Have you heard of aseptic packaging? It’s a type of packaging where the contents and the container are commercially sterilized separately and are then combined in a sterile environment.

The $4.6 billion aseptic packaging market accounted for three percent of US packaging in 2015. In unit terms, demand is expected to expand 3.7 percent annually to 68.5 billion in 2020. Read on to learn more about this growing market.

Food and beverage is the dominant market within the packaging industry. Consider the wide array of packages that fill a single grocery store — from corrugated boxes, plastic clamshells, and stand-up pouches to resealable tubs and moisture-resistant boxes. More than just containers, these packaging formats are designed for specific uses — such as promoting aesthetic appeal and brand recognition, or monitoring temperature and prolonging shelf life.

Demand is expected to rise for produce, meat, seafood, and poultry packaging through 2019. In addition, the demand for active and intelligent packaging is forecast to increase, with the growing need for more advanced packaging technologies such as specialized gas scavenging and moisture control. In this post, three research analysts from the Freedonia Group, an international market research company owned by MarketResearch.com, weigh in to highlight key packaging trends and interesting new developments to watch.

In the past several years, the foodie movement in the U.S. has grown tremendously. One of the biggest crazes restaurants and retailers have seen is the desire for new and exciting food products and experiences. But which top food trends are American consumers seeking in 2016?

With help from industry expert Packaged Facts, we have written a blog post focusing on four key food trends that are driving the industry this year. Read on to learn how these trends are shaping consumer preferences.

Leeyen Rogers, age 25, decided to stop drinking soda for health reasons. Instead, she drinks tea to stay hydrated during her busy workweeks as VP of marketing at JotForm in San Francisco.

She prefers to drink iced tea during the day and hot tea at night for relaxation. For Leeyen, tea is a versatile, guilt-free beverage that doesn’t have the potential sugar crash associated with soda. “I don’t love drinking plain water, so tea is a healthy and delicious alternative,” she says.

Leeyen’s beverage choice is representative of a larger trend influencing American consumer habits. The overall demand for tea has increased due to its perceived health benefits, convenience, and availability. In the United States, volumes in the ready-to-drink tea category grew by 3.7 percent, outperforming carbonated soft drinks, which declined 1 percent.

Once a darling of Wall Street, the Whole Foods brand is facing increasing competition in a rapidly changing marketplace. Some investors have sarcastically nicknamed the company “Half Foods,” because its shares have dropped 31 percent this year. To remain competitive, Whole Foods recently announced plans to reduce its workforce by 1.6 percent, or 1,500 jobs.

Although Whole Foods has struggled recently, the natural and organic foods market has experienced strong, steady growth overall. Last year, retail sales of natural and organic foods and beverages rose 5.5 percent to nearly $53.5 billion. That figure is 53 percent higher than sales in 2009, according to Packaged Facts.

Oprah Winfrey is shaking up the $65 billion U.S. weight loss market. Last week, she bought a 10 percent stake in Weight Watchers International and joined its board of directors. As a result, the diet company’s stock more than doubled in value.

Oprah’s endorsement comes at a critical juncture for the struggling company, which has experienced 10 straight quarters of declining sales. More and more consumers are turning to high-tech activity trackers and Smartphone apps to manage their diets, and some investors question whether Weight Watchers can remain relevant in an increasingly competitive environment.

Will Oprah’s endorsement help turn around the company’s flagging revenue, or do the problems at Weight Watchers extend too far? In this article, we turn to research firm Marketdata Enterprises for some possible answers.

Chocolate candy is the most popular item given to trick-or-treaters. Last year, seasonal chocolate Halloween candy generated nearly $217 million in sales, up 12 percent from the previous year, according to consumer research firm Packaged Facts.

Chocolate candy sales have continued to rise, not just on Halloween, but throughout the entire year. In 2013, the U.S. market for chocolate candy was an estimated $21 billion, and it is expected to exceed $26 billion by 2018. A variety of factors are helping to drive sales of chocolate candy. Read on to learn more

Through Profound, users can access the world’s leading business intelligence providers in one convenient platform. With more than 200 publishers across 700 industry sectors, Profound offers a vast array of market research reports to choose from.

In this new blog series, we’ll give you an inside look at specific publishers on Profound. You'll have the opportunity to learn more about the reports they publish and what differentiates them from other publishers on the market.

Today, we’re interviewing Aroq, publisher of just-auto, just-drinks, just-food, and just-style — a publisher that provides timely news, analysis, and market intelligence. Find out more in the Q&A below.

For the past four weeks, we have been posting blogs about the growing trends and popular ingredients that are driving the U.S. sandwich industry. From authenticity to health and wellness, the six sandwiches we have covered so far each fulfill unique cravings for foodies everywhere.

In the third blog in our series, we are introducing two in-demand sandwiches that are satisfying comfort foods and growing culinary trends — brisket sandwiches and Cuban sandwiches.

Appearing in both fast-casual restaurants and upscale bistros, these sandwiches meet consumer demands for flavor adventure and authenticity.