DUIVEN, THE NETHERLANDS — Innova Market Insights tracked 987 new products in 2009 that used either the words “simple,” “simplest” or “simplicity,” which was more than double the 467 new products in 2008. New products using the words “pure,” “purity” or “purely” grew to 5,705 in 2009 from 3,013 in 2008. From January to April of 2010, 2,137 new products in the United States were positioned as “natural” or “preservative-free,” which was up from 2,052 new products tracked in the same four-month period in 2009.

“The simplicity trend creates a new challenge for the ingredients industry as manufacturers look to shorten the length of ingredient labels,” said Lu Ann Williams, head of research at Duiven-based Innova Market Insights.


For an example of the simplicity trend, Innova mentioned Lay’s Classic Potato Chips feature the claim “made with three simple ingredients in as little as 24 hours, and that’s it.” For another example, Pillsbury Simply ... Cookies are advertised as being “made with just the simple, wholesome ingredients you and your family know and love.”

Innova Market Insights will present its simplicity trend data at its Taste the Trend Pavilion during I.F.T. 10, the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting and food exposition July 18-20 in Chicago. Information at the pavilion also will address sodium reduction and weight management.