Contact
Þóra Valsdóttir
Project Manager
thora.valsdottir@matis.is
Icelandic baby food - market and public requirements
Baby food refers to food that is specifically intended for infants and young children, with the exception of milk mixtures that are to replace breast milk. There are many things to consider before starting the production of baby food. Toddlers and infants are much more vulnerable in every way than adults. High demands are therefore made on safe production. Icelandic raw materials, especially vegetables and lamb, are well suited for the production of baby food because here the use of pesticides in agriculture is less than in most places and contaminants and pollutants are kept to a minimum. The results of discussion groups for parents of young children and toddlers indicate that there are opportunities to bring new, Icelandic products to market. In particular, there seems to be a lack of more types of baby food than are already available, but there are also opportunities to adapt the packaging and portion sizes of traditional Icelandic food to the needs of young children and toddlers. Purchased baby food has a negative connotation in the minds of many. In order for a new product intended for young and young children to be successful, it is first and foremost important to build trust in the brand among the buyers.
Baby food is food which is specially aimed towards infants and toddlers, excluding infant formulas which are replacement for breast milk. Many things have to be considered before starting producing baby food. Infants and toddlers are much more susceptive than grown-ups. High demands are therefore on safety of the production. Icelandic raw material, especially vegetables and lamb meat, are well suited for baby food as in Iceland the use of pesticides in agriculture is much lower than in most countries and pollution levels are low. Results from focus group discussions among Icelandic parents indicate that there are opportunities for new, Icelandic products on the market. There is especially a need for more variety but there is as well a market for existing Icelandic products in more suitable form and packaging for infants and toddlers. Processed baby food has negative image in the eyes of many parents. For new baby food products to succeed it is essential to build up a trust among parents on the integrity of the producer and quality of the products.