NCI Cereal Innovators Webinar Series | Featuring Melanie Bartelme

Melanie Bartelme, Associate Director and Global Food Analyst for Mintel Food & Drink.

Each month, NCI updates the “Cereal Innovators” series that offers insight into the world of baking and cereal grains. During the webinar, participants were instructed on the topic of “The Future of Pasta, Rice, and Noodles.” Last week’s presentation featured Melanie Bartelme, Associate Director and Global Food Analyst for Mintel Food & Drink.

Bartelme began her presentation by discussing where the industry that is pasta, rice, and noodles currently is. Brands are placing increasing emphasis on sustainable shifts in pasta and rice packaging, and are driven by an increasing consumer desire for these changes (particularly in Europe). According to Bartelme, branded launches of pasta and related products continue to account for more activity than private-label brands; however, this doesn’t indicate brand loyalty. Amongst the strong financial uncertainty situation consumers are grappling with (ex. inflation), Bartelme made it clear that rice and noodle brands are being challenged to convince consumers to come back again.

Consumer preferences for pasta, rice, and noodles regarding healthfulness.

Additionally, whole-grain and high-fiber claims are not keeping pace with demand. Numerous product launches have foregone including these ingredient claims, with some categories actually declining (ex. claims of whole-grains in rice). This goes against the trend of consumers associating fiber and whole-grains with health benefits, and are therefore seeking them out in their pasta, rice, and noodles. It also presents an opportunity for brands to better communicate the whole-grain and fiber content of their products in the future.

Speaking of the future, Bartelme then pivoted to discussing what the pasta and rice industry is set to look like over the course of the next two years. Firstly, she reiterated the idea introduced earlier: consumers will continue to seek healthfulness from their pasta, rice, and noodles. In turn, these products will show that, if incorporated healthfully, carbohydrates can contribute to a healthy diet (even amongst declining consumption). Brands are also responsible for showing how this is possible, which Bartelme described as “connecting carbs with satiety and energy.”

Nutritionally-boosted products as a "shortcut to health."

This principle is also set to make alternative products (ex. low-glycemic pastas and rice) more mainstream. By including this claim in the marketing of these products, more consumers will be drawn to them as conditions such as type-2 diabetes continue to rise. This once again circles back to maintaining a healthy diet – something that not only was intensified by the pandemic but is also tasking pasta and noodle brands to adjust the composition of their products to add the nutritional benefits consumers are seeking.

Other challenges are also present for these brands. Current record-high inflation in the United States and other parts of the world is forcing some consumers to consider private-label options rather than branded options, simply due to their reduced cost per unit. This means that these brands will need to convince consumers that, while their products are more expensive than their private-label counterparts, they’re worth the added cost. To do this, brands should focus specifically on the unique attributes their products offer compared to their competition.

Statistics regarding flavored pasta, rice, and noodle consumption.

Another method that brands can use to accomplish this goal is to experiment with new and exciting flavors of pasta. These alternative flavors are a big driver of consumer engagement, making this a great way to continue growing their brands. Younger consumers (Millennials and Gen Z-ers, speicifically) are swayed by innovative product flavors, which makes them a prime target for brands’ efforts in this area. By appealing to this group of people, brands can work towards retaining consumers, even amongst the challenges discussed earlier.

Finally, Bartelme briefly touched on what should be expected from brands and consumers alike by discussing what will likely happen in the next five years and beyond. First and foremost, agricultural innovation is set to transform the experiences of consumers with these products. Through a variety of factors, new challenges have emerged (ex. supply chain issues) that manufacturers will need to correct in order to support the next generation of pasta, rice, and noodles. Additionally, these manufacturers will need to continue innovating their products using “new” ingredients such as Kernza (a perennial grain) and Bambara (a groundnut). Once again, doing this will appeal to the consumers they seek and ensure their products remain sustainable, even against the odds.

The Northern Crops Institute greatly appreciates Melanie Bartelme’s professional input and involvement in our webinar series. At NCI, we continue to fulfill our mission to support regional agriculture and value-added processing by conducting educational and technical programs that expand and maintain domestic and international markets for northern grown crops.          

For more information about future webinars offered at NCI, click here.         

To view the webinar, click the recording below.