A recent report by Emerald Insight said that while consumers are clearly concerned by the healthiness of their hearts, sedentary lifestyles and the prevalence of fatty foods and beverages mean that the number of heart health problems is increasing year-on-year.

However, “Consumers do believe that certain foods can have a positive impact on long-term and current health.

This has helped facilitate wider acceptance of the term ‘functional foods’.

Fibre and omega-3 are two ingredients which particularly resonate with consumers for their heart health benefits,” said the report.

Continuing this theme, a 2008 report by Datamonitor entitled: Functional Food, Drinks & Ingredients: Consumer Attitudes & Trends, said that consumers had moved beyond choosing food and drinks simply to maintain everyday health. “They are now seeking to optimize performance and reduce the risk, or delay the onset of diseases with functional food and drinks,” it said.

This was supported by Mintel research which revealed that sales of sports and energy drinks were set to hit the £1billion mark by the end of 2009. After a healthy growth of 51% between 2004 and 2008, sales of sports and energy drinks continued to thrive. “Even in 2008, as economic pressures put the skids on previously growing non-alcoholic markets such as smoothies and bottled water, this market grew by 10% from £855 million in 2007 to reach £941 million in 2008.”

NUTRITION POLICY

With a new government in office, the Food Standards Agency in England and Wales is no longer responsible for nutrition policy. From 1 October 2010 responsibility transferred from the Food Standards Agency to the Department of Health in England and to the Assembly Government in Wales.

These changes will mean that the health departments in these countries will be responsible for: nutritional labelling; nutrition and health claims, dietetic food and food supplements; calorie information in catering establishments; reformulation to reduce salt, saturated fat and sugar levels in food and reducing portion size (including catering and manufacturing) and nutrition advice, surveys and nutrition research.

The government White Paper, ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People’ was published in November. It sets out the government’s long-term vision for the future of public health in England, in which society, government and individuals share collective responsibility for public health and the new public health system that will encourage all to play their part in improving and protecting the nation’s health and well-being.

The Government is consulting on some of the proposals in Healthy Lives, Healthy People until 8th March 2011, focusing on enabling and guiding people’s choices wherever possible.

HEALTHY DRINKS

Frubob the new juice ‘Fruit Float’ is said to appeal to adults and children alike. With five mouth-watering flavours ranging from Mango, Strawberry and Banana, Peach, Pineapple and Orange; each drinking experience is vastly different from the other. For the first time, drinking and eating has been successfully combined into one, with fruit pieces bursting into flavour with each mouthful, says the company.

You might be thinking something along the lines of ‘why has no one thought of this before’; three years ago Chris Davies thought exactly that, leaving behind his job as a heart surgeon to follow his own – to make a 100% new and healthy drink that targeted a variety of ages. This was not simple however, and after facing some difficulties, Chris felt it was necessary to buy the Sun Juice Factory in Wales, in order to ensure the highest quality and most effective production.

Although Frubob is a new and unknown drink to the UK market, if its success in the US is anything to go by this won’t be the case for long. It is currently being shipped to Florida by the container load – selling successfully in major chains such as 7/11, Walgreens and Sadanos, with over £1 million worth of product having been shipped in half a year.

For the health conscious out there, these drinks will appeal with their no-fuss labelling with the calories clearly marked on the lid; Pineapple and Orange are just 70 calories, Peach 90, Mango 110 and Strawberry and Banana with just 120 calories. The drinks come in 250ml glass and PET bottles (500ml PET bottles coming soon) and the products are ambient with a 12 month shelf life, and a RRP of just £1.19.

Lunch and break time refreshment in schools promises to be a really healthy experience thanks to a revolutionary self-serve concept that delivers a delicious range of school-friendly 100% pure fruit juice including orange, apple, and blackcurrant and apple. The Juicebox delivers a range of pure fruit drinks with no added sugars, no preservatives, no additives and is aspartame-free. Commenting on the new vending concept, Mark Rhodes, Sales and Marketing Manager for the Really Cool Water Company said: “The JuiceBox is designed to produce a range of premium quality fruit juice. We press the juice from the fruit and then we remove all the water. After you’ve made a drink selection, the machine adds high quality, freshly filtered water back into the product for the perfect pure fruit juice.”

Taking strong cues from retail brands, the Pure Juice concentrate bag-in-boxes also fit in perfectly with the machines impressive green credentials. By taking up to 7 times less space than ready-to-drink 1lt tetra packs, the Bag-in-Boxes generate 85% less waste packaging than tetrapaks. Less space needed to store the juice which means fewer lorries on the roads, no refrigerated storage and therefore less CO2. For those schools or LEAs that really want to flex their green credentials, the ‘JuiceBox’ can also be set up for use with re-fillable 500ml drinking bottles to help eliminate plastic waste.

