From the Front Lines of Focus On The Future 2009

In a welcome break from our brutal Chicago winter, I’m now in Scottsdale, getting ready to speak Thursday at the Focus On The Future Conference.  It’s a group of nutraceutical/functional food folks … companies that develop ingredients, manufacture food and supplements as well as a few retailers and consulting firms. Given the economic uncertainties facing all industries, quite a chunk of the discussion is on whether there’s opportunity for growth in 09 or whether the industry will see contraction.

Positive signs are ingredients that have recently cleared the FDA, opening doors for new product development. According to Sloan Research the areas of opportunity are for products that:

• fight body fat (no one actually diets anymore, finally!) and keep us feeling full
• help women in their prime (i.e., post-menopausal, now 44% of our female population) keep a healthy heart and fend off signs of aging
• help aging boomers keep their eyesight keen and their arteries clean
• and that may mitigate the incredibly unfortunate (but market opportunistic) condition of today’s children in the US—high risk for diabetes and other long-term chronic ailments due to the foods/drinks they are consuming as infants. 

I was happy that speakers from both NMI and Sloan talked about the emerging sensibilities of Gen Y in food selection … and that they’re truly engaged in where the ingredients in their food actually come from, which is a key component of my talk on Thursday.

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