Feeding America's craving for all-natural ingredients
Pipcorn is healthy popcorn by a New York City-based company called Pipsnacks that is popped in small batches and seasoned by hand. The creators behind it, brother and sister Jen and Jeff Martin, wanted to create a healthy snack that is all natural, gluten free, non-GMO, vegan and whole grain.
"So many people are conscious of what they're putting in their body," Jen Martin told CBS News. They say their product's health claims are a big selling point.
They're far from the only ones trying to cater to customers who are seeking more natural ingredients in their food. Some of the nation's biggest companies are also trying to cash in on America's all-natural cravings, even if they have to change their recipes to do it.
- Kraft recently announced that it will be removing artificial orange and yellow dye from its popular macaroni and cheese. Starting in January 2016, it will be colored with natural ingredients including turmeric, paprika and annatto.
- Tyson Foods recently announced that it will get rid of antibiotics used in its chicken over the next two years to address growing problems with antibiotic resistance.
- Chipotle is now using only non-GMO (genetically modified) ingredients in all of its food.
- Panera Bread plans to remove more that 150 ingredients such as artificial additives and preservatives like MSG from its food by the end of 2016. It will also only sell salad dressings made without artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors and preservatives.
- McDonalds said it's simplifying its chicken recipe to remove ingredients people might not recognize such as maltodextrin, a sugar that adds flavor and increases browning.
Michelle Greenwald, a professor of marketing at Columbia Business School, told CBS News that Americans are more aware of their health and are looking for more natural foods without artificial ingredients.
"Going back to simple ingredients, all natural," she said. Greenwald also said that people are willing to pay more for healthy alternatives. "It's a quality of life issue that's kind of an affordable indulgence."