Connected by Design: Seven Principles for Business Transformation Through Functional Integration

Chapter 1The Growth Challenge of the 21st CenturyPrinciple One: Utility is relevance.

The U.S. consumer's appetite for spicier food has been on a steady upswing at least since 2004, according to some industry reports. Between 2004 and 2009 alone, sales of spices and seasonings grew by 30 percent.¹ Younger generations in particular are expected to sustain an increasing preference for spicier, more adventurous cooking and dining. A 2012 report by Food Technology magazine showed that in the previous two years, the preference for spicy foods had grown 9 percent among Americans ages 25 to 34 and 13 percent among those ages 35 to 44.²

All these trends should register as great news for Maryland-based McCormick and Company. McCormick's brands occupy ...