2012 CPG Food Trends in Canada

North America’s largest and most credible consumer packaged goods award program, the Best New Product Awards (BNPAs), announced CPG food consumer trends from the ninth annual BrandSpark Canadian Shopper Study, which surveyed more than 53,000 Canadian consumers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
Top CPG Consumer Trends include:

·       61% of consumers believe Canada is in a recession, up from 54% last year.

·       More than 80% of shoppers agreed that they “always try to buy products that are on sale.”

·       60% of shoppers are interested in using their Smartphones to download or scan coupons, over 50% are using them to store their shopping lists and 40% are willing to make instant purchases.

·       Consumer awareness of mobile technology used in marketing is strong with 78% of shoppers aware of quick response codes or QR codes.  Expect new technologies such as NFC codes (Near Field Communication) to gain popularity.

·       50% of Canadians consider themselves to be overweight, which is on par with the U.S., and the same percentage is trying to reduce carbohydrates from their diet.

·       Canadians are increasingly concerned with their intake of sugar (65%), sodium (71%), cholesterol (58%) and fat (73%).  However only 40% indicated that they know their recommended daily intake of major nutrients including sodium and fat, and only 25% indicated that they follow that intake with 75% unsure or not following any recommended guidelines.

·       Beneficial ingredients important to shoppers are fibre (71%), whole grains (67%), calcium (61%), Omega 3 (58%), vitamin D (58%), and protein (57%).  Interestingly, although Omega 3 is considered important to shoppers, less than 31% consider “essential fatty acids, fish oil, or Omega 6"   important.

·       88% continue to believe that there is a lot they can do with food and nutrition to prevent illness, while 68% say they are trying to reduce the risk of major health issues with their food choices.  Both statistics remain unchanged from last year.

·       80% are concerned about chemicals in their food, but only 37% believe that organic food is healthier and 25% of shoppers are willing to pay more for food that is certified organic.  44% of Canadians are unsure of what “organic” guarantees.

·       64% are trying to buy products that are “as natural as possible” with 75% trying to reduce the amount of processed foods they consume.

·       Name Brands: Overall Brand Loyalty Increased to 49% from 45% while private label penetration remained constant for food (90%).

Canada’s Top Three 2012 Best New Product Award Winners:

·       Best in Food & Beverage Category: Nestle Mini Drumstick

·       Best in Household Product Category: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bath Scrubber

·       Best in Health & Beauty Category: Colgate My First Toothpaste

So what are Canada's top food restaurant trends this year?

The year's top trends have emerged enticing!

 

1. Communal - Dining at tables in the centre of the restaurant, bar tables and counter menus. 2. No-Time Dining - some restaurants are extending their menus offering longer lunch hours, snacks and late night options. 3.  Snacking  - With more smaller meals including dim sum and tapas. 4. Grandma’s recipes - Tweaked with the latest cooking trends. 5. Homegrown gardens - Jump into the on site restaurant menu. 6. Mobile restaurants - High-class street food will soon be available on the street corner through more upscale carts. 7. iPad ordering - Servers in restaurants have begun trading their pads and pens for iPads or iPods to take your orders. 8. Potatoes - The spud is making a comeback in 2012. The potato is a great gluten-free alternative that is cheap and diverse. Health food experts are also singing the praises of the nutritional benefits of the potato, which is packed with minerals and nutrients, particularly the skin. Expect to see more dishes featuring a wide range of potatoes including purple potatoes, fingerlings, sweet potatoes and yams, and perhaps the resurgence of an old bar favourite – potato skins. 9. Healthier kids offerings - Recently, Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative in the U.S. has forced several large American chain restaurants to introduce healthier kids’ menus.  Here, more restaurants are now offering healthier menu items for kids that feature more lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. 10. Beer pairings

Glanbia's Flax Plant burns to the ground

This is a sad day for the flax business in Canada as Glanbia Nutritionals" flax plant located in rural Manitoba burnt to the ground yesterday.

The Angusville plant was the worlds largest flax processing facility producing 47 high quality value-added products servicing major international Fortune 500 companies globally.  Glanbia officials could not be reached for comment.  Most likely the local workers will be out of a job.   Full details are available in the Winnipeg Free Press

Flax is used in breads, smoothies, cereals, energy bars and pet food.

Innovative Healthy Products: Why try Hemp for health?

