2019 Media Quotes & Key Trendspotting Round-up

From October 2017 to November 2019, I had the honor of leading the Trend Insights practice at CCD Innovation. Over my tenure, I shared many an insight with journalists and writers. Here is a sampling of some of my favorites among the many found on CCD Innovation’s News blog.

NPR Here & Now Interview on 2019 Food Trends, January 1, 2019

Bloomberg examines America’s CBD Boom, February 19, 2019

  • Bloomberg sheds light on the fast-growing CBD industry in “America’s CBD Boom: Brazen Claims, Fake Products, Regulatory Scrutiny” by Craig Giammona and Kristine Owram (Feb. 19, 2019) and uncovers a few of the many questions that exist around the much-hyped component of hemp. Showing up in a multitude of drinks, treats, tinctures, lotions and even bath salts, CBD is generally safe but has not been put up to the essential scrutiny at the federal level.

    Kara Nielsen points out, “America has always had a population looking for the silver bullet. The hype follows a similar pattern: It has a lot going for it, but it’s unclear exactly what it does so it allows people to imagine it’s their solution.”

Vegan food trends in Food Business News, May 13, 2019

  • While the term “vegan” has long been synonymous with consumer concerns about animal welfare and environmental sustainability, it is now becoming an attribute used as a point of differentiation in the plant-based food space. Numerous companies are introducing vegan products to capitalize on consumer interest.

    According to Kara Nielsen, consumer interest in vegan products may be driven by greater environmental concerns and the perception that vegan foods may be safer for those who suffer from certain allergies.

    “The environment is the biggest tipping point,” she said. “The animal welfare issue has been out there for a while, but the global warming thing is not to be ignored. It’s getting past another line of defense for a lot of flexitarian consumers. They look at it and think, ‘If this food tastes good and is better for the planet, that’s not a bad choice.’ But there are also people with dairy allergies and allergies to casein who may view vegan products as being safe.”

Eater on “The Frappuccino as Rite of Passage,” July 5, 2019

  • Kara Nielsen adds her thoughts to this exploration of culinary culture. Starbucks has become such a part of the American foodscape that it is no surprise that kids are exposed to the coffee shop from a young age and navigate the menu themselves when they grow into tweens and teens. Kara’s niece, Evelyn Nielsen, talks about how her suburban Indianapolis friends can bike to a local Starbucks after school to buy beverages. Frappuccinos have now given way to coconut water-based, fruit-flavored Refreshers for her rising high school freshman friends, but her younger brother, at age 12, is all about the Frappuccino.

Summer Fancy Food Show Trendspotting Finds, July 2019

  • The top ten trends from this summer’s Fancy Food Show in New York show an enduring interest in convenient protein foods and the continued spread of mushrooms. The trends Kara was most excited about are New Sources of Protein on the Go, Frozen Dessert Renaissance, and Mushroom Love. Two egg products included as protein are Crepini Egg Thins and The Perfect Bite Co. Egg Bites. Both show creative applications of egg’s in a low-carb wrap and frozen egg-cheese bite, respectively.

    New frozen desserts surged at the show, including Cheesecakes & Chocolate Lava Cakes from Belgian Boys. Kara also loved her bite of Misugaru Ice Cream from Scoop by Spot Dessert Bar. Misugaru is a Korean grain porridge which in ice cream, tastes like a bowl of cereal and milk with a touch of umami. Very unique!

    Under Mushroom Love are both medicinal mushroom products, like Chaga Island’s beverages, and culinary ones. The Mushroom Benefit from Israel offers a unique Mushroom Cuisine Bag, or sachet of mushroom powder to be steeped into sauces and soups to add umami taste and mushroom richness.

Wall Street Journal: The War on Sugar Hits the Juice Box, August 18, 2019

  • As more public health messages emerge about the risks of added sugar to the diet, parents are taking a hard look at their children’s juice boxes. New beverages are stepping in to offer kid-friendly flavored waters with low or no sugar as an alternative. “Everywhere we look, the parents of children are getting messages about reducing their own sugar,” says Kara Nielsen. Trends in grown-up beverages such as flavored sparkling water and unsweetened coffees and teas reflect this.

Seeking a Sustainable Supply Chain, Food Technology Magazine, October 2019

  • Kara comments on the many startups tackling supply chain issues by creating food products out of food waste and the challenges they have in being pioneers in this effort. “They have their work cut out for them to harness a new supply chain, make products, and then communicate their benefit,” says Kara Nielsen. “These products need to really stand out and connect with consumers in more ways than sourcing.”

    Products made from upcycled ingredients continue to appear in the marketplace. “Thus, we are learning about a variety of former waste stream ingredients that are being transformed into edible products,” Nielsen says. She cites several companies in this space:

    • Grain Elevator and Brewer’s Crackers are finding new uses for spent grains

    • Barnana taps into high-fiber flour from green bananas

    • Renewal Mill uses soybean waste from tofu to make flour

    • Planetarians makes an edible fiber from defatted sunflower seeds

    • Other startups focus on new uses for salmon skin and cacao fruit

Kara Nielsen