• Scope and Methodology
  • Scope of Report
  • Report Methodology
  
  
• Market Trends and Drivers
  • Kids and Teenagers a Driving Force
  • Cooking Trends
  • Meals or Snacks?
  • Consumers Paying More for Convenience
  • Expanding Distribution
  
  
• Competitive Trends
  • Competing on Convenience
  • Large Companies Have the Edge
  • The Importance of Being Smaller
  • Marketing as Child’s Play
  • Marketers Spend More Than $350 Million on Advertising
  
  
• Packaging and Serving Size Trends
  • Portable Cups for Eating On-the-Go
  • Squeezable Tubes
  • Retort Pouches Beginning to Go Mainstream
  • Aseptic Food Packages Coming of Age
  • Easy-Open Cans
  • Resealable Packaging
  • Stand-Up Pouches
  • Serving Size Trends
  
  
• Consumer Trends
  • Overview of Purchasing Patterns

Chapter 2: Market Trends

• Market Definition
  • Focus on Retail Market
  • Trends Cross Product Categories
  
  
• Market Trends and Drivers
  • Kids and Teenagers a Driving Force
  • Table 2-1: Projected U.S. Population by Age Bracket, 2000-2010 (in thousands)
  • Cooking Trends
  • Time-Pressed Parents Have Less Time to Cook
  • Fewer Meals Being Eaten at Home
  • More Ready-to-Use Foods on Hand
  • Parameters for Convenience
  • Meals or Snacks?
  • Consumers Paying More for Convenience
  • Packaging and Technological Advances Fueling Growth
  • The Case for Case-Ready Meats
  • Expanding Distribution
  • Package Sizes Accommodate Different Family Situations and Retail Channels
  • Convenience Store Trends
  • Warehouse Club Trends
  • Vending Machine Trends
  • Natural Food Store Trends

Chapter 3: Competitive Trends

• Overview
  
  • Competing on Convenience
  • Large Companies Have the Edge
  • The Importance of Being Smaller
  • Marketing as Child’s Play
  • Meals and Side Dishes
  • Prepared Meal Components
  • Dairy and Deli Products
  • Condiments
  • Cereal and Cereal Bars
  • Snacks and Desserts
  • Beverages
  • Coffee Pods
  
  
• Advertising and Promotion Trends
  • Marketers Spend More Than $350 Million on Advertising
  • Nestlé and Kraft Lead Advertisers
  • Advertising Positioning
  • Advertising Linked to Marketing and Promotions
  
  
• Competitor Focus: Campbell Soup Co.
  • Corporate Background
  • Soup Business Shifts from Condensed to Ready-to-Serve
  • M’m! M’m! Good! To Go
  • Campbell’s Line and Swanson Broths Go Convenient
  • Pepperidge Farm Minis Driving Cookie Growth
  
  
• Competitor Focus: ConAgra Foods, Inc.
  • Corporate Background
  • Homestyle Bakes Dinner Kits Face Competition
  • Chef Boyardee Deep Dish Meals
  • Hunt’s Pioneers Pudding Snacks in Single Cups, Squeeze Tubes
  
  
• Competitor Focus: Del Monte Foods Co.
  • Corporate Background
  • StarKist Pioneers Tuna in a Pouch
  • Tuna Creations Expands Tuna Franchise
  
  
• Competitor Focus: General Mills, Inc.
  • Corporate Background
  • An Innovative Packager
  • Go-Gurt and Nouriche Redefine Yogurt Category
  • Raising the Bar
  • Pillsbury Freezer-to-Oven Buscuits in Pouches
  
  
• Competitor Focus: Mars, Inc.
  • Corporate Background
  • Uncle Ben’s Bowls ‘Em Over
  • Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice Ready in 90 Seconds
  
  
• Competitor Focus: Procter & Gamble Co.
  
  • Corporate Background
  • Home Café Aiming to Replace Drip Coffeemakers
  • Switching to Plastic Coffee Cans
  • Pringles Potato Crisps

Chapter 4: Packaging and Serving Size Trends

• Packaging Trends
  • Portable Cups for Eating On-the-Go
  • Squeezable Tubes
  • Vacuum Packs and Cook-in-Package Films for Fresh Foods
  • Retort Pouches Beginning to Go Mainstream
  • Aseptic Food Packages Coming of Age
  • Easy-Open Cans
  • Resealable Packaging
  • Reusable Decorative Packaging
  • Stand-Up Pouches
  • New Gallon Milk Packaging
  • Versatile Cooking Trays
  • Environmentally Friendly Packaging
  
  
• Serving Size Trends
  • Bite-Sizes and Minis
  • Downsizing
  • “Supersize Me!”
  • Single-Serve, Couples, and Family Sizes
  • “Portionability”
  • Multi-Pack Packaging
  • Table 4-1: Selected Marketers and Brands of Convenience Foods and Key New Packaging Introductions, 2002-2004

Chapter 5: Consumer Trends

• Consumer Purchasing Patterns
  
  • Note on Simmons Survey Data and Figures
  • Overview of Purchasing
  • Table 5-1: Adult Purchasing of Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes, 2003 (% of U.S. households)
  • Age Patterns
  • Table 5-2a: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Age Bracket of Purchaser, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-2b: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Age Bracket of Purchaser, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Blacks a Top Demographic
  • Table 5-3: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Ethnic Group, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Regional Preferences Depend on Product and Brand
  • Table 5-4: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Region, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Socioeconomic Levels Also Vary
  • Table 5-5: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Educational Attainment, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-6: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Employment Status, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-7a: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Household Income Bracket, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-7b: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Household Income Bracket, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Larger Households More Likely to Use Pringles, Singles and Divorced People More Likely to Use Frozen Foods and Lunch Kits
  • Table 5-8: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Marital Status, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-9: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Household Size, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  • Table 5-10: Purchasing Indices for Convenience Foods with Special Packaging or Portion Size Attributes: By Presence of Children by Age, 2003 (U.S. adults)
  
  
• Consumer Trends
  • What Consumers Want

Chapter 6: Looking Ahead

• Trends and Opportunities
  • Packaging Innovations Require Commitment
  • Needs Improvement: Easy-Open and Reclosability
  • Retort Pouches with Resealable Zipper Closings
  • The FlexiBowl Stand-Up Pouch
  • Cooler Packs
  • Looking Abroad
  • Reaching the Untapped Hispanic Market

Appendix: Addresses of Selected Marketers