The Current State of the Specialty Food Industry in 2018

Specialty foods are unique and highly valuable food items. Typically, this type of food is produced from small amounts of high-quality ingredients, which is the reason behind their above-average price tag, but also their overall quality and health benefits.

In 2018, The Specialty Food Association released a two-year study titled The State of the Specialty Food Industry. Author and researcher, Denise Purcell discovered significant changes in the food industry, with a focus on specialty foods. The study highlights the impact specialty foods have on sales and consumer decisions. Here is a brief overview of her findings and the current state of the specialty food industry.

Reasons Behind the Rise of Specialty Foods

Specialty foods might seem like a trend, but its roots span much deeper. Thanks to FDA regulations on labels and nutrition guidelines, more people are aware of the health risks involved with food and beverages. Ingredient labels help people to understand what they eat and drink, and watch out for ingredients like sugar, artificial flavoring, or chemical food dies, to improve health.

Consumer demand for higher quality food is another major contributor to the rise of specialty foods. It is affecting everyone in the supply chain. Food manufacturers are taking more care when sourcing raw food, while distributors and suppliers, like UNFI and Whole Foods, are changing the landscape of the natural food industry.

All of these changes are contributing to much higher demand and supply of specialized food, and choice remains the main reason behind The State of the Specialty Food Industry study.

The Rise of the Specialty Food Industry

As of this year, 65% of consumers purchase specialty food. Specialty food dominates sales revenue as well, with a peak income of $140.3 billion in both retail (78.4%) and foodservice (21.6%), an 11% increase from 2015.

Sales from specialty food and beverage have a share total of 15.8%, with plant-based foods dominating the first four spots. Due to the increased interest in organic produce, their input is expected to rise over the next five years.

When it comes to consumer retail purchase, mainstream channels hold an 82% share of total retail sales. However, the biggest winners are both the physical and online versions of the food service. Their sales have doubled in size over the two year period from 2015 and outgrew regular retail options.

On the other hand, retail makers are increasing their offer of specialty foods, which is raising their sales input, but it is growing at a much slower pace. Major chain supplies have only seen significant growth potential in the convenience, drug and vending channels.

When it comes to consumers and who is purchasing specialty foods, demographics reveal that the most significant number of consumers belong to the iGeneration (18-23).

Other Millenials are also significant consumers because generally, these groups have the highest awareness of what they consume. They also make the decision to buy specialty foods based on many different non-traditional factors, like benefits to health, environmental impact, and even trendiness.

Top Ten Selling Specialty Food Groups in Retail

In 2017, the top-selling retail products reached a combined total of almost $29 billion out of around $1.4 trillion of total food spending. It included fresh, refrigerated, frozen, plant-based, and health-focused food, which also had the most notable growth in retail sales.

What’s interesting, on the other hand, is the growth rate of specialty foods which peaked at a combined 12.9%. That’s 11.5% more when compared to all other food, which only achieved a 1.4% growth.

Seven groups in the top ten are chilled or frozen foods, which indicates the demand for other specialty foods will have to increase to create a genuinely diversified offer on the market. Here is a brief overview of the top ten specialty food groups and their performance on the market in 2017:

Cheese and Plant-Based Cheese – cheese achieved the highest sales total, reaching little over four billion in sales. But it’s growth was relatively insignificant with an average of just 6.6% from 2015, which indicates a stable demand for cheese.

Frozen or Refrigerated Meat, Poultry and Seafood – frozen meat in all its forms reached $3.8 billion in sales over the period. What’s most interesting is that it had the lowest change over the two year period between 2015 and 2017, with an average growth of just 3.3%.

Chips, Pretzels, and Snacks – this group is characterized by a top three spot when it comes to sales in 2017 with $3.8 billion (little less than the previous group). However, it had a below-average growth rate for the observed period with 11.8%.

Non-RTD Coffee and Hot Cocoa – owing to the love of coffee in the United States, it is not surprising that this specialty food group earned $3.3 billion in retail sales. Still, the traditionally loyal consumer base also means it had a low growth rate of only 5.4% over a two-year period.

Bread and Baked Goods – bread is a staple food group and earned an expected $3 billion in retail. What’s surprising though is the above-average growth of 18.1% from 2015 to 2017, meaning demand and consumption has risen significantly.

Chocolate and Other Confectionery – chocolate and confectionaries brought in a combined sum of $2.3 billion in sales last year. And according to the data collected from the previous two years, they exhibited a slightly below average growth of 10.8%.

Yogurt and Kefir – healthier dairy-based products like yogurt and kefir massed a total sum of $2.2 billion in retail sales last year. However, the market growth was excellent in the previous two years, and the specialized food group saw an increase of 20.6%, which is the third best value among the top ten groups.

Frozen Deserts – the frozen deserts group has a strong eight position in retail sales, earning a total sum of 2.2 million. More importantly, frozen deserts achieved the highest growth rate out of all the groups in the top 10 with 41.6% between 2015-2017.

Refrigerated Entrees – ready-to-eat refrigerated entrees gained a combined amount of $2.1 billion from retail sales, which was enough to secure them ninth place. But the good news for suppliers and distributors is that this group of specialty foods takes second place when it comes to exponential market growth with 27.2% change from 2015.

Frozen Lunch or Dinner Entrees – frozen lunches and dinner entrees performed similarly to refrigerated dinner entrees taking $2.1 billion from sales, which is a 13.1% of growth during a two-year period. But if you combined the two similar last entrees, they would top the list with $4.2 billion in revenue and 40.3% change.

The Bottom Line

Observing the changes in the specialty food market Denise Purcell remarked on future growth: “We see the future growth of the [specialty] category being driven more by foodservice, convenience, and vending. We’ve seen a lot of growth in drug (CVS, Walgreens, etc.) as well. You’ve got all these different players now that want to carry some of these products.”

If you want to know more about the general state of the food and beverage industry, stay up to date with the latest news. Use the most recent information as an opportunity to improve your offer, and boost your bottom line.

