Additions to existing products to create new items

Additions to existing products to create new items

Innovation never ceases to amaze us

This is the eighth of our trends that we have published for 2026. We were not able to attend CHFA in BC last week but we know many people in the industry were there. Some of the products being introduced or showcased at CHFA would fit into this trend.

Consumers are being inundated with protein and adaptogens in several categories. Protein is being added to many items from pancakes to water. Mushrooms and ginseng are appearing in beverages to boost immune systems and raise energy levels. Unfortunately, some people might start to believe if there is no additive, there is something missing. Many consumers will make the decision to buy at the shelf. Spend time in the stores to ensure your value proposition is compelling.

Our SKUFood trends are different. We focus on the entire value chain and look for insights to help you as you navigate through another year in this challenging industry. There are several sources for trends to help you understand what is happening with consumers. They are important and we encourage you to consider how they impact your target market and your products.

Some definitions

As we work on our trends each year we learn a lot. It is a great exercise to keep us up to date and knowledgeable in the industry. We wanted to start this week with a few definitions. If you are well versed in the natural health space you might find this repetitive but we had to do some research so we wanted to share what we found. Some of these words/terms are not new but we hear them out there and not sure everyone has a great understanding of what they are.

Adaptogens- natural substances found in certain herbs and mushrooms that help the body resist various stressors and promote hormonal balance. These powerful plant allies including ashwagandha, ginseng, and reishi mushroom work by modulating the body's stress response system, helping to maintain equilibrium during both physical and emotional challenges.

This definition from Natura Market where they have a very good article to explain more detail and the impacts of these products.

Collagen-the glue that holds your body together. This critical protein gives structure and support to connective tissues, including your skin, bones, ligaments, tendons and the cartilage that protects your joints. 

It is made up of three amino acids — often a combination of glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. Types of collagen vary, depending on how the molecules are arranged and where collagen is used in the body. Scientists have identified 28 types of collagen, but four or five usually make it into dietary supplements.

• Type I — by far the most abundant — is found in your skin, teeth, bones, tendons and ligaments. 
• Type II makes up about 90% of the collagen in cartilage.
• Type III is in the skin’s middle layer (dermis), muscles and blood vessels.
• Type IV is a thin layer of tissue supporting cells in the kidneys, lungs, intestines and eyes.
• Type V is in hair and cell surfaces.

Types I and III are best for skin; type II is specific for joint pain.

Type X collagen, found in bone and joint cartilage, is a potential biomarker for osteoarthritis (a biological indicator that the condition is present). In studies, people with osteoarthritis (OA) were more likely to have high levels of this type of collagen.

Hydrolyzed vs. Undenatured Collagen

There are two main types of collagen dietary supplements:

• Hydrolyzed collagen (also called collagen peptides or collagen hydrolysate). This type of collagen is easier for your body to absorb and use. It’s often in powder form and dissolves in liquids like smoothies and coffee. Much of the quality of hydrolyzed collagen depends on how it’s processed. 
• Undenatured type II collagen (UC-II). Undenatured collagen hasn’t been broken down or exposed to heat, acids and enzymes. It’s almost always derived from chicken breastbone cartilage, whereas hydrolyzed collagen can come from a variety of animal sources, including hides, hooves, bones and scales from cows, pigs or fish.  
  
  Your body makes collagen when it breaks down the protein you eat into amino acids. The problem is that the process slows with age. Collagen starts declining by age 25 or 30; after age 40, about 1% a year is lost. By age 80, your body has a fraction of the collagen it had when you were young. Smoking, drinking alcohol, getting too much sun, and too little exercise and sleep speed up the loss. So do menopause and autoinflammatory forms of arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Not only does the body make less collagen, its quality isn’t as high as it is in younger bodies. Collagen supplements, which generate $2 billion in annual revenue in the U.S., are marketed as helping to restore youthfully smooth skin and flexible, pain-free joints. While these supplements aren’t the fountain of youth, they do have cosmetic and health benefits.

This definition from the arthritis foundation of Canada

Electrolytes- A substance in the blood and other body fluids that carries an electric charge. Electrolytes are responsible for the movement of nutrients and wastes into and out of cells to keep body fluids balanced and to allow muscles to function properly.

Examples of electrolytes include calcium, chloride, potassium and sodium.

This definition from the Canadian Cancer Society

Fiber- Fibre is a non-digestible carbohydrate found in plant foods. It is an important part of a healthy diet and plays many roles in the body.

Fibre may help:

• Bowel regularity
• Lower blood cholesterol levels
• You feel full longer

Fibre can be found in:

• Fruits
• Legumes such as dried beans, lentils, peas, soybeans
• Nuts and seeds
• Vegetables
• Whole grains such as whole grain breads, cereals, crackers and pasta, brown rice, hulled barley, oats

Canadian women need 25 grams of fibre per day and men need 38 grams of fibre per day. Most Canadians are only getting about half that much.

This definition from Health Canada

Protein- An important nutrient for your health. It helps build and repair body tissues. Like carbohydrates and fat, protein is a source of energy (also called Calories).

