Startup Chicery Raises The Profile Of Chickpeas As A Nutritional Snack

Thomas Cantaro from Switzerland sees chickpeas as the perfect base for healthy snacking products from his startup brand, Chichery. The chickpeas are dry-roasted and spiced, are nut- and gluten-free and suitable for vegans. Cantaro calls the snacks a “real superfood”, containing some 24% plant protein as well as several micronutrients. So far self-financed, Cantaro does not rule out future external financing. The snacks appear in several online stores in the country and come in four flavors: Sea Salt, Sweet Chili, Sweet Sesame and Dark Chocolate, with plans to extend that 12 and to move into new retailers and countries. 

"Startup Chichery; Chickpeas as a super snack", Handelszeitung (English), January 13, 2022

Quevos Vindicating And Building On Shark Tank Investment

Introducing its snack chips based on egg whites, Chicago-based Quevos gained a $200,000 investment on Shark tank in 2021 from the founder of KIND Snacks, Daniel Lubetzky, who then injected a further $1.35 million. In return, the startup doubled sales in 2021 to $2 million as distribution expanded to retailers including GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods and Wegman's, and has so far raised $3.6 million in seed funding, to support the company’s big push in retail this year. 

"Why the founder of KIND Snacks doubled down on his Quevos investment after Shark Tank", Chicago Business Journal (Chicago, IL), January 13, 2022

Oatibix Gets A Makeover In The UK

The sister brand to Weetabix is being relaunched next month, with a new non-HFSS Nutty Crunch cereal to challenge Crunchy Nut from Kellogg's. The relaunch includes new packaging and recipe reformulation for a "crispier and lighter" cereal. Oatibix Nutty Crunch contains honeycomb pieces, caramelized nuts and honey-coated corn flakes. As well as its non-HFSS claims, the brand says it’s a source of fiber. The new green packaging is aimed at stressing the brand’s nutritional credentials. Oatibix sales in the U.K. are less than £10 million versus Weetabix sales of around 15 times that, but Oatibix is aiming for 30% growth by 2023. 

"Weetabix to relaunch Oatibix - and battle Kellogg's with 'Nutty Crunch' NPD", thegrocer.co.uk, January 12, 2022

New Campaign From ParmCrisps® Aimed at Raising Awareness Of Better-For-You Snacking

The “Unsinfully Good” marketing campaign from the artisan-crafted crunchy cheese crisp brand is designed to make consumers more aware of the brand as a player in the better-for-you snack category. It will feature across multiple channels, including TV, streaming services, and social and digital ads. The campaign kicks off next month at the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas, where visitors can be photographed as a "ParmCrisps® Angel" next to mural painted by a local artist. Tracy Garbowski, Vice President of Marketing, says the brand aims to remind consumers that snacking isn't sinful when it’s ParmCrisps they are snacking on, and will highlight the brand’s nutritional benefits, such as high protein, low carb content, gluten-free and zero sugar.

"ParmCrisps® Launches New "Unsinfully Good" Brand Campaign", PR Newswire, January 13, 2022

Boxgreen Has A Social Slant On Plant-Based Snack Boxes

The Singapore social enterprise sells plant-based boxes of snacks that are nut- and gluten-free, and vegan. Each box is packed by prison inmates in partnership with the Yellow Ribbon Project, which aims to help prisoners improve their skills and become more employable. It trains and employs over 50 ex-inmates as well as other vulnerable people, including refugees, single mothers, people with special needs and drug addicts. 

"S'pore social enterprise Boxgreen selling plant-based healthy snacks packed by inmates", Mothership.sg, January 17, 2022

Hormel Foods Rolls Out Upgrade For Planters

The peanut brand, acquired by Hormel Foods, has re-branded with a new logo and packaging, which includes a new "plant-based protein" seal, endorsed by the iconic Mr. Peanut character. The new owners want to turn around the fortunes of a brand that cost $3.3 billion from Kraft Heinz Co. in June 2021, but which has faltered despite fitting into consumer trends such as increased snacking and protein-rich eating. Hormel says it has big ambitions for the brand by extending beyond the nut aisle. The Corn Nuts brand was a part of the acquisition and is also getting strong support, which has already started to pay off. 

"Hormel goes nuts for Mr. Peanut: 'We see ourselves ... as a protein company'", Star Tribune , January 15, 2022

The Once Again Nut Butter Brand Pushed Into The Snack Aisle

available in peanut butter and sunflower seed butter varieties. The snacks are single-serve and on-the-go products, gluten-free and certified organic, made with organic sorghum flour, oat flour and cassava flour. They use palm oil certified by Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil as well as sustainably sourced cane sugar and will appear on retailers’ shelves in March. 

"Once Again launches graham cracker sandwiches", Baking Business, January 14, 2022

Upmarket UK Crisp Brand Aims To Double Sales This Financial Year

The Two Farmers crisp brand, based in Herefordshire, currently makes around 20,000 packets of crisps each day, from locally sourced ingredients and using compostable packaging made from plant cellulose. It says it is on track to more than double sales to £2 million in the year to August 2022. The brand offers five flavors: light salted, salt and cider vinegar, lightly salted, Hereford hop cheese and onion, Hereford bullshot, and Herefordshire sausage and mustard. It is launching a sixth flavor soon. The brand’s sustainability credentials have attracted prestige retailers like Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason and Harvey Nicholls. It is the exclusive crisp brand on Eurostar, is supplied to the London and Dublin offices of Google and won the Food & Drink Award at Insider’s Made in the Midlands Awards 2021.

"Sustainable Crisp Brand On Track To More Than Double Turnover", Insider Media Limited, January 13, 2022

New Product Launches Emerge In Hot Cereals But The Category Has Faltering Sales

General Mills is among the companies introducing hot cereals with Big G instant oatmeal in May 2021. Also last year, Los Angeles-based This Saves Lives debuted Kids Oatmeal, providing a full serving of fruits and vegetables as well as being gluten-, peanut-, and dairy-free. Last October, Christopher and Jennifer Jane pitched Proper Good company on Shark Tank and then introduced a pre-cooked and shelf-stable Proper Good Ready Oatmeal, adding two new varieties last month. But some of the incumbents in the category could not repeat the strength of 2020 sales last year. Some of the brands that faltered in 2021 include Quaker Oats, Cream of Wheat and Fruity Dyno-Bites, from the Malt-O-Meal line. Overall, the hot cereal/oatmeal category saw sales dip over 3% in the year to December 26. Private label sales were down 15%.

"General Mills, others warm up to hot cereal category", Food Business News, January 12, 2022

New Poll Finds Americans Just want To Snack

A recent OnePoll survey highlighted the relationship U.S. consumers have with snacks. Over 60% say they prioritize nutrition over taste when choosing healthy snacks, but 56% admit that they find it difficult to choose them over less healthy options. Snack cravings are strong, with four in 10 starting to get them by mid-afternoon. Nearly 70% would prefer to snack through the day than eat large meals, but two-thirds feel guilty if they do. When asked what appeals to them most about snacking, half said it was to calm cravings, 40% just like the taste, and almost the same percentage highlight the convenience. A third of respondents buy in bulk in case they run out, and many hide them rather than share. 

"Most Americans would rather snack all day than have full meals", Yahoo! News, January 18, 2022