Please visit our website at www.cascadiamanagingbrands.com

August 15, 2018August 11, 2018

Why User-Generated Content is What Consumers Crave

Beverage Marketing: Why User-Generated Content is What Consumers Crave

Fans create brands. And when it comes to brand marketing, there is nothing stronger than peer-to-peer promotion. Brand ambassadors and fans motivate other people to choose and use your products and services, like your beverages. In marketing, this is called user-generated content (UGC), and it’s what beverage companies need to offer their consumers because it’s how they want to be marketed and what they crave. Beverage Marketing is strong in peer-to-peer promotion.

UGC Increases Engagement

User-generated content relies on a successful content strategy. In turn, follows the latest industry news and allows for such marketing efforts to be included. It also relies heavily on the technology behind promotional channels beverage business use. There are a lot of different types of UGC content:

Blogs – relieves some of the pressure from the marketing team and gives consumers a highly personal perspective on the brand;
Comments – increase engagement on websites and social media and promote the brand through peer-to-peer communication about the brand;
Reviews – impact consumers psychologically by increasing trust and credibility, and have the potential to affect 46 % of consumer decisions.
Images – establish visual contact between consumers and the brand through the direct use of the product and its promotion of personal and official online channels;
Videos – increase brand awareness and brand perception through different interpretations of the brand and the direct use of the product.

Content like this requires promotion, so consumers become aware of its existence. Targeting different channels, allows more users to take part in and generate content.

Additionally, beverage companies should consider including consumer incentives for consumers to create content. Campaigns can include prizes, like discounts, special offers, a free supply of drinks, or branded material like flash drives, T-shirts, and even concert tickets. Just remember to make them useful.

UGC Builds Valuable Relationships

Brand identity relies a lot on the relationship a company has with its audience. Brands have to look towards aligning their value proposition with their brand message – core beliefs, mission statements, and goals. This type of communication is customer-centric and focuses on establishing a shared system of value on which a brand can build a relationship with its audience.

User-generated content can make this happen for beverage companies. It essentially allows consumers to take part in the development of the brand. For example, if your company wants to develop a new drink, it issues a campaign that gives an opportunity for customers to come up with a name for it. It empowers consumers, and they are more likely to consume the drink regularly (interact with the brand.)

UGC Inspires Loyalty and Creates Fans

According to marketing professional Kevin Kelly, a brand only needs 1000 true fans to succeed. In that sense, beverage companies need to focus their attention on returning customers and allow them to create user-generated content as a reward. In turn, this creates a loyal following of faithful fans, who know the company values their efforts.

It also creates trust – an essential element of loyalty. And with mutual trust coming from both sides, fans will become brand ambassadors of your company promoting the company to other consumers (what you want,) while you continue rewarding their loyalty (what they want.)

Conclusion on Beverage Marketing

A brand is only active if it has a strong following. And for a beverage company, beverage marketing is following the latest trends in the industry and creating user-generated content campaigns can be a great way to create a loyal backing. After all, it gives consumers the type of promotion they want and crave – created by them and created for them.

August 11, 2018

5 Ways Your Beverage Business Can Maximize Influencer Marketing

Beverage Business Marketing

An influential voice has the power to get people to listen, change their opinion and impact their decision. Therefore, influential people can resonate with their audience to benefit brands in any industry, even the beverage business.

And as one of the latest trends in marketing, beverage companies can use influencer promotion to raise awareness, increase engagement and get more people to drink their product. Here are five ways to maximize the effects of influencer marketing on your beverage business.

Find the Perfect Influencer

When it comes to connecting with a target audience, companies first need to determine a few things, like size, the sphere of influence, and personality before finding the right person for the job.

Micro-influencers have a following between 10,000 and 100,000 followers. It might seem like a small target, but their followers tend to be a tight-knit and loyal community which affect engagement. Micro-influencers are also easier to connect with and are cheaper or even free. And if they’re young, it also means the company is building for the future. In part, that’s why micro-influencers are considered the marketing force of the future.

Macro-influencers have almost celebrity status with several hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers. While their fans might not all be devout, these influencers still have an astounding reach, and their endorsement can have a tremendous impact on brand awareness. However, they are difficult to get a hold of or require substantial contract fees or incentives to promote a company.

It is also crucial that companies research potential influencers to see what kind of content they promote. For beverage companies, this means targeting influential people from the food and beverage industry or people who tend to use those products and publicly review them.

Food and drink bloggers and professional cooks might be the perfect angle to get products promoted through review. Service companies also follow these influencers, which is an excellent way of reaching potential retail partners. As for user-influencers, targeting local social media celebrities is helpful for B2C beverage companies looking to sell more products directly to the consumer.

Finally, once a company selects a shortlist of candidates, it is essential for them to initiate and establish contact with them. Influencer marketing is big business, and it is crucial to determine the price to see if it is a financially viable option.

Target Multiple Channels

Customers respond best to visual advertising when choosing what beverages to buy. Research shows how television food ads have a substantial effect on individual choice, especially in situations when other tasks occupy them. Translated into the digital world, it means there is a definite potential for influencer marketing on visual social media channels, like Instagram for images, YouTube for videos, and Facebook for both.

What companies fail to realize is that these are not the only channels. To truly maximize the impact of influencer marketing, companies need to expand their search and target multiple channels during a campaign. It might open them up to new consumers, or help them find their ideal target audience.

As mentioned, food and drink blogs are a great way to receive the endorsement and promote beverages to potential retailers and service providers. Influencer sponsorship is another way to maximize promotion, whereby a company can sponsor specific segments on favorite online events. It works exceptionally well when targeting smaller audiences engaged with podcasts or webinars.

Trying out different mediums at different points in the campaign in combination with customer surveys can maximize influencer marketing as it shows where a company can have the most significant impact. Plus, companies can learn from major brands in their industry, like Coca-Cola, and use some of the ideas on own their campaign.

Set Clear Goals and Track Them Through the Campaign

Before initiating an influencer campaign, a company needs to determine what it wants to achieve. It can be anything from increasing brand awareness to increasing engagement, or even conversion and sales. A company needs to complete a marketing audit to determine the current situation and decide what aspect of a business to improve.

These goals must be presented to the influencer, and a precise schedule and timeline must be determined. Also, a system of reporting must be included so the impact of the campaign can be monitored and improved if necessary. If targeting prospects through social media, companies should stay away from vanity metrics, and instead, focus on key performance indicators. Only like this can a business determine the success of the campaign and its financial viability.

