20 Aug 2014 Three Datamonitor briefs: Uncovering some seriously interesting food innovation!
International research firm, Datamonitor, regularly publishes news of interesting FMCG product launches that it features as its “Consumer Product Launch Analytics innovation of the week”. Here are three new food concepts that recently won this accolade.
Eat those cupcake cups!
CUPCAKES make a great dessert item, but generate waste since paper or foil cupcake cups must be tossed after use. Not anymore, thanks to new Dr Oetker edible wafer cupcake cases. New in the UK, these cupcake cups are “bake-stable” and edible, so they can be eaten along with the cupcake itself.
Offered in a package that contains three pink and three blue cups, these edible baking cases are said to be “bake-stable,” which means that they will not melt in the oven. What is more, they do not require the use of a cupcake tray, so cupcakes can be baked on a regular flat baking tray, making cleanup easier.
Intended to replace paper or foil baking cups, these edible wafer cupcake cases contain no gluten, and are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Tom Vierhile, innovation insights director for Datamonitor Consumer, says that: “This is a major breakthrough in edible packaging, since Dr Oetker edible wafer cupcake cases make it possible to make a cupcake dessert with no waste after use.”
He adds that: “The fact that these attention-grabbing edible cupcake cups do not require the use of a cupcake tray is an added bonus, as this reduces clean-up time and may help make cupcakes more of an impulse baking product.”
A new egg product that will have you seeing double
TWO is better than one when it comes to cars, vacations, desserts, and even eggs. Central Food Hall double-yolk egg, from Thailand, is a new premium egg that not only has an authentic farm look, but features an unusual double yolk and is packaged in a distinctive, gold-hued metal “cage” box.
Claimed to be “hygienic and fresh,” this egg comes from a hen that is raised in a “closed farm” without the use of antibiotics. The egg is said to offer enhanced health benefits compared to “regular” eggs since it is claimed to help boost eyesight, brain, and heart functions. A single egg is packaged in a unique metal cage box that looks like the type used to transport a hen.
Tom Vierhile, innovation insights director for Datamonitor Consumer, says that: “In many country markets, double-yolk eggs are a rare occurrence. But hens can be bred to lay double-yolk eggs and that is presumably the case here.”
He adds that: “Eggs are almost always sold on the basis of price, so not only is the premium price of this single egg very unusual for the category, but the gold-hued hen cage packaging helps convey the idea that the egg is so fresh that the hen that laid it might just fly right out of the package.”
A yoghurt that you can drink or eat with a spoon
YOGHURT ranks as one of the most versatile types of food, since it can be eaten with a spoon or consumed as a beverage, depending upon the product. However, what if it could be eaten both ways? That is the proposition with Danone Danoontje Schudden Maar! (“Shake It!”) yoghurt.
New in the Netherlands, this product is formulated to have a sturdy texture said to be similar in thickness to cottage cheese, but becomes a liquid when it is shaken, so it can be consumed as a drink.
This children’s product is offered in a multiple flavour package featuring strawberry, apricot, raspberry, and vanilla flavors. Rich in calcium and vitamin D, each four-pack of yogurt comes with four straws.
Tom Vierhile, innovation insights director for Datamonitor Consumer, says that: “Food- and beverage-makers are launching more products that give the consumer control over the consumption experience, and this Danone yoghurt is a classic example of the trend.”
He adds that: “The fun, chameleonic nature of the product lets Danone tap into the popularity of smoothies and yoghurt drinks without necessarily being locked into either niche.”
Datamonitor: See more here