Looking back is a source of inspiration…rather than a sign of stagnation. But if there is no progress…there must be decline, right? Yet, I’m sure we’re all astutely aware of trend cycles across various forms of cultural expression. And one of my personal favorites can be seen through the Hip Hop music I grew up listening to. And that’s because Hip Hop music isn’t just inspired by jazz and soul…it’s made by recycling and reimagining snippets from those classic records. In fact, the art of music sampling is what inspired one of my most used strategic mantras said countless times throughout my content…everything is a remix of the past. And I’ll probably keep needing to say it until my face turns blue, but if you want to create something that has a lasting impact on today’s CPG world, it needs to be combo of “new” yet “familiar.” Do something too closely related to the market leader and consumers won’t take notice…but do something too novel and they’re confused. Within the CPG industry, most successful products do not arrive out of nowhere; they’re remixes that recycle and reimagine existing (or past) snippets. And while I’d argue that “remixing” has always been an effective product strategy… there’s maybe a “driver of demand” that has been strengthened because of recent economic cycles that went from “goldilocks business era” of the 2010s to the "Great Shutdown" and then finally the highest rate of food inflation since the early 1980s. Currently, value-seeking shopping behavior is creating a smaller “margin of error” overall for CPG brands…which could be partly why the total number of new products launched has been decreasing with each year. And it’s not only the total number of new CPG products…but the proportion of “Big I innovation” compared to “Little I innovation.” So, maybe what consumers are demonstrating is that there’s room for new…but priority is being placed on modern versions of proven CPG products. Or as I’m about to detail, proven functional ingredients utilized within my deep domain expertise…which is the emerging and intersecting CPG categories of functional foods, functional beverages, and nutritional supplements. Is it just me or have you noticed this “rebirth of functional ingredients” phenomenon happening (it seems) more frequently (or maybe more noticeably) of late? And my latest first principles thinking content will explore how new ideas, ingredients, formats, and other elements may come and go…but some variables will perpetually stay and become foundational to the ways in which we consume. But if we’re talking about functional ingredients, it requires a scientific flywheel that’s still spinning quickly! And that’s because while many functional ingredients were popularized within that shadowy niche of sports nutrition, an ever-growing body of research with positive results has broadened use cases and expanded demographics…making them almost must-have staples for everyone. I'll share successful examples like collagen peptides, creatine, colostrum, and I predict HMB next! Whether its because of the growing healthy longevity trend or “Age of Ozempic” craze…mainstream society has a greater understanding around the importance of muscle health and strength.