With the potential market pitched by the industry to be in the region of $12bn, the low-carb diet has its roots in a weight-loss strategy launched some 30 years ago by Dr. Atkins that steers away from carbohydrates in favour of proteins.
Designed from scratch, the new Carb Options line of sauces, marinades, salad dressings, peanut spread, bars and shakes from Unilever Bestfoods is set to grab a slice of the growing market, that has an estimated 30 million American folllowers.
The line, composed of 18 different products, is based on a number of the company brands already familiar to the consumer - Ragu, Wish-Bone, Skippy, Lipton and Lawry's - that have been formulated for use as part of a low carb diet.
A recent online survey conducted by Impulse Research in December on 1,508 men and women representing a cross-section of the US and 1,500 men and women in 10 major US cities revealed the number one complaint to be 'missing their favorite foods', followed closely by lack of variety in the range of meals and snacks they consider acceptable to eat while on the diet. Notably, women reported "craving" variety at a higher rate (46 per cent) than men (35 per cent).
With the new range, Unilever Bestfoods is making a bid to answer the demand. 'We know that at least 30 million people are living the low-carb lifestyle and that number is expected to double in the next year," said Lisa Klauser, vice president of Integrated Marketing for Unilever Bestfoods. "This shift in America's eating habits is unprecedented. With the launch of the Carb Options line, we are answering the carb-counters call - 'bring taste to the table!'she added.
In 2002, the Anglo-Dutch group Unilever reported global sales of approximately $47 billion with the US contributing about $12 billion to the overall figure.