New food review: chewing gum gets more interesting
Published:30-April-2009
By Datamonitor staff writer
Given the dominance of a select few companies in the market, the chewing gum sector appears ripe for innovation. Indeed, this month's roundup of new product launches features a gum that claims to aid the feeling of fullness and one that is said to biodegrade quickly after disposal. These are two features that could make the industry sit up and take note.
Kracie Holdings has introduced a new chewing gum to the Japanese market which it claims can help consumers feel fuller for longer. Marketed under the brand name Kracie Kobara Pitari Gum, the product's active ingredient is konjac powder, which swells 200 times in the stomach to induce the feeling of fullness. The gum, which comes in grapefruit soda flavor, also contains dietary fiber derived from sugar cane as an additional satiety ingredient. Satiety is becoming big business in the food industry, and a gum-based product could well appeal to consumers.
Another chewing gum product has been introduced in the UK by Mayan Rainforest. Touted as the first certified organic, 100% natural and biodegradable chewing gum, Chicza gum is said to contain 40% organic gum base, organic sweeteners and natural flavors. What differentiates this gum from others, however, is the fact that it claims to biodegrade completely within a few weeks. This could be a huge benefit to commercial operations that have to deal with chewing gum left behind by consumers.
Over in Australia, a new type of sweetener called CSR Better for You LoGiCane has been introduced by Sugar Australia. This sugar substitute is described as the world's first all-natural Low Glycemic cane sugar, featuring a GI of 50. It is said to have the same sweet taste as conventional sugar, while containing fewer calories. As many consumers are trying to cut down on their sugar intake, this could provide a new sugar alternative for use in drinks and home cooking.
Meanwhile, a new range of frozen yogurt made from goat's milk is now available in the US. LaLoo's Goat's Milk Frozen Yogurt, from LaLoo's Goat's Milk Ice Cream Co., comes in Cajeta De Leche (Mexican caramel and Texas toffee), Cherries Tuilerie (Italian Amarena cherry), and Forestberry (raspberries and strawberries) flavors. The range's goat's milk composition and unusual flavors help it to stand out from the crowd.
Over in France, Glaces Erhard has launched the Erhard Tendances Creatives range of ice cream, which comes in the unusual flavors of Saumon Fume (smoked salmon), Fois Gras, and Champagne. The ice cream line is intended to be eaten as a starter before a main meal, hence the mostly savory flavors, and would certainly add a luxury element to the dinner table.
Another ice cream line has been introduced in the US by Turkey Hill Dairy. The Turkey Hill Dynamic Duos Light Ice Cream is a range of low calorie ice cream that consists of two different flavors in each tub. The Caramel Cone Chaos variety, for example, consists of caramel flavored ice cream with choco cone pieces on one side, and vanilla with caramel swirl on the other. Other flavors available include Coconutz!, Movie Night, and PB Explosion. This concept could be attractive in smaller households that do not want to buy two separate flavors in individual packages.
