Lean Cuisine has enhanced their range with the development of four meal variants that each help target specific areas of nutritional concern including; protein, fibre, wholegrain and calcium. The Everyday Wellbeing range extends Nestlé’s successful Lean Cuisine brand and is designed to maintain their focus on the health conscious consumer. The health and wellbeing trend may have taken a back seat over the past year while economic conditions stole the limelight, but industry analysts are predicting... ...Read more »

Entries for the Fine Food Best New Product Awards have exceeded expectations for this year‘s event in Sydney, according to Exhibition Manager, Minnie Constan. The number of new products entered into the awards this year is just over 300 – comfortably above last year’s tally of 174. “New products, ideas and innovations are widely recognised as the key to success in the food business so it’s exciting that, even in this year of global financial uncertainty, there are so many... ...Read more »

HACCP Australia – Australia’s leading food safety accreditation program – has endorsed the Dyson Airblade hand dryer for use in food handling areas, the first hand dryer to receive such recognition. The product was reviewed by Australian food technologists in accordance with HACCP Australia’s Food Safety Certification Programme, with their approval to see the first entry of a hand dryer into food handling areas in Australia. James Dyson, founder of Dyson, said the new product... ...Read more »

Farm Pride, one of Australia’s largest egg production and manufacturing companies, has launched free range omega-3 enriched eggs onto the Australian market.The ASX-listed firm launched the eggs nationally earlier this month and have now also introduced ‘pink’ eggs to support the McGrath Foundation. The Farm Pride free range omega-3 enriched eggs come from chickens that are fed a natural grain diet fortified with omega-3 to produce eggs rich in omega-3. Omega-3 is an essential fatty... ...Read more »

With colds and high profile flu strains dominating the headlines over the past few months, Australian owned manufacturer Juicy Isle has launched Kids Plus, a pulp free low GI premium orange juice specially formulated for children. The company hopes to open a new category on supermarket shelves, with the product offering vitamins and minerals that can help keep colds at bay. “We had both parents and children in mind when developing this product,” Michael Cooper, General Manager of Juicy... ...Read more »

a2 Milk is now available in a No Fat variety across the nation. The product is the only cow’s milk on the market in Australia guaranteed to contain naturally maximised levels of the A2 form of the beta casein protein. There are two predominant forms of the beta casein protein found in milk – A1 and A2. a2 Milk is sourced from cows the original breed of cows that have been genetically confirmed to produce only the A2 form naturally. These cows are then segregated and their milk kept in... ...Read more »

Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD) has discovered that amid rampant private label food product development, manufacturers of the products are staying current with the latest food trends. Attempting to provide more than just cheap alternatives to national brands, the newest private label foods try to woo shoppers with premium ingredients, portability and health benefits. So far in 2009, Mintel’s GNPD has seen nearly 1,800 new US private label foods appear on retail store shelves:... ...Read more »

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) recently gathered in Anaheim to learn about innovative new food and beverage products launched around the globe, picking up on new product trends in the sweeteners, natural and functional food categories. The sweeteners category has received a boost following regulatory approval for new products from the stevia plant, which are much sweeter than sugar. Meanwhile, functional foods offer potential if manufacturers can get the perfect mix of good taste and health... ...Read more »

Experimenting with flavours, flexibility and variety, confectionery makers are thinking outside the bar to provide consumers with chocolate and confectionery innovation that will drive consumer purchasing over the next five years, according to the National Confectioners Association’s (NCA) Confectionery Industry Trend Report 2009 from America. “Insight from the confectionery industry’s leading influentials provides an appetising future for consumers and the industry alike,”... ...Read more »

Biosilo Foods, an American company focussed on innovation in the food and beverage industry, has developed a snack called Gamer GrubTM, designed for “hungry gamers” who want to continue playing games while consuming snacks. Released last year, the product is on display at this year’s E3 Expo – world trade show for computer and video games, held this week in Los Angeles. Gamer Grub is designed to give gamers the opportunity to think faster and win more. The company says it... ...Read more »