The shift to fresher foods is unstoppable. Whether it’s gluten-free breaded fresh chicken strips, artisanal Scandinavian rye loaves, or refrigerated coconut milk, today’s consumer focus -- especially among trend-setting Millennials -- is on fresh, real, and clean label foods, preferably with a health and wellness halo. The new landscape of consumer priorities can be difficult for center store, shelf-stable product manufacturers to respond to, but it’s open season for innovation along the grocery store perimeter.

During ECRM's recent Frozen, Refrigerated and In-Store Bakery EPPS, Marketresearch.com Research Director David Sprinkle discussed these trends, including the increased focus on protein (meat and plant), grain innovation, superfood trends, and consumer ingredient avoidances.

Among the topics he discussed were:

• The role of health-oriented culinary trends in perimeter product innovation, and point to opportunities for menu-to-shelf trend translation
• A cross-category survey of how “freshness” can anchor successful innovation in fresh and refrigerated packaged products
• How how emerging consumer attitudes on health & wellness play out in perimeter, frozen, and center store shopping patterns, with a focus on Millennial-driven change