Product managers advised to study American consumer trends checklist.

Campbell vice president analyzes the evolving food needs and desires of a changing population. And there's a lot more than just healthy eating that's in. For example: functional foods, take-out fare, and good old-fashioned value.

While perhaps coping with greater stress owed to fast-paced lifestyles and workplace pressures brought on by the uncertainties of a restructuring economy, Americans today are apt to be more sober and a lot smarter than ever before. That's what Gary Moss of Campbell Soup Co. told delegates attending the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses' annual convention.

He set the stage at the recent meeting in Tucson, Ariz., by quoting a line from Alfred Malabre's book, Within Our Means, to underscore the changing mindset of consumers: "If self-indulgence marked the '80s, increased concern about the future is the watchword of the new decade."

Moss, who is vice president of marketing communications and global advertising for the Camden, N.J.-headquartered international food company, suggested that similar shifting consumer trends are reshaping consumption patterns not only in the United States, but around the world.

One such trend is healthy eating, which has been getting a lot of press lately -- and for good reason. The per capita consumption of broccoli among Americans, for example, has tripled during the past 20 years. The heady green vegetable, which is rich in antioxidant, cancer-fighting vitamins, has evolved from being regarded as a side dish largely served within ethnic Italian households, to become a mainstream USA staple.

"How many of us would have been able to predict it back in 1970?" asked Moss. We at Campbell didn't, but we have been able to capitalize on the trend with our highly successful Cream of Broccoli and Broccoli Cheese Soups. When Cream of Broccoli was first introduced in 1990 it was our most successful new soup in over half a century. And Broccoli Cheese is performing just as well."

Moss recalled a headline that appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper recently: If It's Green or Orange, Eat It! "We can make it really simple for consumers," he said. "Why not think about adding broccoli, or some other similar food as an ingredient, in order to transmit therapeutic value to our packaged foods?"

The Campbell executive noted that the United States is seeing "substantial changes in what we as a country are eating...And astute marketers need to pay close attention or get left in the dust of competition."

He went on to list a number of signposts that are pointing to the way increasingly traveled by consumers

* Yogurt consumption has more than tripled since 1970. Low calorie sweeteners have grown at the expense of refined sugar. Rice, pasta and breakfast cereal sales are all up, reflecting a dietary shift to more grains. And cholesterol and fat-laden eggs and butter have clearly lost popularity.

* As for beverages: wine and beer consumption is up, while the imbibing of hard liquor is down. Full fat milk has been replaced by low fat alternatives as the milk option of choice. Reconstituted frozen orange juice is no longer convenient enough in many hurried, dual-income households. Hence the rise in full-strength liquid OJ sales.

* When it comes to at-home consumption, pizza is king in terms of percentage growth -- up 11% last year. It is also the No. 1 selection made during dinner meal occasions. Other products charting sizable sales increases are tacos, burritos, turkey, hot dogs and pasta. Dinnertime decliners include cake, beef, coffee and alcoholic beverages.

* On the restaurant scene, it's Mexican cuisine, Oriental food, rice and submarine sandwiches that are on the rise. Such menu pleasers are increasingly being washed down with juices, tea and carbonated soft drinks.

* With more of the American food dollar being spent on away-from-home consumption, it's interesting to note that sales of take-out meals continue to advance. At least half of that food ends up being eaten at the workplace or even in the car. "The restaurant kitchen is becoming a commissary for the mobile American consumer," said Moss. "Eating in the car seems to be a growing preoccupation with Americans, as one out of two has eaten meals while driving. This sort of makes you wonder about your safety, doesn't it?"

* The USA's growing minority and ethnic populations will continue to have a flavorful effect on the foods people eat. Recipes popular with Asians, Hispanics and African-Americans are moving from the stove's back burner to the front.

* So-called clean foods will clean up even more in the marketplace. Only natural ingredients are utilized in such products, and the use of same is boldly spelled out on packaging. "Simply Fruit, a cleaner version of jams and jellies, is up 6% compared to flat growth for the overall market," reported Moss.

* Vegetarianism is cropping up, with more than 7% of the US population claiming to eat meatless main dishes on a regular basis. Some big foodservice players are very aware of the green that can be earned from those who like their greens. Burger King, for example, is testing a Spicy Bean Burger in New York, while McDonald's is trying out a Beefless Burger in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, on the retail front ConAgra's nutritionally-positioned meals -- while not claiming to be vegetarian -- feature a variety of meatless offerings including Vegetable Enchiladas, Garden Potato Casserole and Stuffed Manicotti.

