With the low-carbohydrate food and beverage trend beginning to wilt, fibre-enriched products could be the next big opportunity, according to the Naples, NY-based Productscan Online database of new products.
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The percentage of new food and beverage products making high fibre claims in North America has been stuck at around 2.5% for the past four years, but the latest research from Productscan Online reveals that this has increased to 4.2% in 2004, as of the end of August.
“At the end of August, a federal dietary guidelines advisory panel recommended at least three servings of whole grains daily. Assuming that this recommendation is adopted for the revised Food Pyramid in the US, it should encourage the introduction of more fibre-rich foods,” said Tom Vierhile, executive editor of Productscan Online.
ConAgra takes the lead
ConAgra may play a leading role in answering that ‘what’s next’ question with the debut of its Ultragrain White Whole Wheat flour at a recent trade show. Ultragrain is higher in dietary fibre, potassium, niacin, magnesium and Vitamin E than refined, unenriched wheat flour. ConAgra is marketing Ultragrain as an ingredient for food processors for everything from bread and muffins to sweet goods, and reportedly plans on using the ingredient in some of its own food products.
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By GlobalDataFibre Fever is catching on
Giants of the packaged food industry, including Kellogg Company, Kraft Foods and General Mills could have the most to gain from the emerging trend.
“All three companies have a lot at stake as the government turns up the heat in the war against obesity and tries to change American eating patterns,” said Vierhile. “An emphasis on fibre could help consumers forget about the fading low-carb trend while helping the packaged food giants restore the health credentials of some of their core offerings.”
General Mills’ Oatmeal Crisp Triple Berry Cereal is now available in the US. The cereal is said to have a combination of real blueberries, sliced strawberries and whole raspberries that were picked at their peak plus the whole grain goodness of toasted oats and wheat flakes. The company says Oatmeal Crisp Triple Berry is made with heart healthy whole grain oats, is a good source of fibre, and is low in fat.
And in Canada, Kellogg Canada has paired up with George Weston Bakeries to introduce two breakfast cereal-branded high-fibre breads that could be a sign of things to come in the bread market. All-Bran Breakfast Loaf Bread and Two Scoops Raisin Bran Whole Wheat Breakfast Bread provide 9 grams of fibre and 7 grams of fibre per serving, respectively.
Pasta makers also appear to be primed to jump on the high-fibre bandwagon. Hit hard by the low-carb trend, pasta could stage a rebound with products like new FiberPast Pasta, an Italian import that is new to the US from Monte San Vito, Italy-based I.P.D. s.r.l. via Mercatale. FiberPast is claimed to have double the fibre content of whole-wheat flour and all of that extra fibre is said to reduce fat and carbohydrate absorption by the body. New Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Pasta is available from Harrisburg, PA-based New World Pasta. The pasta is touted in ads as being low in fat and sodium and a good source of fibre.
“The challenge for all packaged food makers is to make processed food “better for you” by not processing out natural nutrients and high fibre products are one step on the road to accomplishing this,” concluded Vierhile.
