Wednesday, April 15, 2009

For Immediate Release: October 24, 2008

Contact: Susan Regal Wagner

susanw@olsoncom.com

312-280-9061

New Research Shows Youth Clamor for Flavorful, Trendy Beverages

CHICAGO, IL) ? Talk about a straw poll. New market research from Y-Pulse, LLC shows that today?s preteens and teens are interested in more sophisticated and trendy beverages, including those served up at their school cafeteria.

In a recent online survey through the popular youth community Whyville.com, Y-Pulse asked middle and junior high school students to share what types of foods and drinks would be available in a ?dream kitchen? at their school. ?Interestingly enough, right behind pizza as a dream food, certain types of beverages came up frequently in our survey. Soda, milk and water are still staples of young people?s diets, but if they had a choice, they said they?d like the opportunity to fill their cup or grab a bottle of other types of beverages,? reports Tami Cline, a longtime foodservice industry consultant and the co-founder of Y-Pulse.

According to Jen Sun, Ph.D., president of Numedeon, Inc., the parent company of Whyville, the findings from the Whyville survey are an accurate reflection of young consumers? perspectives and can provide keen insight into that demographic for those who develop and market youth-oriented products. ?This represents a new potential area for growth for school foodservice operators trying to gauge the pulse of their young audience and boost incremental sales at the same time,? Sun notes.

Smoothies were a frequently-cited beverage in the Y-Pulse online survey. Several respondents indicated they enjoy drinking fruit-based smoothies outside of school and would like to see their cafeteria mixing up smoothies or putting in some kind of smoothie dispenser.

Moreover, beyond basic strawberry and banana flavors, young school cafeteria patrons expressed a taste for exotic smoothies. As one participant wrote, ?I want smoothies with unusual, colorful fruit, such as mangoes, passion fruit, kiwi and star fruit.?

Survey respondents also indicated a desire for different types of juices and juice-based drinks, such as cranberry and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Other beverages frequently mentioned in open-ended replies to Y-Pulse?s dream kitchen poll included: energy drinks, iced and hot teas and coffee drinks. ?Quite a few students thought it would be a good idea to bring in a partner ? a national coffee brand was mentioned by multiple survey respondents ? to provide some of their favorite blended fruit drinks and coffee drinks,? adds Cline.

Tied to interest in a variety of beverages was the overall demand for customization. Several respondents replied they?d like to see dispensers that would allow them to fill (and refill) soda, water, juice and milk. ?Choice is very important to this age group and we saw that repeatedly in this survey, with their comments about being able to pick and pour their own drinks for breakfast and lunch,? says Cline.

Even as students clamored for more and different types of drinks in school foodservice settings, they also offered a few recommendations for traditional beverages. A number of respondents, for instance, emphasized that they wanted cold milk and fresh juice, underscoring this generation?s growing knowledge of and interest in food quality and freshness.

Y-Pulse, LLC is a research and consulting firm that specializes in helping companies in the food business better understand tomorrow?s tastemakers today. It is a certified Women?s Business Enterprise, with offices located in Chicago and Alexandria, VA. For more information on Y-Pulse, their services offered or upcoming studies, please contact info@ypulse.org, at 312.280.9061. Y-Pulse is a registered trademark of Y-Pulse, LLC.

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