Designing New and Functional Foods for the Aging

The aging population seems to be an attractive market in terms of its size and spending power. However, biological age does not provide a useful basis for marketing practice, because the group is highly heterogeneous. The present chapter builds on the general principles of consumer-led new product development to explore the development of novel foods for this diverse population of consumers. In doing this, it illustrates that relevant changes occur with age in terms of cognition, motivation, and identity, and that these may provide an entry point for effective marketing strategies. The chapter provides concrete recommendations regarding the development of novel foods for older consumers, and ends with a discussion on implications for functional food development.