C-Store Opportunities; Face-to-Face: Meet Manan Sharma; Five Food Trends for 2012 and Beyond

C-Store Opportunities: Women, Private Label
In this month’s cover story, Food Technology Digital Media Editor Kelly Hensel explores the convenience store segment and discovers that despite a rocky economy, c-stores are thriving thanks to innovations in foodservice and packaged goods. In this online extra, Hensel uncovers some areas of opportunity for c-stores: the female consumer and private label brands. Despite the lack of free time, women still have qualms about shopping in c-stores and feel that the food is low quality. Additionally, consumers’ acceptance of private label brands offers c-stores the opportunity for higher profit margins with their own branded food products.

Face-to-Face: Meet Manan Sharma
In this month’s Face-to-Face series, we will be introducing you to Manan Sharma, Research Microbiologist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. It’s Sharma’s job to investigate contamination issues with leafy green commodities to ensure that the salad you are eating for lunch is safe. When he isn’t working, Sharma can be found playing guitar, watching college football, or hanging out with his family. Check out IFT’s Face-to-Face to see why he believes that food science education can make the world a better place.

Five Food Trends for 2012 and Beyond
In a recently released report, Marian Salzman, CEO, Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, examines what’s on the horizon and presents more than 150 trends sighted in 32 categories. In a recent ePerspective post, Salzman shares the five food trends she sees on the horizon for the United States in 2012. According to Salzman, Americans may be finally accepting that we are what we eat and start walking the walk. This may account for the “fat phobia” trend that Salzman predicts will increase due to fat taxes being imposed around the world. Linked with this trend, Salzman sees healthy snacking growing in popularity. However, to counterbalance these trends, she expects Americans love of Southern cuisine—comfort food—to reign in 2012, along with the popularity of food trucks. See what else Salzman predicts on the food front for 2012 and share your own predictions by commenting on IFT’s ePerspective blog today!

Intersection of Food, Policy and Profitability
Have you experienced confusion or frustration due to complexities in the food production landscape? Designed for marketing and product development professionals, this live, interactive webcast taking place Jan. 10 will explore the needs and challenges facing consumers, government, food organizations, and academia. Through practical insights and business drivers presented by key policymakers, it will identify areas of commonality versus conflict across all sectors. The webcast will explore the interdependency between food policy, science, and product development through production.

Kelly Hensel
Digital Media Editor
[email protected]