Building a Relationship with the Influencer

Efficient company culture always centers around people. It’s what makes businesses appear more human. Translate this into influencer marketing, and it’s the role of the company to establish a good connection with their influencers, so they accept company culture and become fans of the brand.

Building a relationship with the influencer makes their work more meaningful, and this resonates with their audience. Regularly rewarding the work, sending free drink supplies or surprising them at their events with branded gifts will create a special bond and make their work more successful.

Create Content that Stands Out

One of the primary goals of influencer marketing is to direct potential leads and customers to the company social media and website, or even the page of its best selling product. As the visitors arrive at this location, they need to see the quality of content and recognize its value otherwise they will feel deceived, both by the influencer and the company.

For beverage companies, it could mean having branded content that is both educational and entertaining. Educational, since this type of material, is aimed at industry professionals looking to partner up. But there also needs to be compelling content in the spirit of the brand message or the different drinks, which can drive sales directly through engagement.

Creating regular high-quality content also helps the influencer select the best material to promote on his channels. At the same time, it also allows the company to remain independent and not rely entirely on the influencer and one marketing strategy.

Accept Innovation

Keeping up with the latest innovation trends in soft drinks also means accepting innovation when it comes to marketing. It means staying on top of the latest industry insights, to realize the potential and help the business grow. And creating a company that’s a leading influence in the industry.

July 20, 2018

Key Innovation Trends in Soft Drinks 2018

What Beverage Insiders Need To Watch Today

Product trending is usually closely related to the consumer’s lifestyle. We are experiencing a global trend where it’s becoming popular to be a workaholic, to go to the gym regularly, to live an organic and vegan lifestyle and to avoid unhealthy products, such as sugar or artificial ingredients. All these trends are affecting the consumption of specific products, thus affecting entire industries.

When it comes to the soft drinks sector, it represents a very dynamic space for growth because consumers continue to grow their quest for experimentation. GlobalData research explores all aspects of innovation and behavior and covers the top trends in the soft drinks sector. The report outlines the key trends that currently impact the core soft drink categories: carbonates, packaged water, sports and energy drinks, RTD tea and coffee, juices and smoothies.

Soft Drink Purchase Drivers

Sensor benefits, trust, and health drive soft drink purchases. The largest purchase driver is product enjoyability. Consumers prefer product enjoyment over all other trends when it comes to soft drinks. Despite health concerns and the latest trends promoting a sugar-free lifestyle, consumers are still interested in tasty, enjoyable soft drinks and perceive them as an indulgent treat.

Trust and familiarity are among the top purchase drivers, in addition to product enjoyment. In the soft drinks market, many consumers continuously stay by their trusted, favored brands.

However, the backlash against sugar is changing the competitive soft drink industry on many levels. Consumers are massively looking to moderate or limit their consumption of sugary beverages and replace them with alternatives perceived and promoted as healthier.

Consumers Want to Experiment, But Not With Everything

Soft drink producers should focus on the consumers’ willingness to experiment with various beverages, particularly with conventional beverages, such as bottled water, coffee or tea. When it comes to functional drinks, like sports drinks and energy drinks, customers tend to stay loyal to their favorite brands and don’t want to experiment with new ones.

In comparison, when it comes to RTD coffee and bottled water, consumers are more than open to trying new products, as there are no particular dominating brands in that department. Producers should look to capitalize on this specific consumer’s behavior by creating drinks with new, unique ingredients and fresh, innovative flavor combinations.

The research highlights the top six trends impacting innovation in soft drinks:

Authentic indulgence
Beyond plastic packaging
Natural energizers
Ethical soft drinks
Water hybrids
Added carbonation

Trend 1 – Authentic Indulgence

Consumers are willing to pay a higher price for a high-quality beverage that offers indulgence and authenticity. The focus of soft drink consumers everywhere is quickly shifting towards high-end, craftsmanship-made, authentic drinks. They are seeking more indulgent and premium soft drinks that represent authenticity and high quality. There is no official definition for “craft” soft drinks, and it is prone to subjectivity. However, GlobalData believes that certain attributes mark beverages as “craft.” These attributes include:

Appearing as a small-scale producer ( or even a small-scale producer within a larger company)
Appearing as independent
A collection of beverages with innovative styles
Using traditional or artisanal methods and techniques in the production process
Using locally grown ingredients

On a global scale, consumers identify “craft” with quality, and they associate the term with handmade, high-quality ingredients. People show a high interest in craft soft drinks, and according to the research, 55% of consumers around the globe would like to see more “craft” non-alcoholic beverages.

High-sugar soft drinks are now occasional, indulgent treats

The backlash against sugar that’s been dominating the consumer market is repositioning soft drinks from a habit to occasional, indulgent treats. Consumers are massively concerned about the high levels of sugar in soft drinks, especially when it comes to carbonated beverages and juices. However, despite the concern, consumers still like to indulge in sugary beverages, but they no longer see the products as something they would consume on a daily basis. They now see sugary drinks as an occasional treat.

Producers should focus on enhancing brand authenticity by leveraging brand heritage and history, and also by using home-grown or locally sourced ingredients for their products. The brand’s environmental impact also plays a role in positioning a product as a premium craft.

Consumers across all age groups enjoy craft

The desire for more authentic experiences is growing globally, across all age groups. Interest in craft-style soft drinks extends across all age groups, with the least receptive one being senior consumers (55 years and older) but 55% of them still find craft soft drinks appealing.

Older consumers care for the heritage and nostalgia craft offers, while younger generations value crafts for its authentic, meaningful experience.

Trend 2 – Beyond Plastic Packaging

Consumers value brands move away from plastic packaging towards more sustainable alternatives because they recognize that plastic packaging hurts the environment. The shift from plastic packaging to other options such as aluminum cans or beverage cartons is taking its toll. It is now a well-known fact that plastic bottles are a significant contributor to plastic waste, and governments around the world are actively looking for ways to address the issue. In fact, the UK government is seeking to eradicate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042.

The entire industry will be striving to provide sustainable innovations in packaging alternatives including refillable packaging, recyclables, and alternative materials – as well as material weight reductions to reduce its environmental impact.

