Sean Moloughney02.26.09
Food makers are pumping up the fiber contents of their packaged foods in attempt to appeal to health conscious shoppers and help combat obesity, according to Datamonitor.
In the U.S., the percentage of new food products claiming to be “high in fiber” hit 6% in 2008, up from 5% in 2006 per Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics. Companies jumping on the high fiber bandwagon include multinationals like PepsiCo, Kraft, Campbell Soup, Kellogg and Dannon.
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts brand is on-trend with its new Toaster Pastries—featuring 20% Daily Value (DV) of fiber—recently launching in the U.S. Available in Brown Sugar Cinnamon and Frosted Chocolate Fudge flavors, the pastries contain 16 grams of whole grains per serving. The company’s new Kellogg’s Fiber Plus Antioxidants Chewy Bars also join the trend by promising to deliver 35% of the DV for fiber.
Along similar lines, Quaker Fiber & Omega-3 Chewy Oat Granola Bars recently debuted from PepsiCo’s Quaker Oats unit. Sold in flavors like Dark Chocolate Chunk and Peanut Butter Chocolate, these bars are said to be an “excellent source” of fiber along with omega 3 derived from flax. In February, Kraft added Fiber Fit Cookies and Fiber Fit Granola bars to its South Beach Living line in the USA.
Bread, chips and yogurt are other food categories getting a helping hand from fiber. Campbell Soup’s Pepperidge Farm unit has launched Pepperidge Farm Light Style Wheat Bread in an Extra Fiber version. Claimed to contain 16% more of the DV of fiber than the leading premium white breads, the product is made with whole grains. Snyder’s of Hanover’s new MultiGrain All Natural Tortilla Chips include whole grains and tout a higher fiber content than regular tortilla chips. As for yogurt, Dannon recently added a With Fiber extension to its Activia Lowfat Yogurt.
Fiber can play a key role in satiety, and while many of the new high fiber products do not make any overt weight loss or weight control claims, it may only be a matter of time before they do, according to Datamonitor.
Kraft Foods recently added On The Go Hunger Satisfaction Drink Mix to its Crystal Light brand. The powdered drink mix contains 5 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein per serving to help satisfy hunger. Also going the more overt route is Tree Top Trim Enlightened Fruit Beverage from Tree Top, Inc. This product is said to help promote a healthy metabolism and curb appetite with ingredients like L-carnitine and chromium.
In the Netherlands, Campina International recently unveiled its Campina Optimel Control Drink that is specially formulated to help consumers eat less without dieting. The fruit-flavored drink is formulated with natural plant extracts said to activate satiety, causing consumers to eat less between and during meals. Nestle is going in a similar direction with its Nestle Sveltesse Saciante Yogurt Drink that is sold in Portugal and Spain. Sveltesse Saciante was created to give consumers a feeling of satiety and comes in a Strawberry, Apple and Cereals flavor.
In the U.S., the percentage of new food products claiming to be “high in fiber” hit 6% in 2008, up from 5% in 2006 per Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics. Companies jumping on the high fiber bandwagon include multinationals like PepsiCo, Kraft, Campbell Soup, Kellogg and Dannon.
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts brand is on-trend with its new Toaster Pastries—featuring 20% Daily Value (DV) of fiber—recently launching in the U.S. Available in Brown Sugar Cinnamon and Frosted Chocolate Fudge flavors, the pastries contain 16 grams of whole grains per serving. The company’s new Kellogg’s Fiber Plus Antioxidants Chewy Bars also join the trend by promising to deliver 35% of the DV for fiber.
Along similar lines, Quaker Fiber & Omega-3 Chewy Oat Granola Bars recently debuted from PepsiCo’s Quaker Oats unit. Sold in flavors like Dark Chocolate Chunk and Peanut Butter Chocolate, these bars are said to be an “excellent source” of fiber along with omega 3 derived from flax. In February, Kraft added Fiber Fit Cookies and Fiber Fit Granola bars to its South Beach Living line in the USA.
Bread, chips and yogurt are other food categories getting a helping hand from fiber. Campbell Soup’s Pepperidge Farm unit has launched Pepperidge Farm Light Style Wheat Bread in an Extra Fiber version. Claimed to contain 16% more of the DV of fiber than the leading premium white breads, the product is made with whole grains. Snyder’s of Hanover’s new MultiGrain All Natural Tortilla Chips include whole grains and tout a higher fiber content than regular tortilla chips. As for yogurt, Dannon recently added a With Fiber extension to its Activia Lowfat Yogurt.
Fiber can play a key role in satiety, and while many of the new high fiber products do not make any overt weight loss or weight control claims, it may only be a matter of time before they do, according to Datamonitor.
Kraft Foods recently added On The Go Hunger Satisfaction Drink Mix to its Crystal Light brand. The powdered drink mix contains 5 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein per serving to help satisfy hunger. Also going the more overt route is Tree Top Trim Enlightened Fruit Beverage from Tree Top, Inc. This product is said to help promote a healthy metabolism and curb appetite with ingredients like L-carnitine and chromium.
In the Netherlands, Campina International recently unveiled its Campina Optimel Control Drink that is specially formulated to help consumers eat less without dieting. The fruit-flavored drink is formulated with natural plant extracts said to activate satiety, causing consumers to eat less between and during meals. Nestle is going in a similar direction with its Nestle Sveltesse Saciante Yogurt Drink that is sold in Portugal and Spain. Sveltesse Saciante was created to give consumers a feeling of satiety and comes in a Strawberry, Apple and Cereals flavor.