Summary
Kraft--a name synonymous with high-carb macaroni and cheese--now plans to take a low-carb approach. The food manufacturer is introducing 26 foods based on the South Beach Diet--a diet generally identified with low-carb menus. Unfortunately, Kraft’s product shift comes just as many Americans are abandoning the low-carb craze. Kraft’s new product line will include everything from frozen entrees to cereal bars.
Original source:
http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=15121
Details
Just as the low-carb craze fizzles, Kraft Foods is gearing up to heavily support the launch of a full lineup of 26 convenience foods based on the carb-restricting South Beach Diet.
While South Beach Diet creator Dr. Arthur Agatston claims even from the first line of his book that his approach is not low-carb, most retailers and analysts agree that South Beach is still linked in consumers' minds with the fad diet that hit its high roughly a year ago.
The push in April is pegged to the paperback rollout of "The South Beach Diet," which has been on the New York Times bestseller list and sold more than 8 million copies since Rodale launched the hardback in April 2003.
The executive's expectations for the line are not high because, "we've probably discontinued half of our low-carb and Atkins products recently."
Another Midwest retail executive, who likewise is discontinuing many low-carb products, including Kraft's CarbWell cereals, General Mills' Total Protein cereal and many items from Unilever's Carb Options lineup, said, "Kraft is just grasping at straws.
I don't think people will buy something or certainly not pay more for something that says 'South Beach Diet' on it."
But Howard Brandeisky, VP-South Beach Diet foods at Kraft, said, "we've seen growing consumer interest in the South Beach Diet and providing convenient options for consumers to be on that diet will be a big idea."
Kraft's partnership with Dr. Agatston began modestly last October with the addition of a "South Beach Diet-recommended" burst on more than 200 products across 38 of its brands, including Sugar-Free Jell-O, Planters nuts and Boca Burgers.
The new initiative creates a standalone brand for cereals, meal-replacement bars, refrigerated sandwich kits and frozen entrees.
Atkins Nutritionals is headed in the same direction.
About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate and award-winning journalist with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He has authored more than 1,800 articles and dozens of reports, guides and interviews on natural health topics, and he has created several downloadable courses on survival and preparedness, including his widely-downloaded course on personal safety and self-defense. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2010, Adams created TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural living video sharing site featuring thousands of user videos on foods, fitness, green living and more. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also the CEO of a highly successful email newsletter software company that develops software used to send permission email campaigns to subscribers. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and pursues hobbies such as martial arts, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening. He's also author a large number of health books offered by Truth Publishing and is the creator of numerous reference website including NaturalPedia.com and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. His websites also include the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the innate healing ability of the human body. Known by his callsign, the 'Health Ranger,' Adams posts his missions statements, health statistics and health photos at www.HealthRanger.org
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Thursday, January 27, 2005
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