While PET plastic bottles widely used in the soft drinks industry are highly recyclable, most of them don’t go into the recycling process – people often dump them in fields where they could take hundreds of years to decompose. Only one-third of consumers globally consider plastic bottles to be somewhat environmentally friendly, and consumers all over the world are fully aware of the harmful plastic bottles impact on our environment.

The attitude-action gap

While a majority of consumers recognize the detrimental effect plastic bottles have on the environment, they still mark them as their top choice for on-the-go portability. This attitude-action gap is pressuring brands to find new ways to address it.

In the packaged water category, for example, as much as 62% of global consumers claim to prefer plastic bottles when on the go. Plastic packaging is also a leading format in the carbonated and juice categories, followed by glass bottles.

However, sustainability-consciousness is growing and joined with the fact that new opportunities are opening up in the soft drinks market. The glass container is most likely to take the lead and throw plastic bottles off their throne in upcoming years.

The widely known sustainable packaging formats, such as aluminum cans and beverage cartons are still unpopular, especially when it comes to packaged water, mostly due to the fact you can’t reseal such packages. The industry has to produce more sustainable packaging alternatives to resolve the problem of plastic waste. Producers will be looking to packaging suppliers to provide significant innovation in areas such as refillable packages, alternative weight reductions, recyclables and alternative materials to reduce the negative environmental impact of plastic bottles.

Consumers from all age groups show interest in sustainability

At least two-thirds of consumers globally believe it is vital to be living a sustainable lifestyle. However, despite the consumers’ apparent interest in living more sustainable lifestyles, they still aren’t acting on it. Brands are still able to sway consumers through promotions and discount deals, and while ethics and sustainability address in the hearts of the consumers, they still use their heads when purchasing their drinks.

Trend 3 – Natural Energizers

The healthy lifestyle trend is affecting health-conscious consumers to favor naturally energized beverages.

Natural Energizers are soft drinks that contain naturally energizing ingredients such as guarana, ginseng, yerba mate, and similar. With entirely natural formulations and no artificial preservatives or additives, these drinks are gaining the trust of many consumers all over the world. Traditional beverages contain artificial ingredients and cause energy crashes, so consumers are shifting to healthier, natural products that deliver a more refreshing energy boost. Three-quarters of consumers agree that artificial additives are harmful to human’s health. Those concerns make consumers seek for healthier alternatives, and 46% of consumers say they would prefer one brand over another if they featured more natural ingredients in the beverage.

Natural energizers as a healthier alternative to traditional energy drinks

Consumers today live pretty hectic lifestyles, facing a lot of pressure from work and life situations, and they are continually seeking natural energy boosts to help fuel their energy levels during busy days. A total of 52% of global consumers feel like they need an energy boost to get through the day and the interest in functional beverages that improve concentration is ever growing. Also, there is an increase in demand for drinks that enhance stamina, physical performance, and alertness. In addition to beverages that enhance energy levels, other ingredients that feature therapeutic properties are becoming very popular too – such as botanicals and herbs that claim to help consumers rejuvenate and relax.

Growing health-consciousness is leading to a growing demand for natural stimulants perceived as a healthier alternative to traditional energy drinks with artificial ingredients.

Young consumers prefer Natural Energizers

Young consumers (aged 18-34) lead a more stressful and demanding lifestyle compared to older generations, which results in drained physical and mental energy levels. Young consumers are actively looking to switch off from the online life to take a break from all the complexity caused by the excessive use of digital tools. It is why younger consumers are more likely to seek out energy boosts compared to older consumers.

Thirty-nine percent of 18-34 year-olds are always interested in functional products that will help them boost their energy levels or help them relax and rejuvenate. While 57% of millennials are concerned about the levels of stress in their lives, only 39% of baby boomers think the same, on a global scale.

Trend 4 – Ethical Soft Drinks

Consumers are willing to pay a premium price for an ethical product. Ethical soft drinks and products are those that support environmental or socio-economic causes that actively seek to improve the welfare of the environment, of communities, or societies. Ecological reasons play the most prominent part in consumer’s choice, with 59% of consumers saying they would buy products that support environmental protection. Environmental issues received excessive media coverage during recent years, and this trend is no surprise.

Local community support, equality, and Fairtrade are also well received by the public and consumers all over the world. These socio-economic areas often get overlooked so these kinds of causes can act as differentiators in the soft drinks department. Consumers are incredibly receptive to brands that support Fair Trade and fight poverty, with 49% of consumers globally expressing interest in products that help these causes.

Producers globally are looking for ways to tap into this demand for ethical products, creating beverages with Fairtrade certified ingredients and openly supporting local projects that enhance ecological, social, and ecological structures – especially in the farming regions where they sourced the ingredients for the products.

Sustainability is growing, but it is still a secondary factor

Consumers become more ethically-conscious as the influence of sustainability grows. When it comes to purchasing soft drinks, sustainability is always a secondary factor, with 41% of consumers claiming to be influenced by the level of ethical/environmental/social responsibility of a product. While it is a lower percentage compared to other factors, it is still a significant number, and its influence is growing continuously.

The fact that 75% of consumers globally believe it is imperative to live an ethical or sustainable life to create a feeling of wellness and well-being implies that consumers recognize the importance of ethics and sustainability. Even though sustainability is a secondary factor at the moment, its influence will grow as the demand for sustainability grows.

Older consumers are less receptive to ethical soft drinks

Younger consumers are more likely to buy products that support poverty compared to older consumers. Researchers believe this is mostly due to the fact younger people can better relate to financial problems than their older counterparts.

However, older consumers are more receptive to Fairtrade products that younger consumers, which is most likely related to the fact Fairtrade itself are more familiar to older consumers.

When it comes to gender differences, female consumers appear to be more receptive to products that support causes than males. The findings aren’t surprising considering the fact women are more charitable than men, according to several studies.

Trend 5 – Water Hybrids

Water hybrids include energy waters, sports waters, and juice-infused waters, and they present significant opportunities for soft drink producers because they maintain health appeal while still delivering on sensory and functional levels.

There are many opportunities for water brands in combining water products with other drink categories to create cross-category, hybrid products that deliver best of both worlds to consumers. Hybrid beverages are becoming prevalent in the soft drinks market. Consumers worry about the high levels of sugar in beverages, so diluting traditional soft drinks with water reduces the levels of sugar in the beverage, reducing its calorie content and raising the perceived healthiness of the product.

