit increases of 11 cents.

WHAT'S TRENDING

Food Science— For Eyes & Ears | March 2023

March 30, 2023

Want to listen to industry news and views on the way to work? Catch a quick video on a lunchbreak? Prepared Foods now goes anywhere—and everywhere—to cover critical topics.

This exclusive webinar outlines the use of a specialty enzyme that increases the umami of plant-based protein within the fibrous meat texture of texturized plant proteins. This “must-see” webinar will graphically demonstrate how this is accomplished with hard data including meat analog graphs, sample analyses, and sensory profiles.

Consumers continue to evolve when it comes to their expectations and choices with “clean label” food selections. Webinar panelists will discuss trends and technical solutions—for both today and tomorrow—involving clean label, plant-based, and processed foods and beverages.

Prepared Foods

Cover Story

New Foods and Beverages Leverage Flavor, Form and Function to Attract Consumers

Features

Consumers Turn to Sauces and Dressings for Adventuresome Flavor

Prepared Meals, Entrées Help Busy Consumers Navigate Lifestyle Change

New Prepared Meat, Poultry and Seafood Offerings Address At-Home Occasions, Health

Side Dishes Capture the Mealtime Spotlight

Cereals, Nutrition Bars Boost Appeal with Flavorful Fun, Functional Nutrition

New Beverages Target Essential, Environmental, Experiential Benefits for Consumers

New Product Innovations Keep Bakery Foods Fun, Flavorful and Functional

At-Home Snacking Behavior Brings Comfort, While Boosting All Product Categories

Dairy Products Continue to Entice and Excite Consumers with Healthful, Flavorful Choices

Departments

Food Science— For Eyes & Ears | March 2023

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