Whatever the product, from a breakfast cereal to a power bar, there is now a massive market for specific products that meet gender-unique nutritional needs.

The brands that entered the nutrition-for-women market likely based their decisions on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) findings, like those from 1996: Less than half of all women ingest the recommended levels of vital nutrients, such as calcium and iron.

It has by now been well documented that diet plays a big role in the prevention of osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer. Then, too, accommodating women's busy lives has further impelled the development of quick ways to fit solid nutrition into a woman's daily routine. By talking with women early on in the development of a nutritional product, you'd likely understand the best way to customize the product and packaging to zero in on women's concerns. Changes might include:

• Provide a good portion of each day's calcium requirement to prevent osteoporosis.

• Add nutrients and soy protein to boost protection against heart disease.

• Use promotional copy that espouses the product's essential nutrients specifically for a woman's diet.

• Maintain your established logo and brand, but possibly include a female graphic element.

• Package the product to reflect a woman's mobile life, for example, in individually wrapped portions or smaller containers (environmental concerns aside).

As women's health has gotten more and more coverage across all media channels over the years, few women have escaped the realization that they have unique nutritional needs. Creating a product branded "for women" that provides key gender-specific nutritional elements utilizes a visible approach to its utmost beneficial effect. Making it easy for a woman to learn about and find your product through visible ad campaigns, package design, shelf placement and product naming will further enhance your sales.

In specific cases, women embrace those brands that were developed to meet their gender-specific needs, highlighting "for women" or "for her" in their title and packaging.