Water hybrids offer sensory value too, by appealing to consumers who are bored with traditional soft drinks and seek new experiences that taste good but are healthy, also. A total of 36% of global water consumers say they would gladly try different varieties of water products, including water hybrids. These products are appealing to a broad audience because people see them as a healthier alternative to conventional soft drink beverages

Producers have to work on finding the perfect balance between functionality, flavor and health appeal of water hybrids. They face a challenge of creating products that have satisfying taste, but with no added sugar or sweeteners. The critical route to innovation is creating water beverages that use natural energizers and natural sweetening ingredients, and deliver a hint of flavor. Many producers are actively exploring various ingredients with functional health benefits to enhance the perceived health appeal of their products and to distinguish water hybrids from popular soft drinks entirely.

Young consumers are the principal market for water hybrids

Young consumers show more interest in trying out new water hybrids compared to consumers who are over the age of 44. Younger people are willing to experiment with new products from the category, so they represent vital demographics to target. Water hybrid producers will need to engage in a digitally-focused marketing strategy to attract their key demographics because all of their potential consumers are online – on social media.

While older generations don’t prioritize experimenting, they are still interested in “healthier” soft drinks, and since the significant benefit of water hybrids is their low sugar and calorie content, older consumer groups should become more interested in them over time. As much as 60% of consumers who are over the age of 60 are actively choosing soft drinks with no sugar, or low sugar levels.

Trend 6 – Added Carbonation

While carbonated drinks have been run over by packaged water over the recent years, the category still exists, and it is still very popular. In fact, the popularity of carbonated drinks is encouraging producers of other soft drinks to include a little sparkle in their products too – creating sparkling varieties of their own. The new generation of carbonated beverages contains sparkling coconut water, various vinegar drinks and even RTD tea and coffee. Because they are a healthier alternative, these beverages are likely to drive consumption declines in traditional carbonated soft drinks (CSDs).

Added carbonation enhances consumption experience

As already said, consumers globally prioritize product enjoyment over all other factors and trends when it comes to soft drinks. Added carbonation offers a new level of sensations and more enjoyment to enhance consumption experience. They also enhance the indulgent appeal of products perceived as healthier alternatives to traditional soft drinks, such as sparkling coconut water and RTD tea. There are also studies that suggest added carbonation may even deliver added health benefits, like alleviating indigestion and constipation.

Still, consumers are continuously looking to limit their consumption of high-sugar soft drinks, such as carbonates, and replace them with alternatives they perceive to be healthier, like bottled water. Also, many producers are working on reducing the sugar content in their beverages to align with the trends that lead towards healthier drinks. Added carbonation to “healthier” beverages offers a great alternative to traditional carbonates, creating sensory enjoyment but still keeping the health levels high. The appeal of beverages with added carbonation is very likely to grow as consumers continue to experiment with soft drinks.

Younger consumers experiment with carbonated drinks

When it comes to carbonated drinks, younger consumers are more likely to experiment. The oldest consumer groups appear to be the least receptive to the trend. Younger consumers, however, are more open to trying out new sparkling beverages, with 25% of millennials claiming to try different varieties of carbonated soft drinks often. In comparison, only 14% of seniors say they are willing to experiment with this trend.

What the future holds for soft drinks

Future opportunities and innovations for soft drinks include the rise of extra-functional beverages, the increase of sugar alternatives, and packing innovations.

Extra-functional beverages: Western producers are likely to take inspiration from traditional Asian medicines and develop extra-functional beverages such as drinks that include collagen or placenta.
Sugar alternatives: Health industries never stop with research and development of healthier choices, so brands will have to adapt their product’s formulations when more sugar alternatives become available.
Packaging innovation: Have you heard about Ooho? It is a blob-like, edible water capsule made of a tasteless, biodegradable membrane made from 100% seaweed – and it stores water. It represents a significant step toward the packaging beverages revolution and brands should look to leverage this innovation as soon as it becomes commercially available.

Keeping up with the latest trends is vital for succeeding as a serious player in the soft drinks section. Always stay on the lookout for fresh industry news and insight to keep your entrepreneurial efforts on track.

June 5, 2018June 5, 2018

The Changing Nature of the Natural Food Industry

What We Can Learn from UNFI, Whole Foods, and the Brokerage Landscape

The natural food industry is experiencing substantial growth while undergoing disruptive change across the supply-chain. The market for natural, organic, and specialty foods has seen an incremental increase over the past few years, as independent and chain retailers continue to respond to consumer demand. However, it’s not business as usual for natural food manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers.

Recent manoeuvres from distribution giants United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) and retail heavy-weights Whole Foods (recently purchased by e-commerce company Amazon) are indicative of a rapidly changing infrastructure – one in which cost-cutting and consolidation are the norms. Meanwhile, broker leverage continues to slide as manufacturers and retailers push for change.

Based on a market research report into the growth prospects for UNFI, here are four trends in the natural food industry that will shape the landscape of the future:

Continued growth of the Organic and Speciality Foods market

What we can say for sure is that the market for organic and specialty foods is significant, and only getting larger. Retail sales of natural and organic food and beverage in the United States grew from $37.43 billion in 2016 to $40.05 billion in 2017. This is undoubtedly the result of consumers understanding the health and wellness benefits of organic and specialty foods, and aligning their consumption patterns to match. Demand for local, organic, and GMO-free items are all on the rise.

Increased competition in the distribution market

A select few distributors played a leading role in getting natural food products from the warehouse to store shelves. United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) is one of them, and they are still the leading distributor of organic and specialty foods today. However, competition is stronger and more varied than ever. With increasing consumer demand comes more competition, both nationally and regionally.

On the national scale, traditional competitors like KeHe and Supervalu are going head-to-head with UNFI in the pursuit of offering the lowest cost for the most volume of goods.

On the regional scale, major distributors are up against a plethora of smaller distributors that are more responsive to consumer needs and able to innovate faster.

There is also the presence of Amazon Inc. to be grappled with, a new player in the food and beverage industry. The e-commerce giant recently purchased Whole Foods, who are UNFI’s most lucrative customer and have begun laying out plans to take some of the distribution markets away from UNFI.

What does competition mean in the distribution space?