Protein is mostly found in:

• Dairy products such as cheese, milk and yogurt
• Eggs
• Fish and seafood
• Legumes such as beans, dried peas, lentils, soybeans
• Meat such as beef, lamb, pork, veal
• Nuts and seeds
• Poultry like chicken and turkey

There is no % Daily Value (% DV) for protein in the Nutrition Facts table. This is because most people get enough protein, so it is not a health concern for Canadians who eat a mixed diet.

There are many more words out there to define but these are a few we hear a lot and wanted to share what they really are. Some consumers are very knowledgeable and some believe because the brand tells them they need it they believe they need it.

Natural Health Products

In Canada there is a rigorous process to make the claim of being a natural health product. This is in place to protect businesses that have made the investment in product development and can provide the proof the product does what they say it can do. This category has exploded and you can find many linear feet of natural health products.

Some were critical of the approval process and the time it was taking. We always have to find a balance between oversight to ensure we can rely on products that make claims and the time it takes to complete the due diligence.

Consumers who are more knowledgeable are looking for NHP but many are happy to see some of these terms on the package and believe they are doing making a good purchase.

Health Canada definition of Natural Health Product

Some items we are watching

There is a lot of innovation in these categories and you can find the products in specialty health food stores and all of the large grocery stores. Here are some product featured in the CHFA Launch Pad competition last week in BC.

Crumblz Protein Rice Reinvents the pantry staple with 6x more protein and fewer carbs in just five minutes, made with two whole-food ingredients grown and made in Canada.

Dodjivi 4 Protection Mushroom coffee mix: Blends smooth Arabica coffee with four functional mushrooms, including lion’s mane and reishi, to support clean energy, focus, and everyday wellness without the crash. 

Origin Seawater Electrolytes  Functional Alchemy Beverages: Delivers ocean-sourced electrolytes with over 92 essential minerals in a clean, ready-to-drink format designed for high-sweat athletes and everyday hydration with no sugar or artificial flavours. 

Some other items to check out

Foursigmatic coffee- Whether that’s your body or your mind, we believe that mushrooms are the key to living a healthier and happier life. Here at Four Sigmatic, we use our Nordic roots and foraging traditions to share functional mushroom’s benefits with you and your family in easy to incorporate coffees, elixirs, and more.

NovaSecco- Made with Soluble Corn Fibre, Taurine, Vitamin C and zero sugar, Novasecco prebiotic sodas are a great way to support digestive health, help regulate blood sugar, assist with appetite control and promote gut-brain access.

New categories emerge

One of the challenges with many of these items is where to put them or where to find them in stores. If they are beside traditional items like coffee beans they are much more expensive but that is where the vast majority of coffee is purchased in the store. They are usually emerging brands so they can’t pay the listing fees the big, established conventional brands can pay.

When you can help your customers figure out where your products sell best that will help your relationship. I remember listening to the How I Built this podcast episode sharing the story of Poppi. They had to work so hard to help retailers understand how different they were from traditional soft drinks or soda as they say in US. Once they were able to define a new category called good for you soda their sales really started to grow.

If you want to see an example of an emerging category check out the adaptogenic drinks at Natura Market.

You might not be planning to develop or introduce products with these ingredients but you do need to know it is happening and if it will impact the category where you compete.

SKUFood Recipes for Success Podcast

In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we sit down with John Ernst, a next-generation leader from Terra Beata Farms, one of Atlantic Canada’s most recognized cranberry growers and processors. After graduating from the Smith School of Business with a passion for entrepreneurship, John stepped into the family business during a period of rapid growth and hasn’t looked back.

Over the past six years, he has played a key role in expanding Terra Beata’s reach across retail, food service, and export markets, while also contributing to acquisitions and capital projects that continue to shape the company’s future. John’s perspective blends formal business training with hands-on experience in agriculture, manufacturing, and brand development within the agri-food space.

In this conversation, we explore what it means to join a family business at a pivotal moment, how Terra Beata has evolved from a cranberry farm into a value-added food brand, and the realities of scaling operations while staying true to their roots. This episode highlights the balance between tradition and innovation, and what’s required to grow a legacy brand into its next chapter.

If you would like to be a guest send us a note. We are always working on the upcoming episodes.

Product origin still in the news

Every store you visit has some focus on Canada and retailers are trying to help consumers understand how to find Canadian products. This is also a huge challenge. When you consider the tens of thousands of items and the fact it is not always clear where a product is produced. Unfortunately for Loblaw they made an obvious mistake on a produce item from the US. This resulted in a $10,000 fine. The item must have been incorrect in their system because the electronic shelf label has the maple leaf.

This is still a huge issue and if you are a Canadian producer or processor be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Make sure your customers know you are Canadian and if you see something in the store, point it out to them. I don’t believe Loblaw would intentionally mislabel this just to try to sell a few (although some people might argue with me), it was probably a costly mistake. If you see something like this, let them know. If they don’t act then that is their fault. If they do you might remind them next meeting you might have saved them some bad publicity and some $$.

With the focus on Canadian food and beverage we wanted to share a program we have developed with Alain Bosse, the Kilted Chef. We partner to share insights about Canadian food and beverage at conferences and events. We talk about where products come from, share insights about some hidden gems and of course Chef Alain has great tips for using the products at home. This is designed to be entertaining and engaging. Not just for food industry audiences, it works for everyone.