Mintel: Kosher Tops List of 2007 Product Launches

“Kosher” was the most frequently used claim on new products launched in the U.S. during 2007, while “All Natural” and “No Additives or Preservatives” were among the other most popular claims used on new products, according to data from Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD).

GNPD figures bear witness to the vast difference in size between the U.S. and European kosher markets. The database contains around 14, 300 entries of new products in the US and Canada in the last five years, compared to 740 in Europe.

Last year, 3,984 new kosher food products were launched, and 728 kosher beverage products.

Examples include a kosher whole wheat flour under the Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market brand (also Organic), and a kosher Talk Rain Twist Naturals beverage (also No Additives/Preservatives, Low/No/Reduced Calorie, and All Natural).

The increase in the popularity of kosher products is not only because of a growing market focus on the needs of Jewish consumers.

In a survey conducted by Mintel in 2005, 55 percent of respondents who buy kosher foods said they thought they held a higher mark of health and safety than non-kosher items. Mintel identified demand for dairy- and meat-free products as driving forces behind market growth.

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