As hard as it is to believe, the New Year is almost upon us and with that new year comes a new forecast of product trends from the consumer research group Mintel International. It looks like sustainability isn't going to be as hot an issue as the local food movement would like it to be - not yet, anyway. It will still gain ground with mainstream consumers, but by and large the focus is not yet on production. People are more focused on personal wellness, getting more specific than last year's general interest in "superfoods." Mintel predicts that Amazonian foods - including açaí and other rainforest botanicals that promise over-the-top health benefits - will really hit the mainstream through companies that are known for healthy products, like Odwalla. Other trends that they are forecasting for food processing and sales include an increased targeting of baby boomers and teens; revitalizing interest in traditional, quality (not on-the-go) breakfast foods; more web-based marketing, including more contests and giveaways; and a simplification of marketing slogans and packaging.

Earlier this month, Erich did a personal taste test review of several of his favorite food bars. He included the Odwalla Food Bar, and said that he likes it.

Well, I have to disagree with his positive assessment of the Odwalla Food Bar. I tried the Superfood, which I knew from the get-go that I wasn't going to love because it's called "Superfood!" Nonetheless, Odwalla has a reputation for making fruits and vegetables taste pretty good as drinks, so I tried it anyway. As chewy as it was, I would have expected a moistness to it, but it was very very dry. I had to drink water with every bite. I think I'd rather "spend" 240 calories on something that tastes a little better.

The 230-calorie Cranberry C Monster was better, only because I could actually recognize the cranberries in the bar. Again, it was chewy, slightly sticky, yet still fairly dry. Because it is sticky, you have to eat it out of the wrapper, which means it makes a lot of "crinkle crinkle" noise, as opposed to removing the entire bar from the wrapper.

Both bars, however, were not as overly sweet as some other bars, and definitely has a lots of vitamins and other "good" stuff."

Odwalla is launching a new line of juices at the Sundance Film Festival, called the "PomaGrand" varieties ("Uniquely combining the wonders of the red spectrum from nature's harvest, PomaGrand combines the goodness of pomegranate juice with wild berry extract"). Quaker Oats is sponsoring the "Steel Cut Oatmeal Power Breakfast" [pdf link], "where Hollywood's dealmakers will be invited to the Premiere [magazine] lounge to find both the next big deal from the Festival as well as a healthy breakfast."

They both seem a little, well, ridiculous. Quaker Steel Cut Oatmeal has (as far as I know) nothing to do with movie dealmakers. Pomegranate, while good for you, is so over. Hollywood is now doing the Acai thing. The hip health nuts have moved on. Yes, the attendees of this festival are truly hip (after all, some of our favorite people are going!). But are they really a mainstream grocery store food audience? Do you really think Robert Redford shops at Safeway?