Canned fruit has traditionally been associated with convenience rather than its health qualities; however, according to Productscan, Del Monte is aiming to change this view with its new line of canned fruit targeted at kids, which is fortified with vitamins and minerals. With consumers particularly worried about their children's health, the product could offer an easy way to improve their diet.
The Del Monte Healthy Kids line of canned fruits, recently launched in the US, is touted as the first fortified canned fruit product to reach the market. The line comes in Enriched Peach Chunks and Fruit Cocktail varieties and is fortified with vitamins A, C and calcium, to help kids "live healthier lives". The fortification of this processed fruit product may help it to compete better against fresh fruit.
Klett Schokolade also promotes the health benefits of its new product. The Klett Schokolade Mucho, recently launched in Germany, claims to be the first brand of chocolate to be blended with maca, a South American plant that is said to be high in vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium. Maca has been used by people in the Andes for centuries for various health benefits, including increasing vitality, so this could be a key selling point for the new product.
Meanwhile, Hershey has introduced a new candy product, which, although not claiming to be healthy, does hit another key consumer trend, freshness. Hershey's Fresh From The Factory Candy is a limited addition product that consumers can order under the guarantee that it will reach their homes less than 96 hours after it was made at the factory. Presented in plastic jars, the product comes in two varieties, Almond Joy Candy Bars and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, which are individually wrapped. The "fresh from the factory" marketing approach is novel and should be appealing, since candy is a product that is not usually promoted on freshness qualities.
Over in Japan, Glico Dairy Products has recently launched the Glico Dororich brand of chilled dessert. This dessert is an unusual mix of crushed coffee jelly and cream that is created in such a way that, according to the company, it produces a 'sensational mouthfeel'. It comes with a straw that has been specially designed for the product, which, like the production method, is patent-pending. With coffee currently one of the most popular flavors in food and drink, this product could be a hit with consumers and stand out from the crowd.
Also recently introduced in Japan is the Nissui Noko Cheese Kamaboko from Nippon Suisan Kaisha. Consisting of a cheese flavored fish stick, the product addresses current interest in green issues as it is packaged in a film that is sealed with a new type of clip called the Eco clip. This is designed to be more environmentally friendly than traditional steel clip fastenings, while also being easy to open. Although it is unclear what the clip is made of, its release highlights the expansion of the green trend in Japan.
Finally, Murray's Chicken has also addressed consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging by repackaging its chicken products in plastic instead of polystyrene trays. Available in the US, Murray's Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breasts come in packaging that is said to feature a leak-resistant seal that eliminates the need to wrap the meat in additional bags at checkout. While polystyrene trays are the packaging of choice for US poultry products, it is to be expected that more companies will cross over to this new style of packaging as environmental concerns become more prevalent.