Inspiring Product Development and Innovation as Recovery Unfolds In her column Badaracco reviews the complex landscape of the food industry and discusses how product developers can navigate established and emerging trends to successfully market new food products. Although consumers are seeking new and “authentic” experiences, food developers should still create foods with familiar elements. To attract consumers, instead of “comfort foods,” they may have more success creating “comfort fusion”—new products created from the fusion of two familiar items. More consumers are seeking natural, healthy, and unprocessed products, as well as convenience and clear messages about benefits. To best navigate a trend, the food product developer must know the birth and lifecycle prior to deciding to enter into it. |