No matter how involved Amazon gets in the distribution market, it will inevitably cause ripples throughout the industry. We can expect to see:

Increased diversification of the market, as distributors will tend to focus on a specific range of products.
Consolidation from the big distribution players in an attempt to manage regional competition. UNFI, KeHe, and Supervalu have all made numerous purchases in the past few years to strengthen their logistical base and product offerings.
Innovation in robotics and AI technology to save on labor costs.
Improved customer service. For instance, there is a growing demand amongst consumers for locally made products. Distributors need to jump on this opportunity before the manufacturer makes a separate deal with local retailers.

Conventional grocers taking more market share

Conventional grocery stores have been slow to integrate into the natural food industry. Independent natural food stores and distributors were initially able to capture most of the market – but the days of independent retailer dominance are over.

By 2018, a lot of major grocers have begun investing in natural foods. Sprouts, Wegmans, Kroeger, and Walmart all have a massive stake in the market. Some chains – like The Kroger Corp., for instance – have a line of specialty products to sell in their stores.

Soon all the major grocery store chains will be selling a high volume of natural foods, either from their line or elsewhere. It remains to be seen if consumers respond approvingly to specialty foods manufactured by grocery chains like Walmart, a company known for selling nutrition-deficient foods at a low price. Even if natural foods do not become extremely popular at major grocery chains, it still represents a major market share shifting from independents to the ‘mainstream’ market.

For distributors, conventional supermarkets making their line of product means a shrinking market. A lot of the conventional stores entering the natural foods market are investing in self-distribution. Publix, Wegmans, Albertsons, and others all have the means to build a supply chain that works for them. This is also the model that Amazon is planning to develop with Whole Foods. It is not ideal for distributors, who are feeling the squeeze from many directions.

For consumers, the emergence of natural food products in conventional grocery stores should be welcomed. Why? Because the prices are lower for similar products, even if the selection is limited. Many experts project that leading grocery chains will subsume most of the natural foods market within a few years. Small independents will be forced to innovate by finding, sourcing, and selling new products to a dedicated base of health-conscious customers.

William Sippper on the effect of health conscious consumers

Full-Service model in place of the wholesale model

Distribution companies usually fall into two operational models when dealing with retailers: full-service or wholesale. Each has benefits and drawbacks, depending on the size and needs of the retailer.

The full-service model includes:

Higher cost
Services in addition to delivery of products. Services could include sales strategies, inventory planning, and anything related to the management of products ordered from the distribution company. The focus is on increasing volume for the retailer, in which case both parties are profiting.
An on-site sales rep who has a salary from the distributor plus commission for every additional product they sell to the retailer

In contrast, the wholesale model includes:

Lower cost because no additional services are offered
Designing promotional programs to help move specific product in bulk. The focus is on moving a massive volume of product, not assisting the retailer to make sales.
High-profit margins for particular products based on the volume of goods shipped out of the warehouse
Lower operational cost for the distributor

Major distribution companies like UNFI and KeHe have doubled down on the wholesale model to maximize revenue. The intention was likely to save on expenses to ensure strong revenue numbers – but at what cost? Some retailers surely like the fact that they can pay less for distribution service, though the pendulum is swinging in favor of a full-service offering.

Spotlight on UNFI and Whole Foods

To get a clearer picture of where the industry is going, it will help to shine the spotlight on two key industry players. UNFI and Whole Foods are indicative of the strength of the natural food industry today. Both companies are hugely successful and have collaborated to bring natural food products into popular consciousness. Based on the four trends mentioned above, here is a rundown of the prospects for UNFI and Whole Foods.

United National Foods Inc.

Shrinking margins, limited opportunities. Operating costs for UNFI are high. The company has hundreds of distribution centers across the country and warehousing costs are only going up. For example, new truck driver regulations have meant a delay in delivery times across the board. Rather than soak up these expenses as part of their operating costs, UNFI tends to lump additional service fees into the price for retailers. Decisions like this one will only induce retailers to look elsewhere for a more full-service oriented experience which may cost more but come with added benefits.

To increase profit margins, UNFI should look to:

Re-negotiate generous volume discounts for customers who no longer warrant the discount based on ordering history.
Pursue new clients more aggressively, both big and small.
Shift to a full-service approach

Purchase of Whole Foods by Amazon likely to shrink margins even further. Nearly every industry commentator agrees that Amazon will sever ties between UNFI and Whole Foods when the distribution contract is up in 2025.

UNFI currently gets about 1/3rd of its business from Whole Foods, albeit it at a discounted price (8-12% margins). While it’s unlikely that Amazon will cut UNFI entirely out of the supply chain, they will certainly take a considerable portion of the business away.

Expansion into Fresh Foods to stay on top of market trends. The boardroom at UNFI has made an initial decision: expansion into the fresh produce market. On paper, this looks like a wise decision for two reasons. First, it matches consumer preferences. Second, none of the big chains (including Whole Foods) can distribute fresh produce on a massive scale.

To succeed in this new market, UNFI will have to overcome the following challenges:

Upgrade warehouse facilities with fridges and freezers.
Nurturing regional relationships with growers and retailers.
Change the sales model from wholesale to full-service.
Focus on smaller accounts.

Most importantly, the distribution giants need to move away from the practice of “bidding out.” They have already come under criticism from retailers for buying the cheapest produce available and selling it at an inflated price. This approach ignores all the dynamic costs involved in growing and asks the grower to swallow as much of those costs as possible. Why can they get away with this? Because competition in the fresh produce market is weak.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods is a major retailer in the natural food/specialty foods industry. Formed in 1980, it has grown to become the most extensive network of supermarkets in the United States, specializing in natural and organic foods. There is arguably no more influential company and brand responsible for leading the organic and specialty foods movement across the United States. Success came incrementally for the Austin-based company, who gradually expanded their reach to include 473 stores in 2018. However, perhaps due to aggressive growth initiatives, the past few years have seen declining sales and an unclear future.

The future of Whole Foods was made abundantly more clear in August of 2017 when it was sold to e-commerce giants Amazon. What will the sale mean for the natural food industry as a whole?