"While functional foods are not really new (Hippocrates, as far back as 400 BC, said: "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food."), the idea of eating for therapeutic reasons or to improve performance is shining anew in a graying America. And in Japan it is believed that the size of the functional food market could triple within five years. So look for more garlic-laced dishes, herbal ingredients and calcium dietary supplements (the latter is already a $44 million market in Japan) to branch out from side street health food shops to main street grocery outlets.

But it will probably evolve slowly, cautioned Moss, "because there are so many potential land mines that get in the way of faster progress. There's the issue of FDA approval, of claim substantiation (which could take years), of insurance ramifications, potential lawsuits, and consumer confusion."

* Notwithstanding all the healthy eating that is going on, watch out for the counter trend movement that is getting a boost from people more interested in good taste than in feeling guilty about not eating the "right" things. "We do question whether certain healthy foods are 'getting a cold'," advised Moss. He cited a finding published recently in the Yankelovich Monitor that concluded: "Taste is now the No. 1 concern of buyers of prepared foods, many of whom feel enough time has been spent on nutritional issues."

And Noble Associates' Food Channel says that people are fed up with feeling guilt. "It's time to ease up on consumers and let them decide what's right."

Interestingly, Moss continued, on one hand consumers say they are discouraged from eating foods such as fried chicken or french fries. But in actuality they are not consuming any less. "In fact, they're eating more french fries. And when they go out, they're ordering fried chicken more often."

Alluding to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, Moss noted that words like "low fat" or "fat free" emblazoned on retail packs no longer guarantee success for manufacturers. "They say that tapping the market for light and low-fat foods has proved more difficult than expected. Successes like Campbell's Healthy Request soups and Ben & Jerry's frozen yogurt were cited, but so were sales losses on brands like Kraft Miracle Whip Free and Hostess Lights Snack Cakes."

* Indulgence may be a sin, but when it comes to ice cream it's apparently one that many mortals are perfectly willing to forgive themselves for. "Not only do consumers crave more flavor, they want indulgence as well," said Moss. "Just take a look at the new line of Haagen-Dazs ice creams: Triple Brownie Overload, Peanut Butter Burst, Caramel Cone Explosion. If they don't spell indulgence, what does?"

* Value is turning out to be one of the hottest hot buttons of the '90s. "Consumers have become trained to seek out the best possible value, and they're not likely to change their behavior anytime soon," said the vice president. "That's why we've seen increasing sales for the Campbell line of family size soups. And in other sections of the supermarket, there's On-Cor family size entrees like lasagna."

* Anyone who dismisses the move toward private label lightly does so at his own peril. Hand-in-hand with the return to value that followed the high-spending 1980s into the recession-weary '90s, store brands have made tremendous gains at the expense of branded products.

Moss cited the President's Choice line from Loblaw's in Canada as a case in point. The high quality range has been made available exclusively to one supermarket chain in each of selected regions in the USA. "We consider such premium private label products as a much more significant threat than anything else during the past 20 years in the way of private label or generics," he said.

Certainly the Campbell Soup executive's observations provided a lot of good food for thought.

Lean Cuisine Rolls Out 4 New Meatless Entrees

Stouffer Foods Corp. recently bolstered its line of Lean Cuisine meatless entrees with a national rollout of four new products: Classic Cheese Lasagna, Marinara Twist, Cheddar Bake with Pasta and Vegetables, and Three-Bean Chili with Rice. Retailing at prices ranging from $1.79 to $2.29, the packs weigh between nine and 11.5 ounces.

"They capitalize on the growing popularity of meatless dishes, draw new consumers to the frozen entree category, and increase repeat and multiple purchases among our current health-conscious users," said Angelo Iantosca, the Solon, Ohio-based vice president of marketing for Lean Cuisine.

The brand now offers more than a dozen meatless entrees in all. The trend toward greater intake of such products is underscored by the results of a consumer survey recently published in Vegetarian Times magazine, which claimed that over 70% of all Americans prepare two or more meatless meals a week at home.

Each of Lean Cuisine's new meatless entrees contains no more than 30% calories from fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol or fewer, and under 600 milligrams of sodium. The calorie count is 300 or less.