Special Reports

Setting quality specifications and improving shelf life

Western brands must adapt to a changing demographic landscape Text by Joel Gregoire The 2011 Census identified one in five Canadians as being foreign-born. Statistics Canada forecasts the share of foreign-born Canadians to increase in the coming years as immigration levels continue to outpace the national birth rate. This will likely influence the taste profiles of Canadians and their openness …

Text by Jenny Zegler Consumers’ increasing skepticism of food and drink products that have ingredient lists that are lengthy and/or contain unrecognizable items is leading to preferences for products that do not contain artificial ingredients. This momentum toward natural and “less processed” food and drink is driving consumers to deem “Artificial: Public Enemy No. 1,” as explored in Mintel’s 2016 …

Mintel’s team of global food and drink expert analysts have identified and analyzed 12 key trends set to impact the global food and drink market in 2016. Text by Jenny Zegler NAVIGATE THE TRENDS As lifestyles shift and global markets influence how, why and where we buy and consume goods and services, the ever-evolving consumer landscape tries to keep up. …

Text by Bethany Wall Beverages underwent an overhaul this year bringing fresh flavour combinations and unique drink fusions in hopes to satisfy the 82% of U.S. consumers who are willing to try new flavours and the 97% of Canadians who spend portions of their leisure time out at restaurants. Here’s a look at the major themes in non-alcoholic beverages: Consumers …

3 trends impacting North America Text by Lynn Dornblaser The global ice cream market managed to muster a 3% increase in 2014. Global volume sales of ice cream climbed slightly faster (4%), reflecting the category’s expansion in emerging markets. China has replaced the U.S. as the world’s largest ice cream market, accounting for a third of all ice cream products …

Text by William Ickes Due to its critical role in diet and health, measuring the protein content of food is more important than ever. Food production companies need to monitor protein content at multiple points along the food process chain. The three most common techniques used to measure protein content are Kjeldahl, Dumas (combustion), and NIR (near-infrared spectroscopy). While all …

Sensus’s star ingredient provides a solution to many consumer health concerns Text by Hermione Wilson Growing consumer concerns about artificial ingredients and additives have led to unprecedented action on the part of major food processors. There was a cascade of announcements early this year from one food manufacturer and restaurant chain after another as they moved to voluntarily remove artificial …

Text by By Prof. H. Douglas Goff The University of Guelph celebrated a significant milestone in 2014, the 100th anniversary of the Ice Cream Short Course. This article provides a synopsis of the industry-based symposium, focused on recent advances in ice cream ingredients, processing and marketing, that was held following the course to mark this important milestone in Canadian ice …

There’s more to pulses than soups and salads as both the U.N. and industry look to raise awareness and celebrate the role of beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas in feeding the world Text by Hermione Wilson The United Nations has declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses and the Canadian pulse industry is eager to raise awareness about the many …