Cut costs by re-negotiating or terminating existing distribution deals. Whole Foods has a distribution contract with UNFI signed until 2025. If Amazon has not re-negotiated the distribution terms by this point, they are bound to terminate the contract and sign-on for far less volume.
Potentially buying out existing distributors (including UNFI). There is a possibility that Amazon will simply consolidate the existing distribution market, rather than expand their existing networks. The likelihood of this happening depends on the ability of UNFI and others to adapt.
Building their distribution networks to meet the demand of Whole Foods supermarkets across the country. A third alternative is that Amazon simply builds out their existing distribution network to match the needs of each retail hub.

On a more general level, the presence of Amazon is indicative of where the natural foods retail market is going. Relying on technological innovation to disrupt existing relationships is helpful because it is bound to bring prices down. UNFI and others have had to pack extra costs into the supply chain to ensure they make a profit. These added costs are lumped onto the manufacturer or the retailer, and artificially inflate the cost of goods.

If Amazon and Whole Foods can bring costs down by removing arbitrary service costs, then the market will expand. The natural food industry is, after all, a consumer based industry. Amazon sees an opportunity to swallow some expenses, build out their distribution networks to include food and beverages, and ultimately, make natural foods affordable to mainstream markets.

William Sipper on Diminishing Broker Power

The Broker Situation: What Has Changed?

Given the undulating landscape of the natural food industry, brokers are faced with plenty of material and existential challenges. What will their role be in 10 years once Amazon has settled into the market? Here are four ways in which the broker situation has changed in recent years:

Broker leverage power has diminished because of fierce competition. The consolidation trend has opened a window in the retailer market for small distributors to carve out a niche market suited to the needs of equally small independent retailers. It is common knowledge in the industry that many retailers are unhappy with Haddon House since it was purchased by UNFI. Small distributors should be aggressive in attempts to win some of these accounts and pair them with manufacturers.

Finding new products for the market is more important than ever. Brokers have always had to scan the underground and discover new products suitable for market. For brokers facing many roadblocks in the packaged natural and specialty foods market, the growing demand for fresh produce and local, GMO-free products are can’t-miss opportunities.

Less variety in product offerings. In order to cut overhead costs, brokers will offer less variety in product selection for retailers.

No more forward ordering deals. Manufacturers are putting the squeeze on distributors profit margins by pushing back against forward-ordering deals. Up until recently, manufacturers would sell bulk products at a considerable discount to distributors, who would then sell the products at the full value to retailers.

Manufacturers do not sell bulk product three or four months in advance at a promotional rate anymore because they lose out on revenue. As a result, distributors need to make their profits elsewhere: in cutting labor costs, buying cheaper fuel, or other means. This has been their approach for the past few decades, but they have run out of options. Perhaps the emergence of an e-commerce disruptor like Amazon will force distributors to shrink and specialize.

Conclusion

These are some of the major trends and developments taking place in the natural food industry today. As the consumer market for natural and specialty foods continues to grow, conventional chain grocers and an e-commerce giant have decided to get involved. It remains to be seen whether consolidation and cost-cutting strategies trim margins enough to keep existing distribution companies like UNFI profitable.

May 24, 2018May 23, 2018

F&B Industry Branding

How Branding is Evolving In F&B post by Bill Sipper

How Branding is Evolving in the Food and Beverage Industry

In today’s food and beverage industry, consumers want brands to be authentic. Branding is evolving in this industry. They are quick to pick up when they aren’t authentic and to tell others on social media.

Brands have to keep customers fully informed about the products they buy. They also need to be smart and strategic to grab market share in a very competitive market.

Brands must first identify their target audience and then create value for them. Once they’ve attracted customers, they have to build trust to turn them into brand advocates. If consumers are happy, they are more likely to continue to buy products and recommend them to others.

Branding and Social Media Interaction

Brands need to listen to what their customers say, and today this is much easier because they can interact with them on social media. Brands are receiving feedback from customers and understanding more about them helps them to cater to their needs.

Social media offers brands opportunities to create emotional connections with their customers and explain more about what their products offer them. In turn, consumers are better informed than ever before.

They have strong opinions about the quality of ingredients, nutritional value, and health. If brands provide this information to those who are interested, they create an opportunity to build loyalty.

More than ever before, people want the brands they choose to reflect who they are as people. Food packaging is one area where this is seen. The designs must reflect environmental and social responsibility and make people feel they are making the best choices for their health and their identities as a whole.

Please connect with me on any on my social media accounts and my LinkedIn account.

Would love to read and comments too.

May 22, 2018May 22, 2018

Food and Beverage Company Faults

A Food and Beverage Company that doesn’t make Good Use of Social Media is Shooting itself in the Foot

The intense competition that exists in the food and beverage industry can make it difficult for smaller brands to gain the attention of consumers. Using social media marketing effectively can make a difference. People tend to try out new foods and beverages based on personal opinions, recommendations, and reviews. This shows how important it is for brands to interact with consumers on social media.

Influencers

Just one post by an influential food blogger about a specific product can generate countless impressions with high conversion rates. A social media presence gives brands the opportunity to connect with such influencers.

Brand personality

The personality of a brand is becoming more and more crucial when it comes to marketing. Relating to consumers on social media helps to build that personality and create loyal followers. Companies are seeking out creative ways to relate to their customers and get feedback their feedback.

Social media interactions

Millennials love sharing dining experiences and will post about interesting beverages they have tasted. They want multi-sensory experiences and food and drink play a big part in this. Well-presented or well-packaged food is likely to be shared on Instagram or Facebook. Social media interactions provide a way for brands to be recognized and to create a loyal customer base without having to resort to more direct forms of advertising.

Companies that do not use social media to their benefit are definitely shooting themselves in the foot. A strong social media presence is no longer an option for food and beverage brands –it’s an absolute necessity.

May 4, 2018May 1, 2018

Mobile Apps Influencing F&B Industry

How mobile apps are influencing the food and beverage industry

We live in the age of mobile phones, and the majority of smartphone owners use their phones to engage in multiple activities. The impact of mobile apps on the food and beverage industry is continuing to create change.

Consumers love to share culinary experiences and give recommendations on social networks with photos as evidence. This takes customer influence to the next level. Restaurants are also using mobile apps to help streamline customer service.

On-demand food delivery apps

These apps are extremely popular with consumers who are very busy or prefer not to cook. Fewer customers may be attracted to a physical location, but the ease of online ordering usually makes up the difference in more orders. Discounts for new customers and specials can attract more customers.

