CHICAGO — Food manufacturers can look not only outside their category but also outside their country to find inspiration for new products.

That was the message from Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovation and insight at Mintel, who was speaking at IFT First, the annual food science and innovation expo held July 14-17 in Chicago.

“Millennials go out of their way to try new products,” she said. “They’re the consumer group that’s most likely to say that. Gen Z is right behind them.”

More than 250,000 new food and drink products are introduced each year, with only about 10% coming from North America. Because consumers are eager to try novel things, manufacturers looking to find new customers should look at products from around the world.

Although younger generations are more likely to experiment with new products, Dornblaser suggested that one way to appeal to less adventuresome consumers is to make small changes to familiar products, such as modifications in flavor, texture or aroma.

Younger consumers are more frequent snackers, and they are looking for fun and functionality in their foods. Collaborations and limited-time offers with brands that consumers are already engaged with can bring some fun to the equation and be seen as a treat.

Dornblaser also pointed out that the younger the generations in the United States, the more diverse they are. That cultural diversity means they are exposed to a wider variety of foods.

“They bring with them their culture in their everyday lives, flavors and products that older consumers might be unfamiliar with,” she said. “So that's another reason to be looking very broadly for flavor and product styles to appeal to these younger consumers as they continue to grow up.”

Convenience drives product choice as 35% of US consumers say it influences the food and beverages they buy. Dornblaser explained that can mean speed, ease of use or an at-home version of something they have traditionally gotten outside of their home.

One example of a food that crossed categories is “everything bagel” seasoning, which started showing up as a flavor outside bagels in 2018. Although the numbers are still small, Dornblaser said they are growing every year in a variety of categories.

“We see the number of categories in which everything seasoning appears, continuing to go up,” she said. “But perhaps more importantly, we've seen continued expansion into new categories.”

Dornblaser wrapped up by urging brands to know the trends well and listen to consumers.

“I've been saying forever adopt, adapt and improve, which means steal ideas from everywhere,” she said.