Consumers are trending away from sugar in a big way. According to Kerry, the multinational dairy company, 46% of Americans strongly want to reduce their sugar consumption, 27% want their products to taste less sweet, and 50% are actively seeking out the type of sweetening agent on the nutrition panel of products. For those in the consumer packaged goods industry, this consumer trend could spell trouble or success depending on how it is addressed. Luckily, we have a few suggestions in that regard. Take a look below to see three tactics for addressing this trend with your products, as well as our #1 recommendation.
How Can You Address the Consumer Desire for Less Sugar?
1. Lower the Amount of Sugar in Your Products
Thirty-three percent of surveyed Americans believe sugar is responsible for weight gain. To combat the large amount of sugar in CPG products, consumers are choosing to cook more at home, are decreasing the number of packaged foods and beverages they buy and are committing to low-sugar diets. If you sell products high in sugar, this could be disastrous for your sales. Before your loyal customers write off your products, give them a low-sugar alternative. Products with “50% less sugar,” “no-added sugars,” and “all natural sugars,” on their packaging can convince consumers that they are making the healthy choice while allowing them to maintain their current lifestyles and purchasing decisions. Giving your consumers the path of least resistance is a great way to ensure they keep buying your products.
2. Replace with a “Healthier” Alternative
Consumers are looking for less sugar in their packaged goods because they view it as unhealthy, but there are plenty of other sweeteners out there that don’t have the same reputation, specifically natural sweeteners. According to Food Navigator, products with Stevia are growing 12% year-over-year, and specific product categories utilizing raw honey and monk fruit are also doing well. The sugar alternative you choose to use should be based on your products and your consumers’ preferences, but any sweetener that doesn’t carry the same stigma as sugar should perform better.
3. Go Savory Instead of Sweet
You use sugar to sweeten your consumer packaged goods and make them taste better… but what if sweet wasn’t your goal? What if you went in another direction entirely. Hot and spicy flavors have been on the rise for over a decade, so why not go savory instead of sweet? Of course, this won’t work for all of your products (savory cookies probably aren’t for everyone) but many products can still be made flavorful and delicious without the use of sugar.
Our Top Recommendation: Use Flavored Butter Instead of Sugar
Our final recommendation is one that combines all three of the strategies we’ve already discussed: use flavored butter. Butter contains virtually no-sugar, so it won’t lead to a high sugar count in your products. It can be paired with sugar-alternatives to create a product that has fewer carbohydrates but doesn’t sacrifice sweetness. And it can be combined with other ingredients to create savory products your customers will love. In addition, while sugar is on a downward trend, butter is gaining popularity. Popular diets such as the Ketogenic diet and the Paleo diet emphasize the use of fats over carbohydrates and this concept is slowly making its way into the common household. This fact makes butter just that much more appealing as a sugar substitute.
We Can Help You Create a Custom Butter Flavor
Here at Butterball® Farms we offer a number of pre-portioned butter dollops that you can insert into your packaged goods including:
- Apple Herb
- Bacon Pepper Jack
- Bacon Shallot
- Blackened Cajun
- Brown Butter with Sage
- Chile Lime Cilantro
- Citrus Garlic
- Garlic Herb
- Garlic Parmesan
- Horseradish and Blue Cheese
- Lemon Dill
- Lemon Herb
- Parmesan Black Pepper
- Spicy Soy Ginger
- Steak House
But we can also help you create a custom flavor specifically designed for your company, product, and consumers. We employ a number of culinary experts and food scientists who can help you create a unique flavor profile that will have your customers begging for more. Just click here to reach out to us!