Often rich in antioxidants, superfoods are touted as the ultimate nutritional panacea, promising health, beauty and long life. And with its premium price tag, the category also promises lucrative rewards for manufacturers.
"When a product is termed a 'superfood', there seems to be an incredible media frenzy," says Mark Leather, md of wholesaler Country Products, which sells a range of organic and health foods. "Goji berries, for example, have been something the media has caught hold of, and it's certainly useful for us, as we sell them. You definitely see a ripple once a product has been termed a 'superfood'."
Supermarkets have been quick to catch on too, and both Sainsbury and Tesco now have dedicated superfoods sections selling linseed, hemp oil, soya nuts, and a variety of products branded by superfoods advocates Gillian McKeith and The Food Doctor. "It is a helpful term for us," agrees Sainsbury product developer Lucy Wager who is involved in the company's convenience range. "We're currently working on a range called Super Naturals, and we have products like Beef with Blueberries. The superfoods tag helps customers understand why we're putting these ingredients in our products."
There is something of a north-south divide, however, and Leather has noticed a significant drop in superfoods sales north of Watford where price plays a larger factor in people's food choices. "When I talk to southern retailers about how much Goji berries are being sold for, they can price them at £3.60 for 100g and they'll sell," he says. "But we price ours at £3.00 for 100g up north, and people change their mind about buying them when they find out the price."
Nevertheless, there's no denying that the superfoods category is a growing key seller and a conference dedicated to the subject is scheduled for March 16. Event organiser Leatherhead Food International expects the conference to educate trade insiders as to the emerging superfood contenders, and provide manufacturers with a forum in which to discuss the topic.
Dr Paul Berryman, director of research at Leatherhead, says: "It's a big subject, and we're hoping to get an interesting debate surrounding it. After all, superfoods haven't yet been defined by the FSA [Food Standards Agency], and there are various terms bandied about."
In the numerous published works on the subject, broccoli, blueberries, yoghurt, salmon, tomatoes, green tea and nuts almost universally make it on to 'the list'. But some superfoods advocates have a narrower definition. Online superfoods retailer Of The Earth, for example, only includes minimally processed exotic foods, which are ethically sourced and have been historically used for their health benefits. So while Maca powder, of Aztec origins makes its retail list, broccoli does not. "We define a superfood as a wholefood which is particularly nutrient rich," explains md Adam Taffler.
For other retailers though, it seems more or less anything can be labelled a superfood, as long as the target market is health conscious. In fact it seems there's little to stop any product with a well-oiled marketing machine from jumping on the bandwagon.
Sugar-substitute xylitol, for example, is currently being promoted to the press as a superfood despite falling rather short of the remit usually described by nutritionists. Research has shown xylitol to make the mouth more alkaline, strengthening bone density of teeth, and creating a more hostile environment for bacteria. So despite conferring benefits which would be equally apparent from the consumption of fluorinated water, xylitol is still able to market itself as a superfood.
Another product with less obvious superfood credentials is black tea, which is being voraciously marketed as conferring superfood benefits by both Tata Tetley's Tetley Tea and Unilever's PG Tips. While previous campaigns have focused on the 'lift' aspect of a daily cuppa, late 2006 unveiled dual plans to cash-in on the superfoods market, focusing on the antioxidant and hydrating qualities of black tea. This is despite the fact that black tea's only claim to fame is having markedly fewer flavonoids and antioxidants than green tea - most of which are negated by the addition of milk.
So how do more dedicated suppliers of superfood products feel about the big names cashing in on their hard earned niche? "To be honest, we just find it funny when other retailers try to pick up the superfoods label for products which clearly aren't superfoods," says Taffler.
He is probably right to be confident. While the term 'superfoods' might have a transitory media cache, the accepted concentration of such products in the health-conscious south-east suggests the niche is likely to remain. In fact experts have even predicted that this category could become even more specialised in the future.
"What we're seeing at the moment are 'super ingredients'," says Berryman. "This is where ingredients are actually aimed at the specific genetics of a consumer. For example, there is a genetic glitch that can make people more susceptible to cataracts as they age. Although this can't be cured, it can be remedied by a high lutein diet. And we're already seeing manufacturers offering a genetic test for this particular flaw for a few hundred pounds, after which you could be targeted for lutein-rich ingredients to prevent cataracts at a later stage of life."
This highly specialist attitude to food may be some way in the future, but larger manufacturers can make more headway into the mainstream category by incorporating known superfoods into established products.
Jordans has capitalised on this with a new range of superfood cereals, mueslis, porridges and bars. Already well known for incorporating exotic dried fruit in its products, the new range uses multigrain clusters, cranberries, blackcurrants, blueberries, almonds and pumpkin seeds - hitting almost every available dried superfoods stalwart.
Conversely, incorporating lesser known superfoods into familiar products is also a useful way to increase market penetration. MotherHemp began retailing hemp as part of other food products - a strategy which met with great success. "I think people might pick up the hemp oil or the seeds and wonder what to do with them," says md Ria Spencer. "But they pick up a packet of spelt and hemp pasta, and it's obvious to them how to use it." MotherHemp now manufacturers pasta, cereal bars, pesto and even ice-cream.
So while there is certainly a niche for premium superfoods, it seems the wider market prefers them as an ingredient within familiar manufactured foods. In fact, the suitability of a given superfood to incorporation within other products could determine its longevity on the fickle consumer health market.
Snacking on Goji berries might not make it past the New Year's fad for many consumers, but the chance to buy a version of their regular cereal or snack bar fortified with seeds and berries probably will. So the news for manufacturers is that the real superfoods are those that can be successfully dried or frozen, which could explain why after several years on the market, the versatile blueberry is still at the top of everyone's list. FM