Phil Lempert Predicts Top 10 Food Trends for 2012

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Baby boomers will control 52 percent of the total dollars spent on groceries, making them the largest food influencers and making iconic brands like Orville Redenbacher and Reddi-wip even more important, according to Phil Lempert, founder of Food Nutrition & Science and CEO of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com.  Lempert's Top 10 Food Trends for 2012 is featured in an article in the December issue of Food Nutrition & Science.

For more than 30 years, Lempert has predicted the top 10 food trends for the upcoming year. In 2012, Lempert says to expect farmers to become the next big food celebrities and for mobile phones to become the new way to check out at a market.

"2012 is going to be an interesting year," says Lempert. "Food prices will continue to increase, but more people – including dads – will cook at home. While technology in the store will move us forward, resurrected nostalgic brands will remind us of the past."

Also in this month's Food Nutrition & Science, an article on fat with results from a study that explain how good fats are actually essential to a person's diet, and an update with Frito Lay's Senior Director of Sustainability, Al Halvorsen, who discusses the company's sustainability efforts – including completing a "Near Net Zero" plant in Arizona and moving on to creating the most fuel efficient transportation fleet in the country.

December's Food Nutrition & Science includes information about a recent report that concludes a majority of people are concerned about the amount of food being discarded daily. According to Unilever's World Menu Report Global Research Findings 2011, 84 percent of respondents are worried about the amount of food being thrown away at home and in restaurants. Unilever talked to 3,500 people – from eight countries representing both the developed and developing world – who eat out at least once a week. Their first key concern is that there is too much professional food waste. The second key concern is making sure that food waste disposal is environmentally-friendly.

Other research results include a study from the University of Minnesota that examines if nutrition facts labels are optimally designed to help consumers make healthier food choices.

"The study shows that consumers have a limited attention span when it comes to reading Nutrition Facts labels," says Lempert. "Since they stick to the top few lines, they may miss important nutrition information that could be stored lower on the list that is important to their health and wellness. This is an opportunity for grocers to connect with their clients by educating them on labels and improving merchandising."

Food Nutrition & Science also includes a video tour with St. Paul, Minnesota sheep Farmer Malissa Schentzel, and an article about School Dudes, an innovative cafeteria ambassador program in Forest City, Pennsylvania,  where students create and promote menu items.

About Food Nutrition & Science

With more than 26,000 readers, Food Nutrition & Science from The Lempert Report is the only monthly newsletter that provides readers analysis and offers discussions on all issues relating to the food industry. Founded by food industry analyst and CEO of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com Phil Lempert, Food Nutrition & Science was created so that all industry players could communicate about the safest, most efficient and healthiest way to get food to our plates. Anyone interested in learning more about healthy foods, trends, and maneuvering the supermarket can visit iTunes and download Lempert's free iPhone mobile app called "Smarter Shopping with Phil Lempert."

For more information or to subscribe to Food Nutrition & Science, please visit www.FoodNutritionScience.com.

SOURCE Food Nutrition & Science