Fast, fresh, flavourful... If we are what we eat, then American and Westerners in general are more complex than ever, and marketers are quickly adapting to the new demands of a rapidly changing food world. [Excellent insights from Ad Age magazine. Ed]

Although health is normally not a key driver in confectionery purchasing and consumption, the rising level of interest in naturalness as a whole has been making a growing impression in the confectionery sector and driving the move to “clean labeling” by the industry.

Sales of Kombucha, a traditional Asian fermented beverage, are surging, both in its original form and in formats that have been modified to better suit Western tastes. Despite a weak economic backdrop and super-premium pricing, US sales of kombucha leapt by 22% to $327 million (€270 million) in the year to April 2012, driven by the positive health halo around anything that has “live and active” bacteria, largely resulting from the dairy industry’s marketing of yoghurt. Could kombucha be the next coconut water, asks New Nutrition Business.

Couple strong motivation – in this case, a personal gluten-intolerance – with the determination to improve on the over-processed gluten free breads already on the market, add in a touch of good luck, and you get a product that’s rocketed in just three years to become the UK’s ninth largest bread brand overall, with 11% annual growth, and an eye on international expansion. This case study is from New Nutrition Business, August 2012