What's Ahead for Consumer Packaged Goods?

Where product development is concerned, it's all about health in 2008 for the consumer packaged goods industry. That's the word from Datamonitor, a consultancy which produces the new product development database Productscan Online. Expect the following in packaged goods next year:

1. Probiotics hit the mainstream.
2. Organic food and beverage makers will aggressively target the kids' market.
3. "Superfruits," also known as high nutrient fruits like acai, noni and pomegranates, will hit the mainstream and larger companies get into the game.
4. Expect an influx of African ingredients, such as baobab oil, into non-food products.
5. Look for new products that help relieve stress or aid in sleeping. Examples include products based on the amino acid gamma-aminobutyric acid.
6. New products will be both healthy and provide the "crunch" so desired by customers.
7. Look for bold, spicy flavors to pop up in new areas. In Portugal a yogurt drink that includes chili peppers among its ingredients was launched.
8. Caffeine will find its way into more and more products.
9. "Fresh," as in fresh foods, is hot. More foods designed to use steam as a cooking method will find their way to store shelves.
10. Packaged goods makers will find new ways to be environmentally friendly.