More snackers are choosing “power” bars instead of candy bars when they
need an energy short cut, according to Carolyn de la Peña, an American
studies scholar at the University of California at Davis.
The result is the growth of a new superfood industry promoting
technological superiority over taste and smell, speed over leisure.
With ingredient labels prominently displayed on packages, consumers can
now choose the snack that has the best formula of calories, caffeine,
sodium, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, or other
ingredients, de la Peña notes.
Marketing to the psychology of consumers is part of what’s driving the
trend, as super-caffeinated drinks like Red Bull are packaged to create
the illusion of power and modernity. As a result, cultural attitudes
toward food may be following attitudes toward technology.
“These superfoods tap into how excited people feel to be in the modern
technological age. Eating these superfoods is seen as a productive,
modern act,” concludes de la Peña.
SOURCE: University of California at Davis,
http://www-pubcomm.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=6801
Three groups are playing crucial roles in shaping the discussion of healthy lifestyles: consumers, the food industry and the government. These forces are among the issues examined in this second installment of the National Restaurant Association Special Report.
read the full report Read the rest of this entry »
Nutrition and healthy lifestyles are among the most pressing issues facing the restaurant industry today and have sparked public debate over where responsibility for healthy lifestyles rests. This National Restaurant Association Special Report provides resources restaurant operators can use to understand all sides of the question and make decisions that best serve their customers.
Read the full brief Read the rest of this entry »
Small is big. A nation that until now has been hung up on extra-large SUVs, McMansions and supersized meals is flip-flopping to the other extreme: all things small.
A caterer is offering new Bitty Burgers at ballparks.
The trend goes way beyond food – to cars, computers, condos, cell phones, cameras and more.
“There’s an ‘excess’ fatigue among consumers,” says consultant Pam Murtaugh. “We’ve all gotten too big for our britches.”
http://www.usatoday.com/money/2004-03-25-tiny_x.htm
http://www.reveries.com/reverb/essays/frogbull/
If Coke and Pepsi and M&M’s can do it, why can’t beer? If Mitsubishi Motors can do it, why not a good cold one? If the alcohol-pops brand eating away at the beer markets can do it, why not a premium lager?
The answer is: Tradition. Namely, the beer brands of Europe remain largely segmented in their regional roles and have yet to make the giant leap to the pan-Euro hall-of-fame.
