DUIVEN, The Netherlands—Consumer awareness of the health benefits associated with superfruits helped drive the lucrative market that recorded a 10% rise in the number of product launches marketed in the year ending May 2011 over the previous 12-month period, according to new market data from Innova Market Insights.
The soft drinks category saw the greatest number of launches, equivalent to nearly 40% of the total, primarily in the fruit drinks and wellness drinks arenas. But there were products with “superfruit" ingredients launched across most other sectors, led by confectionery, dairy products, fruit and vegetable products and desserts and ice cream.
Pomegranate accounted for more than 40% of the launches tracked containing a “superfruit" during the June 2010 to May 2011 period. Other fruits that grew in popularity included acai, goji and other berries.
In the United States, pomegranate recorded the highest levels of product activity ahead of blueberry. Interest in acerola also appeared to be increasing, as well as ongoing interest in goji. Product launches in the United Kingdom focused strongly on pomegranate and berries, particularly cranberries, blueberries and acai, while Germany saw rising levels of interest in Sanddorn (seabuckthorn).
According to Innova, new fruits are emerging on the “superfruit" bandwagon, all focusing on high levels of antioxidants, often by comparison with levels in more established superfruits, and often moving into food and drinks following a period of launches in supplement form. The Maqui berry from Chile (Aristotelia chilensis), also known as the Chilean Wineberry, is one example of this trend.