Why try hemp for health? I last spoke about a new product called Hemp Hearts produced by Manitoba Harvest in Winnipeg.  So how does the nutritional profile of hemp compare to flax?  Hemp Hearts are a great heart healthy option and according to Dr. Oz, they are ‘Brain Food’.  They contain 10%+ more protein than flax; 1/3 the level of carbs,  plus the balanced source of Omega-3 or SDA (Stearidonic acid is an ω-3 fatty acid) and Omega-6 including the rare form of GLA essential fatty acids (Gamma Linolenic Acid) that flax does not have.

How can we improve our health?  Daily consumption of Hemp!  Hemp has been shown to help maintain heart health, healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and aids in hormonal balance.  The essential fatty acids (EFAs) in hemp are both short and long chain making for a broader spectrum and work together to ensure your body has an effective metabolism.  According to the World Health Organization the ideal ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 is 4:1.  Hemp has a ratio of 3.75:1.  

What type of microbiological testing do hemp seeds undergo?  Flax products undergo stringent microbial testing and positive release programs to guarantee their safety when used in uncooked snack bars.  Challenges not addressed in Manitoba Harvest sales literature relate to positive release pathogen testing and whether their microbial loads are reduced to reach Log 4 or 5 reduced levels that are demanded by major retail brands.

However, it still appears that flax has a new challenger on the horizon...from Hemp Hearts.

Innovative Healthy Products: What is better than Flax?

Try hemp for health!  Many of you know that I managed the world’s largest flax plant for Glanbia Nutritionals producing 47 value-added products from nutritious golden and brown flax seeds.  Their products are sold worldwide and are used in major name brands of cereals, baked goods, smoothies, energy bars, and animal foods.  Competition however is on the horizon.

I recently learned about another healthy alternative called hemp seed that is grown and processed in western Canada through Manitoba Harvest in Winnipeg.  The company is privately owned and produces a variety of oils and edible products from hemp focused on health, nutrition, quality, digestibility & sustainability.  Their products are described as raw, vegan, green, earth-friendly, whole food & delicious! 

Hemp Hearts are one of their many value-added products promoted as a great heart healthy option and according to Dr. Oz, they are ‘Brain Food’.  Try some on salads.  They appear in a variety of sizes in pouch packs and available across Canada at select Costco, Safeway, Supestore, Loblaws, Fortimnos,  Zehrs, Vitahealth, Fresh & Wild, Organza and numerous health food stores.

Stay tuned for part 2: Why try Hemp for Health!

What is Quality?

What is quality?  I propose that quality pertains to systems, projects, products and/or services provided by an organization with an expected value proposition related to the same.  It translates to "conformance to requirements" as set out by the value proposition and of course can be high, low or whatever the specification mandates. 

David Straker submitted an article that first appeared in Quality World, the Journal of the Chartered Quality Institute, stating that quality means understanding and optimising the whole system of value interchange between all vested parties including the company selling the product or service, employees, customers, governments and regulators. 

Christian Vest Hansen, quoting Robert Glass, says that quality is "a collection of attributes: portability, reliability, efficiency, usability, testability, understandability and modifiability."  Each of these attributes may rank differently in importance for any given project, product or service, but quality can never be any one of them alone.  Some may not care about portability at all, and a product that is only reliable and nothing else, cannot be considered a quality product.  Quality can be a high or low value as long as it meets the specifications set out at the beginning. 

Food quality by default assumes that a product is safe, meeting minimum standards of safety as defined by internationally recognized practices such as HACCP or GFSI.

Agri-food Challenges for 2012

2012 will continue to provide huge opportunities for companies launching value-added products such as functional foods with beneficial bioactive components, nutraceuticals, and products targeted to the health & wellness sector.  Maintaining market access and protecting/exploiting our proprietary knowledge base will remain high on my list.  Competition will increase in the wheat and barley area while the dairy sector focuses on new markets for value-added export sales to locations like China and South East Asia.

According to Proviti, a global consulting firm, there are a number of challenges that face our industry this year.  These include achieving/maintaining customer loyalty; managing the supply chain risks and rising commodity prices; managing complex privacy and information security issues; managing regulatory changes; attracting, retaining and developing top talent; Improving business performance and sustaining competitiveness; adjusting to changing geopolitical dynamics; capitalizing on pickups in mergers and acquisitions; improving financials through better data management and analyses; and increased focus on enterprise risk management (ERM) for the business.