Understanding consumer wants and needs can be crucial when it comes to product development and sustainability. Suley Muratoglu, vice president of marketing and product development for Vernon Hills, Ill.-based Tetra Pak Inc., explains that consumers are seeking better-for-you drinks that are convenient and also easy on the environment. Therefore, beverage-makers should develop products that are “right-sized” for portion control, feature ingredients that appeal to health and fitness, and are packaged in environmentally friendly and sustainable formats, he suggests.
“Today, nearly 60 percent of households in the United States are comprised of one or two individuals, and more and more we are seeing convenience, size, [and] ease of storage and disposal drive consumers toward the need for greater efficiency in their day-to-day lives,” he says. “Consumers are looking for products that fit their lifestyle; they want to avoid spoilage and save money while also [having] the chance for more variety.”