When it comes to food and beverage development, healthy usually is among the top considerations. In Beverage Industry’s 2016 New Product Development Outlook report published in the January issue, only 14 percent of respondents listed convenience a low need/interest. The remaining 86 percent was segmented into moderate need/interest (12 percent), high need/interest (54 percent) and this is the latest trend (20 percent). However, for consumers, deciding what is healthy now can have a digital influence.
That healthy influence can be found in online searches. According to an analysis of mobile search activity by Hitwise, a division of Connexity, 72 percent of online food and beverage searches are conducted on a smartphone or tablet.