Chicago, IL, December 2001 - As we leave the vestiges of 2001 behind, our minds work in overdrive to formulate some market-savvy predictions for the coming year.

1. Making soy appealing In the last year, soy products have become extremely popular, in part due to the FDA-approved claims that can appear on the packaging. However, the general public still doesn't care for the taste. In 2002, manufacturers will find a way to make the taste of soy as appealing as the health benefits. Look for the marketing to change, as well. Look for strong marketing campaigns aimed at the 5-12 year-old market. These products will have unusual flavors, colors, and positionings, but will get young consumers sold on soy.

2. Gourmet goes back to gourmet So many products have a gourmet positioning today. Walk the aisles of any grocery store and you'll find dozens of so-called "gourmet" products. Look for a backlash, as gourmet products return to their roots-unique, upscale, and expensive. The quality will climb back up to previous levels. The speciality food stores will actively promote the exclusiveness of their products, and consumers will treat themselves with these small indulgences.

3. Camp it up Not too long ago, if you were looking for a product that took a campy nostalgic look at the past, you'd have to settle for the real thing-genuine old product packages. Today, however, manufacturers have increasingly made their packaging old-fashioned looking with their tongues firmly in their cheeks. Items like Benefit's Bathina line, with a sexy 1940s girl on the label, or the new line of Camel cigarette tins will be the wave of the future. The Camel tin, for example, has a retro picture on it with a twist: the woman in the picture is holding a cell phone. There was a time when you really had to look to find those kinds of products, and you could really only find them in novelty stores.

4. Backward looks At the same time, while we will see unique twists on old-fashioned packaging, look for some companies to return to their roots with their packaging and package graphics. Gap has reverted back to its original logo, Martini & Rossi offers a "retro bottle." Look for more major food and nonfood companies to more strongly promote their older heritage and original logos. Also, while "retro" used to mean the 1960s and 1970s (even the 1980s!), look for the newest round of retro products to return to the 1930s and 1940s. Part of this retro movement will be influenced by the events of September 11, the 60th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor invasion, and the continued social focus on World War II.

5. Irradiation finally makes it Irradiating meat and poultry may finally make inroads in 2002, as consumers finally (and for the wrong reasons) become more comfortable with the process and its effects. With the discussion in late 2001 about irradiating the U.S. Mail, consumer knowledge of the benefits of irradiation have grown. Look for a smart company to offer a line of irradiated poultry or meat products.

6. Carbonation really cracks up Food products that pop, fizz, and rocket through your mouth are going to increase next year. This year we saw the first introduction of carbonated 100% juice from Switch Beverage, and because it's so easy to carbonate something-a small shot of CO2 will do it-the added texture and "fun" factor manages to appeal and be economical. Other notable introductions seen recently that coincide with this trend are White Soda and eMoo, both carbonated milk beverages.

7. Flavor of the year: grapefruit Pucker up, baby! That sour taste that pinches your mouth in the a.m. is going to be working its way into more than juice next year. Grapefruit candies, grapefruit medicine, and grapefruit alcohol, oh my! Oh, come on, you need the vitamin C.

8. Scent of the year: cucumber. It's light and refreshing, and conveys images of cooling and summer. What more could you ask for in a scent to wear on those cold winter days? Watch for this light scent (remember green tea a year or so ago as another light scent) to appear not only in body care and personal fragrances, but also in home fragrances.

9. Cuisine of the year: Latin. The rising "coolness" factor of everything Latin will take hold in the food and beverage industry. Until now the products we've seen with "south of the border" flavorings (and we're not talking tacos here) have been few and far between and primarily from ethnic companies. But this style is starting to trickle into popular products, everything from dulce de leche-flavored M&M's to apple-flavored soda from Coca-Cola. The Latin flavor is about to explode in a big way, perhaps in meal kits, seasonings, and candy.

10. Oral care to go There was a big hoopla this year about oral hygiene and there will be even more next year with possibly a dental care to-go kit, that will includes a mirror and individual disposable toothpaste, floss, toothbrush, etc. Whitening teeth appears to have grown into a national obsession, so also look for the development of some convenience items, perhaps some spray-on teeth whitener that temporarily whitens teeth when needed.

11. Back to the food pyramid In 2002, we'll see the virtual demise of herbal enhancements in foods. There's been a lot of bad press associated with the realities of herbal benefits and the food products that are on the market with herbal enhancement (generally higher priced), such as juices pepped up with echinacea, aren't doing a great business (the exception being energy drinks-we'll see another strong year of those). What will be stressed are the A, B, C's-vitamins that is.

12. Movie tie-ins. It seemed like there were more movie tie-ins than usual in 2001. Maybe it is just because of there being so many huge kids' movies out this year, or maybe its because marketers are realizing just how big the kid market (and their purchasing power) really is. Rugrats and every requisite cartoon on the Cartoon Network popped up somewhere or other in 2001 and we're likely to see a ton more of this in 2002. Just think, every kid movie will have a cereal, an ice cream, a candy, a bubble bath, a bake mix, a toothpaste, a toothbrush. . .the possibilities are endless and mind-numbing.

13. Designer makeup We've remarked on this trend a few times in the past year, but it is expected to continue. Fashion designers are getting in on the makeup/skincare business and launching their own premium-priced lines. Notable entries in 2001 included Prada, Giorgio Armani, and Ann Taylor. Everyone will be getting in the game next year, we think, because who wouldn't want to pair that Gucci handbag with a matching polish?

14. Backpack foods. Here's a mini-trend we're just beginning to see in the US. Walk down any busy street, and you'll see consumers of all ages carting their essentials around in a backpack. They are no longer limited to the very young, the college student, or the consumer with the bad back. And they don't all look like they belong on the hiking trail instead of the business world. As convenient as they are, it can be a challenge to bring along snacks, lunch, or other treats. A sandwich gets smashed, chips get crushed, and sweets get mangled. So, we're beginning to see now products in packages designed just for the backpack (and also the car cup holder)-Frito Lay has its snacks in a rigid plastic canister; Pepperidge Farm is testing the same type of package. Watch for other marketers to attempt the same thing.

15. Making it as convenient as possible. We could put this prediction on the list every year. For 2002, we're anticipating some more unique types of convenience products. Some possibilities: baby milk sold in pre-packaged disposable bottles (which we do see in limited numbers in Europe); tea and coffee that heat themselves (also a concept in Europe); instant coffee premixed with flavored creamers, perhaps in combo packs of sachets that are portable-just add hot water; back to the past with microwaveable cake mixes and breads; and fragrances with applicator brushes like lipstick for more exact application. Also look for more convenient packaging for older consumers (packaging industry, please take note: we've been predicting that for the last several years and no one has caught on).

Established in 1972, Mintel incorporates Mintel consumer intelligence, global new products database (www.gnpd.com), and Mintel consultancy. Mintel is an independent company which operates offices in Chicago, London, Frankfurt and Sydney. For more information on Mintel, please visit our website at www.mintel.com.

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