Soon after I started walking the floor of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) show in early May, two themes stood out-convenience and indulgence-with indulgence not necessarily meaning high calorie and high fat, rather delicious and pleasurable.
Also apparent was the absence of "low-carb," even though carbohydrates continue to be a buzz, according to Lawrence Shiman, v.p., Opinion Dynamics Corp., Cambridge, Ma. What has changed is carb language. Shiman told FMI attendees that despite the demise of the low-carb diet, the phenomenon is still one that every food industry organization must address. "Carb-conscious consumers still make up one-third of all U.S. consumers," he said.