Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/838473
Tracking the Evolution of Specialty Food Categories Then, Now, Next Sugar-Free Finds Wider Appeal Then: Health concerns spurred Americans toward reduced-sugar confections. From sug- ar-free pineapple hard candies to dietetic pea- nut butter cups, specialty food manufacturers marketed new products to appeal to health- conscious consumers. Now: Specialty food consumers are judicious in their sugar intake. They realize sugar itself is not the culprit to health and diet concerns, too much sugar is. They make occasional indul- gences worth their while by seeking out high- quality confections. Next: Reducing sugar consumption is only one of consumers' nutritional goals. They are opting to incorporate functional or healthful ingredients in every meal or snack selection. Confections with added probiotics to promote digestive health are hitting the market. 1970s 1980s Specialty Cheeses Gain Traction Then: Amid the excess of the go-go 80s, there was a "Gold Rush" for spe- cialty cheeses that spurred cheese to become the fastest-growing retail category. Now: Americans still love cheese, with the average person eating more than 35 pounds per year compared with 17 pounds in 1980. But today, the options at the cheese counter are varied. While it was once all about the imports, artisan American cheeses are winning at competitions around the globe. Next: A new generation of flavored cheeses are touting globally inspired spice blends from Latin America and Southeast Asia. Jerky. In the 1970s, jerky hit a wave of popularity as the perfect outdoorsman's protein snack. Today, it's a much more sophis- ticated treat. From wild har- vested Alaskan salmon jerky to wagyu beef to turkey with cran- berry and sage, current jerky offerings are much more creative and refined. Edible Insects. In the 1950s and 60s, the height of cocktail party sophistication was nibbling on chocolate-covered ants or other insect edibles. Today, crickets are getting all the attention—most commonly, cricket flour, which is finding its way into energy bars, pasta, and ice cream due to its appeal as a sustainable food source. Yogurt. Dannon's 1977 ad fea- turing yogurt-loving cente- narians caught the nation's attention and helped solid- ify the product's healthful appeal. The Greek yogurt craze gained traction in the 2000s and has helped rein- vigorate the category. Boomerang Trends Some of today's most popular specialty food trends aren't brand new to the spotlight, but are back in a big way. 38 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com