Cooking at the new products conference: from foodservice to retail, Tweens to Prime Timers, the 2003 New Products Conference covered trends, markets and opportunities for food manufacturers

Prepared Foods, Dec, 2003 by William A. Roberts, Jr.

5. Brand leverage: Lunch Specials are Lunchables for adults but without that brand name. In addition, a pasta salad kit in dubstores uses the DiGiorno pizza/pasta brand. In the U.K., Sainsbury's has multi-faceted private label offerings.

Setting the Style

Straus also defined food-style--the reason consumers prefer a particular product, their thinking and values regarding food--and its four components:

1. Confidence and skill: Many do not have confidence in their cooking abilities. This affects their food and ingredient selections.

2. Interest in cooking: Some do not enjoy preparing meals, but feedback from others also plays a role in their appreciation of cooking.

3. Time availability and schedules.

4. Values of "good" food: Nutritional considerations; interest in organic foods; where the consumer shops; packaging systems; and placement of food items in the store.