GTC serves ingredients info to consumers
for its functional food ingredients as Americans seek out tools to
help them attain healthier eating habits, writes Jess
Halliday.
The Colorado-based business unit of Corn Products International is launching a health education initiative called Health Sense - No Nonsense to empower consumers to make better food and lifestyle choices and introduce them to the benefits of its specialty ingredients.
GTC's store of branded ingredients includes NutraFlora prebiotic fiber, Aquamin calcified minerals and Natureal oat bran concentrate.
"Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the connection between nutrition and health," said president Patrick Smith.
According to the International Food Information Council, 86 percent of consumers are interested in learning more about the health benefits that functional foods can provide.
It is information that is sorely needed in America, as poor nutrition and lifestyle choices contribute to obesity levels that are higher than ever before, with 64 percent of Americans either obese or overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although the US government has introduced several new initiatives this year to encourage consumers to eat more healthily, such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid, ingredients companies seem to have identified a hole when it comes to detailed information on a specific subject.
By using their own science as the basis for easy-to-understand marketing materials, they can draw attention to their own wares, without relying solely on the makers of finished products to do the leg-work.
And when consumers are clamoring the ingredients they have read about, manufacturers will be spurred into developing new products containing them, which translates into greater sales for the supplier.
"The food industry plays a broad role in providing nutritious choices to all consumer segments, and we plan to apply our expertise to educate consumers about advances in food technology, which often involves the fortification of foods and beverages with natural ingredients to offer a multitude of health benefits," said Smith.
GTC's program, which will premier in early 2006, will aim to reach consumers through a variety of channels, such as partnership opportunities, co-branding logo and label opportunities, a consumer-focused website, education programs, events and advertising.
The company says that some of its clients, including Horizon Organic Dairy, have already signaled their interest in it.
The idea of co-branding is one that is currently being tested by several other ingredients firms, most notably in the highly competitive field of omega-3.
Martek's Market DHA brand now appears on fortified egg products and may soon be seen on the packaging of a new line of fortified products by Kellogg. Ocean Nutrition Canada has also been making a lot of noise about its Meg-3 branded oils, which have been incorporated into some bread products in the US.
