Focus On Protein: 21 October

Focus On: Protein by Edward Churchfield (edchurchfield@gmail.com)

Publishing: 21 October

Advertising deadline: 29 September

Submissions deadline: 22 September

The Story

If there’s one trend that’s defined NPD and marketing in recent years, it’s protein. Drinks brands, bakers, confectioners and more have been adding protein to their products to appeal to everyone from sports nuts to those who merely want to stay sated for longer. Meanwhile, producers of foods already high in protein are tweaking their marketing to emphasise their products’ naturally high protein content. Is this a fad or the future? How will the market develop in the coming year?

Key themes (we will explore additional angles as they arise):

Product innovation: This will be a central theme. We will be analysing how successful the latest launches have been and profiling 16 of new product developments in a separate panel. Brands that would like to be considered for this need to provide high resolution imagery and a product description detailing rsp, launch date and stockists.

Plant based versus animal based: Veganism is in vogue and more and more consumers say they are trying to eat less meat and other animal products. Does this mean we can expect to see more plant based protein products hit the market? What benefits (both from a nutritional and business perspective) do plant based proteins have over animal based and vice versa?

Price: Products with added protein, and those marketed on the grounds of their protein content, typically carry a significant premium over standard products. How do brands and retailers justify these higher prices? What are the cost implications of fortifying a standard product with added protein? How can this cost be mitigated?

Natural protein content: Many products that are naturally high in protein – from eggs (notwithstanding the recent fipronil scandal) to peanuts, nut butters to chia seeds – are in strong growth at present. How are suppliers of such products cashing in on the protein trend?

Retailers: How are different retailers approaching this trend? Where are they stocking protein-fortified products? Is this still a brand led phenomenon or is own label starting to get in on the act? Which retailers have been at the forefront of this trend?