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Side Dish, Food and Beverage Industry Trends: Center for Culinary Development
SIDE DISH - CCD's Monthly Compilation on Food and Beverage Industry Trends
Beets

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES

February 2009

James White Heart Beet Juice…Prepared Foods reported on a new organic beetroot juice in the U.K. from James White. The juice is positioned to lower the body’s blood pressure thanks to high levels of nitrates in beets that some health studies believe serves as natural aspirin. Apple juice rounds out the recipe. (Prepared Foods, January)


  • Nestlé places confidence in probiotics for kids…Boost Kid Essentials Drink uses the concept of a probiotic straw to deliver healthy bacteria. The drink, which comes in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavors, claims to be “digestion friendly” as it is lactose- and gluten-free. (Food Navigator-USA, 1/8)
  • Mars redefines the perception of a Fling with new “naughty but not that naughty” chocolate treat…Fling is a new chocolate “finger” made with a truffle sitting on a crisp layer of meringue enrobed in chocolate; it has only 85 calories. The new confection will come in milk chocolate, dark chocolate and hazelnut flavors. (PR Newswire, 1/13)
  • Edible, affordable indulgences for 2009…With the downturn in the economy, consumers will still need little specialty food indulgences. Some upcoming options: Laloo’s goat milk chocolate bars and vanilla goat milk ice cream sandwiches; hemp milk ice cream from Living Harvest in chocolate fudge, toasted coconut and lime, coffee biscotti and mint chip flavors; and yumberry drinks made from the red, prickly Chinese fruit, such as R.W. Knudsen Family Organic Yumberry drink with berries. (Wall Street Journal, 1/ 17)
  • CPK to expand grocery offerings with flatbread sandwiches…In partnership with Kraft, the frozen food line will launch four microwaveable, single-serving flatbread melt sandwiches: carne asada, chicken-bacon club, chicken Santa Fe and five-cheese with spinach. (NRN, 1/20)
  • Coffee Energy Drink shows no sign of slowing… The newest flavor of Starbucks Doubleshot Energy+Coffee beverages is the Latin-inspired Cinnamon Dulce. Cinnamon and vanilla flavors are blended with the drink’s dose of energy boosting ingredients including guarana, B-vitamins and ginseng. (BevNet.com, 1/26)
  • Kashi heats up delicious flavor combinations with its new All-Natural Baked Entrees…Kashi Bakes combine Kashi’s Seven Whole Grain Noodles and Pilaf with all-natural ingredients and nourishing vegetables. The two vegan varieties are Tuscan Veggie Bake, with eggplant, yellow squash and sweet potato, and Mayan Harvest, with a bed of amaranth polenta topped with plantains, black bans and sweet potatoes. (Earth Times, 1/27)
  • Local chefs are selling their signature foods for home consumption…Several Seattle restaurant chefs have begun packaging signature recipes for consumers to enjoy at home. Products include: spicy ketchup from Tilth, normally found on duck burgers; lemon-tahini dressing from Sunlight Café; edamame purée from Boom Noodle, which is an alternative to hummus; and bacon jam from Skillet Street Food. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1/27)
  • Fruity and Savory… A new option for snacking: sweet, berry-flavored tortilla chips from R.W. Garcia. The sweet and savory chips are made with organic corn and are high in antioxidants. The line includes Blueberry, Cranberry and Pomegranate varieties. (Prepared Foods, January)
Morocan Tangine

FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY HEADLINES

February 2009

Culinary Destination of the Year: Marrakesh…The fascination for Moroccan cuisine has taken off in the U.S. and around the globe with epicures and chowhounds flocking to Marrakesh for food tours, homegrown cooking classes and high-end and home-style restaurants. (New York Times, 1/11)
  • Commercialization News: Brought to you by Jan Matsuno, Director of Commercialization: Could it be a peanut that breaks the camel’s back? With 9 confirmed fatalities, over 1,900 recalled products and a federal criminal investigation underway, the Peanut Corporation of America’s salmonella recall has grabbed headlines and renewed concern over the food supply. Unlike some previous food safety scares, this one is American-made so we have no one to blame but ourselves. Expect calls for more government regulation, revamping of Food Safety systems, and a new old-fashioned concept: corporate responsibility.
  • Jamie Oliver’s latest business venture…Jamie will open Recipease, the first of a chain of food stores where shoppers can cook the ingredients they buy under the guidance of professional chefs. The stores are designed to inspire more people to take an interest in food and cooking. (Evening Standard, 1/12)
  • Restaurants adapt to downturn…Today’s troubled times have changed the way people eat and dine out; now restaurateurs are scrambling to accommodate it. Chefs are adding comfort food favorites like roast chicken and hamburgers at even fine-dining establishments. Fried chicken, stews, pastas and even meatloaf are now selling better than ever. (Wall Street Journal, 1/13)
  • The world’s greatest food city? Mexico City a contender…One travel writer discovers that Mexico City has got to be one of the least-appreciated great food cities in the world. Food from open-air markets to high end restaurants is “magnificent.” (Wall Street Journal, 1/17)
  • Top kitchen toy? The cell phone…Chefs and home cooks turn to cell phones and hand-held devices for help in the kitchen, from keeping grocery lists to finding recipes, photographing handiwork, setting timers or converting measurements. iPhone applications like Big Oven or iConvert are especially handy. (New York Times, 1/21)
  • Catering to a toddler clientele…A growing number of parents and health professionals believe kids will eat a more sophisticated diet if offered the chance in restaurants. Some Boston restaurants offer alternatives, like Shanghai noodles and vegetables at Blue Ginger or short ribs with kaffir-lime-baked potato at Banq. We reported on the evolution of kids’ menus in our recent Kids’ Food Culinary Trend Mapping® Report. (Boston Globe, 1/28)
  • Germans told to stop eating meat-heavy diet to help the planet…German officials have told their country men and women to avoid their meat-heavy diet to help cut down on meat production, which contributes to the buildup of greenhouse gasses. Mediterranean diets are promoted as an alternative. (Britain News, 1/23)
  • Throwing the book at salt…New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene commissioner, Dr. Thomas Frieden, is targeting food processors and chain restaurants to address reducing salt in their products. One idea is to reduce salt slowly so consumers don’t notice. (New York Times, 1/28)
  • The new American tavern…In the January trends issue, Bon Appétit profiles new gastro-taverns: smart, casual spots serving excellent drinks and modern takes on American comfort food. The Alambic in San Francisco serves deviled duck eggs, bavette steak with cumin carrots and spice-dusted frites; the Parkside in Austin, Texas serves crab fritters, ricotta ravioli, steak tartare and lots of great beer. (Bon Appétit, January)
  • Destination of the Year: Lima… According to Bon Appétit, Lima (and not Mexico City, that was last year), is the place to go this year. Thanks to a group of chefs including Gaston Acurio, whose SF La Mar is mentioned in our Trends Blog, Lima offers a wild range of fusion cuisine, influenced by immigrants from all corners of the world. (Bon Appétit, January)