What will they think of next?

Recent food and drink highlights from Mintel's GNPD​ (Global New Products Database) include fruity cappuccino, confectionery products packaged like hair mousse and chocolate CDs featuring Elvis Presley songs.

Fruity cappuccino​

Choice in the instant coffee market is already abundant, with indulgent flavours such as vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut and Irish cream. Now, a fruity flavour (something more commonly found in the herbal/fruit tea sector) is being added to the market, with the German launch of a melon flavoured instant cappuccino coffee. It is a mainstream introduction from Nestlé using its Nescafé coffee brand.

Novelty confectionery​

Novelty confectionery for children often features fun flavours and packs. Two recent UK launches that warrant a mention here have even been inspired by packaging often found in haircare or deodorant markets. Crazy Candy Foam from Felföldi Potpourri is a foaming, green apple flavour candy packaged in a plastic bottle with a pump dispenser to release the foam (similar to that for foam hair styling mousse). While Brain Licker from Key Enterprises is a liquid sour candy packaged in a plastic bottle which resembles a roll-on deodorant pack. The roller ball does not seem to move, instead, the liquid candy is released around the edges of the ball once the bottle is squeezed.

Nutri-Grain goes mini​

In the UK, Kellogg has extended its successful Nutri-Grain bar brand with a new mini version, geared more towards children. The original Nutri-Grain bar had an adult positioning, further emphasised by recent line extensions including ginger and cappuccino flavoured varieties. The new mini bars are described as 'bite-size golden baked crusts' with a fruit filling, and are available in three varieties: apple, strawberry and blueberry. They come in 45g bags, sold in a multi-pack of six. Like Kellogg's other cereal bars, these are fortified with calcium, and are said to be ideal in a child's lunchbox, for sharing or nibbling straight from the pack. Nutri-Grain Minis first appeared in North America during 2002.

More breath freshening strips​

Wrigley seems to have opened up the market for non-gum, breath freshening dissolvable strips. Its Wrigley's Eclipse Flash/Extra Thin Ice strips in the UK, Germany and the US have spurred other similar lines such as Fresh Flash from Küchle in Germany (sugar-free, peppermint edible paper disks), and more recently Magic Mint strips in China from Dreamax Global Development. The Magic Mint line even comes in similar packaging to Wrigley's strips (portable and discreet plastic case). The Listerine mouthwash brand has been active in this market since 2001 (with PocketPak in the US), but it has taken the Wrigley line to expand the concept further. Listerine oral care strips have also recently entered new markets such as the UK and Australia.

Well, its-a one for the money…​

Things are 'All Shook Up' over at Russell Stover Candies in the US with its latest release, a collection of Elvis Presley Milk Chocolate CDs. Four are included in all and each is packed in a traditional CD case. The bilingually packaged product is available to consumers in mass merchandise stores.

Super juices​

A growing number of fortified juice drinks are coming to market, promising extra vitamins, minerals, and servings of fruit and vegetables. Odwalla (owned by Coca-Cola) recently launched another one of its single-serve, premium-priced juice blends in the form of Blueberry B Monster, which is said to contain a half cup of blueberries per serving and also contains more than 300 per cent of the RDI of B vitamins. Late last year the company also launched several smoothie products in the south eastern US in varieties such as Protein Tropicale (with 5g of protein) and Passionate "C".

A fruit-ful year​

Fruit harvests have yet to be in full bloom, but that has not stunted the huge growth spurt in the fruit segment of the food industry. One of the major players in this field, Melissa's World Variety Produce, has kept produce sections fully stocked with all sorts of unordinary exotic fruits. South African Baby Pineapples, for example, are both sweet and tart and feature clean golden skin and a brilliant yellow flesh colour, according to the company. In addition to their striking appearance, these pineapples are free of cholesterol and fat, are low in sodium, and high in vitamin C. Also revealed by the company were Cocktail Grapefruits, similar to grapefruits but less acidic and sweeter; Korean Pears, crispy fruits with a sweet taste; and Jackfruit, claimed to be the largest edible tree fruit in the world. Cherimoya, a company known for its subtropical fruits, recently brought out Pitaya. This product's taste is a cross between a melon and a cactus pear.

Energy up​

Perhaps it is indicative of the fast-paced lifestyle many of us live these days that we are looking for more "oomph" from the foods we eat and drink. Energy bars are an obvious choice for snacking, and we are also seeing other products follow this trend, notably in beverages. The energy bars emerging in the market are often promoted as meal replacement products, such as the Slim Fast Meal Options line, and are loaded with vitamins. GeniSoy Xtreme Crunch Bars, launching in mid-April, are a new sub-brand of the successful Xtreme bar line, and are uncoated energy bars in flavours such as Summit Splash and Lemon Shot. Energy bars positioned as natural are also gaining a place. Honey Stinger Pure Natural Energy from US-based EN- R-G Foods is made from a honey-based energy gel with a soy-coated chocolate bottom layer.

For more information about the Global New Products Database, contact Anne Bourgeois at Mintel International, 18-19 Long Lane, London, EC1A 9PL, United Kingdom. Telephone: +44 20 76064533; fax: +44 20 76003327; e-mail: eqvtrfh@zvagry.pbz​ or naaro@zvagry.pbz​.

Mintel has more than 25 years' experience in providing global product intelligence to the world's leading packaged goods companies. In addition to Mintel publications, the company's product consultants are able to advise on the most appropriate markets for customised global product research. Its network of field researchers, who conduct both product monitoring and product retrieval, extends to more than 130 countries.