Couldn’t make it to the Roadshow? Missed one of our webinars? We’ve got you covered!
With 28 new product concepts, flavors and technologies, attendees took away any number of ideas for their own product lines - new flavor insights, unique product development applications, category transfer ideas, and most importantly, a renewed sense of creativity.
During the opening session, Roadmap to the Roadshow, David Michael’s marketing manager and trendspotter Erin O’Donnell encouraged participants to “look beyond the table.” Her presentation got the morning off to a dynamic start with a behind-the scenes look at the Innovation Showcase and the trends that influenced this year’s product innovations.
Creativity is a way of life at David Michael, and with over 70 food scientists, flavor chemists, color engineers, chefs and technicians worldwide, we’ve got a lot of great ideas. The Roadshow’s Innovation Showcase gives our talented staff the opportunity to explore new concepts, conduct research or work outside of their area of expertise – allowing them to truly focus on innovation and reveal what’s on their own radars.
Just a few of this year’s highlights include:
Pie Pops – Attendees enjoyed these 50 calorie miniatures of Apple Cinnamon and Dark Chocolate Yumberry pies. Plus, everything tastes better on a stick! This idea is great for portioned snacking for foodservice and vending.
Meatloaf Cupcakes – Inspired by slider sandwiches, these mini-meatloafs are topped with mashed potato “frosting.” These heat-and-eat treats make excellent appetizers, or even entrees.
Lucuma Ice Cream Novelties – Peruvian cuisine is a hot ethnic menu trend, so this year we featured a favorite local fruit, the lucuma. Lucuma ice cream actually outsells chocolate, vanilla and strawberry in Peru. The novelty is complimented by a cookie base and chocolate drizzle.
During the Innovation Showcase, three of our experienced flavor chemists presented short presentations on David Michael’s line of Flavor Sensations™ - flavor modifiers that assist manufacturers in achieving more flavorful, and oftentimes healthier, products.
The event ended with a panel discussion on National Brands & Private Label: Strategies for Success. With both brands and private label goods vying for the consumer’s dollar, the approach each segment uses to capture the shopper’s attention is key. For our panel session, Mike Schall, Senior Vice President, Monterey Gourmet Foods, led a lively discussion, presenting the strategies both branded and private label experts utilize in marketing their products in today’s supermarket environment.
Panelists included:
Greg Venner – Executive Vice President and Chief Consumer Officer, Smart Balance, Inc.
Douglas Palmer – Vice President of Own Brands, A&P
Stephen Harty – Chairman, Bartle Bogle Hegarty
If you are interested in learning more about the 2009 Innovation Roadshow and the products that were shown, please contact your Account Manager. And, of course, it’s never too early to start planning for next year. Hopefully, we’ll see you in October 2010 in Philadelphia!