Energy Enriched Foods To Take Off

The retail market for energy drinks is valued at $4.8 billion, a growth of over 400 percent from 2003 and will continue to grow quickly, according to Mintel's latest report.

In 2003, only 9 percent of adult survey respondents said they drank energy drinks, that rose to 15 percent in 2008. Teens have picked up energy drinks even faster as 35 percent reported regular consumption, up from 19 percent in 2003.

"Energy drinks have quickly become a daily beverage choice," stated Krista Faron, senior new product analyst at Mintel. "As more Americans use energy drinks, we've seen a rise in products being launched with innovative new ingredients, claims and consumer targets."

As energy drinks become more commonplace, Mintel predicted that "energy" will expand beyond the aluminum can.

"Energy bars are familiar to many Americans," explained Faron, "but other energized foods, such as candy, chips, milk and cereal, are definitely not. We expect the concept of 'energy' both physical and mental to greatly influence food product development.”

She said ingredients such as ginseng, guarana and taurine will move from drinks to food. For instance, snacks like NRG Phoenix Fury chips with taurine or Full Charge sunflower seeds with ginseng and guarana. Caffeine is also emerging in foods from energy bars to cereals, such as Morning Spark's caffeine-fortified instant oatmeal. Superfoods, recognized for high antioxidant content, are now added to foods for mental and physical performance benefits. The Think Green Superfood Energy Bar, for example, includes blueberries and noni powder.

"Energy is poised to take food in a new direction, giving consumers who need a boost many different ways to get it," commented Faron. "From natural energizers like omega-3s or antioxidants to foods that are fortified with energizing ingredients, we are seeing 'energy' to emerge as a core benefit in new food products."