Go Organic Frozen
As the economy improves in 2010, consumers may be more interested in (and willing to pay a premium for) healthy convenience foods. In 2009, only one in four identified frozen entrees as key to buy organic. We expect those percentages to increase in 2010…first with more customers shifting to organics when buying frozen fruits and vegetables and then to healthy convenience foods.
Retailers can get ahead of the trend by expanding their offerings of organic prepared foods and offering more healthy take-out options. Premium quality store brand and private label organics will be an important part of the product mix for 2010 as consumers will continue to look for value in their natural and organic purchasing.
As for name brand organics, they’ll be looking to coupons, consumer education and promotions to maintain consumer loyalty.
Movies like Food Inc. and the continuing popularity of books such as The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Michael Pollan’s latest release Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual should continue to build consumer focus on both healthy eating and safe, sustainable agricultural methods. That means consumers will be looking for more locally raised food, clear labeling and signage introducing new health- and earth-conscious products.
February 9th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
It’s becoming more apparent, with the popularity of books like Pollan’s “Omnivore’s Dilemma,” that eating in a healthful manner is gaining traction. Our society knows it is overweight and slowly killing itself, yet we’ve made little progress.
While much of the problem can be blamed on our eating habits, a big part of it lies in the lack of availability of healthful food. If I could go to a drive-through and get a healthy meal - a really healthy one, not some processed science project meant to look healthy - I would. But convenience and health are diametrically opposed concepts, so if I want to eat better, I need more time.
The opportunity is clear: we need better convenience food as our lifestyles just don’t allow more time for eating right with the choices available today.
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