Conveniently for vending operators and caterers, the fruit concentrates are packaged in aseptic bag-in-boxes with a 9 month shelf-life and do not need refrigeration during storage or transit to the machine. Mark explains: “The JuiceBox is not only good for you, it can be very good for your bottom line too. The concept of large premium 12oz drinks made from real fruit means that at just 50 vends per week, the JuiceBox can help bridge funding gaps in catering and vending budgets in schools, gyms and leisure centres.”

Rubicon is now more readily available after securing product listings in 62 vending machines at nine universities throughout the UK. Adrian Troy, Head of Marketing at AG Barr said: “There is currently a rising trend for exotic flavours.

Rubicon Sparkling Mango is doing phenomenally well, growing at 139% YOY, therefore this is a great opportunity for vending machine operators, especially at universities.

“This is because students are much more likely to buy soft drinks than the average customer. Furthermore, a high proportion of Rubicon’s core consumers attend university, so Rubicon Sparkling Mango 500ml will sell extremely well.”

The new Rubicon Sparkling Mango 500ml listing was supported by a huge sampling campaign at the universities during September, distributing over 34,000 samples to students.

The new addition will also be supported by vibrant and colourful PoS, as well as further sampling in 2011.

Rubicon embarked on its biggest year of marketing support in 2010; the £5m campaign has included sponsorship of Sky Sports’ Summer of Cricket, which included their coverage of the ICC World Twenty 20, sponsorship of the Friends Provident t20 and a cricket inspired TV ad campaign. 2011 will see even more investment in this must stock brand.

HEALTHIER SNACKS...

Cranberry Group has added a new variety, sliced chunked mango, to its convenient Grab Bag range of snacks. The pre-packs are distributed by Cranberry Enterprise, the Company’s specialist sales arm for prepackaged snacks, which are aimed at the on-trade, foodservice markets and convenience stores.

Sliced, chunked mango is one of the top selling lines of over 140 products sold in Cranberry’s retail stores and its launch in pre-packed form is now possible thanks to a new packing process. The mango product is sourced from the Limpopo province of South Africa, and although dried, it remains succulent and readily reconstitutes in the mouth. It is rich in fibre and this 75g pack counts towards your essential 5-a-day fruit and vegetables.

Mango brings the total of different selections in the Grab Bag range to eleven. These are a crossover between healthy snacks and confectionery treats, which has proven appeal amongst a broad cross-section of customers - not just those looking for a strictly healthy option. The range, strongly branded with see-through product windows, is ideal for elevenses, as a lunchtime snack or at cocktail time. The Grab Bags feature Cranberry’s distinctive branding and weigh between 75g and 140g, depending upon the product and each has a recommended retail price of £1.99 per bag. Grab Bags are the perfect snack for sharing.

Speaking about the introduction, Director of Sales for Cranberry Enterprise, Trevor Stroud, explained how the Grab Bag range satisfies those wanting a healthy snack as well as those looking for an indulgent treat: “These mango chunks are a great tasting healthy snack - totally natural, with no additives or preservatives. They are one of the top selling retail lines – and with good reason – they simply melt in the mouth. However, the reason our pre-pack ranges appeal to such a broad selection of people is that they also offer options such as chocolate brazils and honey cashews for those looking for a healthy indulgence. We give the customer the choice and leave the selection up to them.”

Nature Valley produces snack bars packed with wholegrain oats which are available in a number of vending machines. Eating a diet rich in whole grains can aid in numerous ways – from helping to maintain a healthy body weight to helping to maintain optimal digestive health, says the company.

Quakers Original Oat Bars with Golden Syrup are made with toasted rolled oats and lightly bound with golden syrup for a convenient and sustaining snack. They are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, and contain 20% - 45% less sugar per bar than most other cereal bars, it is claimed.

Also available from vending machines, options like these prevent breakfast being replaced with an 11 o’clock chocolate bar or bag of crisps!

California Raisins fit perfectly into healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle. They are a great source of natural energy and make it easy to satisfy the daily fruit requirements set by the 5 A Day programme. The great thing about California Raisins is that unlike seasonal fruit they are available all year round and always accessible, making them perfect for Vending.

Far from offering only fizzy drinks and snacks high in sugar, salt and fat - the vending industry has so far responded to calls for healthier alternatives with great success.

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