This change is difficult for less tech-savvy restaurant owners not listed on apps but listing a restaurant, or even placing adverts on these apps can significantly increase traffic to an establishment and they need to explore this to remain competitive.

Reservation apps

These apps make it easier to find reservations at restaurants where you want to eat. OpenTable is one of these apps. One of the problems of such apps is no-shows at restaurants after bookings have been made. This means restaurant owners miss out and it reflects on the app too. Apps and restaurants both need to continue to explore and improve these new ways of doing business. In turn, customers who use them need to play the game too.

BonApp is a popular app used in China. It lists all the restaurants in the largest Chinese cities and can also be used in Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei, and Tokyo. It is simple to use, and restaurants are classified by cuisine style, price, location proximity, customer rating and the possibility of delivery.

Users can use photos of meals with their comments. Users are even linked to maps to find out how to get to the restaurant and can book a table via the app. On the homepage, a Top 10 of best restaurants in various categories appears on a daily basis.

Review apps

Review apps, such as Yelp, have served to increase attention on customer service. They have also forced restaurant owners to be aware of more than just the need to serve good food. They have to embrace new technologies to remain competitive.

One way they can use social media to their advantage is by using it to create a buzz and amplify audiences for special events such as a special Valentine’s day menu or a St Patrick’s Day Celebration.

Discount apps

An app like DealNews works with restaurants to bring in new customers by offering special deals. Apps like this have influenced how restaurants price menus because they have to take into account that customers may use coupons or discounts.

Individual restaurant app

These can be gamechanger but are usually only used by big companies. Starbucks, for example, gives users the opportunity to order and pay for drinks from their app. Members earn loyalty points by making purchases with the app.

The food and beverage industry is changing rapidly, partly due to the widespread use of mobile apps to streamline processes.

Please connect with me on my LinkedIn or review my press releases and articles published on my crunchbase profile.

May 2, 2018May 1, 2018

Electric Cars Could Have An Impact On Beverages

Electric Cars and Convenience Stores post by William Sipper

Will beverage sales drop as more electric cars take to the road?

When electric cars hit the road and drivers don’t have to fill up tanks at gas stations, could impulse purchases at convenience stores drop? Morgan Stanley analysts have concluded that this could take place.

Convenience stores could take a hit

In a report published recently, they noted that only a small fraction of vehicles on the road are electronic, but this could change in the future. Electric vehicles could account for 94% of car sales by 2040.

The analysts believe that convenience stores and beverage companies could suffer losses as a result. Particularly companies like Monster Beverages, as 63% of its sales in the U.S. are made in convenience stores. The analysts did not see alcoholic drinks or tobacco products taking the same hit because beverages are often bought impulsively, and people drink them on the spot.

The Convenience store industry is more concerned about other factors

Those in the convenience store industry are more concerned about their competitors such as other retailers and online stores than about the effect of electric vehicles. They see this threat as being decades away.

Electric cars will not present a challenge unless they are adopted en masse. They are more concerned about the fact that everyone is selling convenience today. With online outlets offering food delivery and grocery services and even hardware stores and clothing shops are selling beverages at checkout counters. New laws that impose taxes on sugary beverages are another current concern that pre-empts any worries about electric cars.

Current sales of electric vehicles

Sales of electric vehicles in 2017 reached nearly 200,000. This was a significant increase in sales in 2016 and happened despite the fact that new car sales overall were down. Still, to stay in context, over 17 million new cars were sold in 2017.

This may fuel the belief that widespread adoption of electric vehicles is still far in the future. In turn, changes in consumer behavior and technological advances always tend to happen faster than we anticipate.

Ways convenience stores could respond

Fuel appears to account for less than half of the profit for gas stations. Much of their money is made from drinks and other items bought inside the store.

People usually make plenty of ‘pit stops’ at gas stations on long journeys, and they don’t just buy gas. Humans need to rest and refuel their bodies, and this need will not go away. Just because electric vehicle owners could charge their cars at home doesn’t mean they wouldn’t want places to stop on a journey.

One way in which convenience stores could respond to the wide adoption of electric cars would be to install the types of charging stations people would enjoy. Those who currently spend money on gas could pay for a super-charge, a safety inspection, a beverage and a bite to eat. Charging stations could also be popular with those who may not have charging ability where they live.

Selling merchandise during the electric car era is not likely to be a problem to those who are tuned in to providing convenience.

Connect with me over on LinkedIn.

April 10, 2018April 9, 2018

Generation Z Most Connected Generation Ever

Generation Z Connected post by William Sipper

Generation Z – Marketing to The Most Connected Generation Ever

Generation Z, or Gen Zers, are born after 1995, and they grew up with internet access and mobile technology. This makes them harder to market to than other generations in that they have developed very selective filters. They have a very short attention span! But it also offers marketers plenty of new and interesting opportunities.

Gen Zers are called digital natives – they are used to using five different digital devices. In turn, if you want to market to them, you need to have a strategy. This strategy should utilize these devices and unified across all platforms.

Entrepreneurs From The Start

They are often entrepreneurial because they start building up their online presence from a young age. If they find they have attracted an audience, they are likely to want to leverage it to create their own income.

As such they are not just consumers and they cannot be treated as such. Companies need to think about ways to collaborate with them rather than simply marketing to them.

An example of this is the collaboration of Wat-Ahh! With Ariana Grande. She is a Gen Zer who is living out her dreams and wants to have an influence on other young people.

Ariana Becomes A Face to a Product

Ariana was signed up as a spokesperson but also as an equity partner. She was happy to do so because she could put her heart behind the product. She loves drinking water, enjoys a healthy lifestyle and would like to get other young people to do so too. Humanizing your brand by giving it a face is important to Gen Zers.

Thoughtful Marketing Pays

Gen Zers want to make a difference in the world and are prepared to work with brands in order to facilitate such change. They are also more open-minded and inclusive than previous generations. This being a point that marketers need to remember as they are likely to respond to inclusive, thoughtful marketing.

Engaging with Gen Zers on social platforms is very important. If you can establish a conversation with them that’s beneficial to you and them, they will listen. If you can initiate a two-way conversation online, and address trends and issues that interest them, you will be more successful than if you continue to use more traditional marketing methods.