Mintel Names IFT Taste Test Winners

CHICAGO—Mintel released the new product taste test winners from the IFT Food Expo, held in New Orleans in late June 2008. The taste tests were drawn from Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD) and supported presentations by the company’s new product experts Lynn Dornblaser and David Jago.

“Mintel’s IFT 08 presentations focused on issues and new products driving food and drink innovation,” Dornblaser said. “Our taste tests allowed attendees to experience products firsthand and vote on favorites. Not surprisingly, most of the winning products took a familiar concept and tweaked it to align with consumers’ changing taste and lifestyle preferences.”

In the area of Ingredient Sustainability—focusing on food and beverage companies using ingredients that are organic, locally sourced or Fair Trade—the top pick was Phoenix Organic Apple, Orange and Mango Juice from New Zealand; second place went to Falafel Chips from Falafel Chips and Dip, while Starbucks Caffe Mocha Truffles took third place.

The second area concerned Inherent Goodness of Ingredients, looking at new products containing real fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Nabisco’s Garden Harvest Toasted Chips took top honors, followed by Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt, and Britvic J20 Apple and Blueberry Soft Drink.

Healthy Food for Kids was another focus, emphasizing fortified, functional and natural products. A U.K. offering, Chewits Truly Smoothy Crazy Animals Fruit Gums, came in first; Clif Kid Organic Twisted Fruit Real Fruit Rope was a close second; and the savory Land-Leben Bakki’s Colored Croutons for Soup from Hungary was third.