Added Fiber Benefits Cereal, Bakery, Snack Applications

The demand for fiber in foods continues to grow, and food manufacturers have numerous opportunities to boost fiber content in their products, especially in snacks, bakery, and cereals. Nutrient-dense snacks, beverages, and even indulgent desserts are fortified with varying levels of added fiber to help people meet their wellness goals. Health-conscious shoppers and everyday athletes actively seek out fortified snacks, bars, sparkling waters, shakes, and smoothies, making them ideal targets for increased prebiotic fiber. Market data show that cereal and bakery account for two-thirds of all product launches with fiber claims. Cargill, for example, has created baked and rotary molded biscuits, gelatin jellies, ice cream, and fruit yogurts that achieve “high in fiber” claims along with a 30 percent sugar reduction.

"Addressing the “fiber gap”: Suppliers forecast growth in cereal, bakery and dairy applications", Food Ingredients First , October 25, 2021

Good Sense Foods Re-Brands, Gains Non-GMO Project Certification

The New Hope, Minn.-based producer of healthy salad toppings and snack foods, including nuts, seeds, trail mixes, and dried fruit, has upgraded its packaging, rebranded, and announced Non-GMO Project certification. According to Good Sense, the parent company of Salad Pizazz! and Good Sense Snacks, the new packaging look represents “a more contemporary approach” that relates to current trends and presents the brand in a more health-oriented and transparent way. Many of the company’s products are low in sodium, USDA organic, and made without the use of artificial flavors or colors. The snacks can be purchased online or at U.S. retail stores, including Target, Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, Menards, Safeway, Publix, and Meijer, among others.

"Good Sense Foods Announces a New Look and Non-GMO Project Verified Certification for its Healthy Snack Foods", The Magazine Plus, November 02, 2021

Core Foods Adds Shelf-Stable Oat Snack To Refrigerated Portfolio

The Oakland, Calif.-based maker of refrigerated Core Bars and Core Keto Bars launching Core Fiber Powered Oat Snacks, a variant that will go beyond the refrigerated section of grocery stores. The gluten-free snacks are made with plant-based ingredients, including whole grains and five grams of prebiotic fiber. They are shelf-stable and will be available in Vegan Ranch, Sea Salt & Olive Oil, and Peanut Butter flavors in the snack foods aisle at Whole Foods Markets nationwide.

"Core Foods Launches Core Fiber Powered Oat Snacks, The Company's First-Ever Line of Shareable Snacks", PR Newswire, November 01, 2021

Sapientia Technology To Launch “Protein Curl” Snack

The Florida-based food technology firm, a portfolio company of Eat Well Investment Group, announced it will begin “commercializing” its snack products, including an array of better-for-you protein products targeting people and pets, in the coming months. The company claims to have invented a process that produces the textural attributes of a fried product that is instead baked, with ample nutritional value as a "better for you" source of protein and fiber, with reduced-fat. The company is launching its “P Curls” snack in December in 350 stores in western Canada. It also announced a new plant-based Eat Well phytoIP platform focusing on high moisture meat analog alternatives and related technologies.

"Eat Well Group Provides Operational Update on Plant-Based FoodTech Portfolio Company", Business Wire, October 26, 2021

Uncle Tobys Debuts New Snack Ball Options

The Australian manufacturer of breakfast cereals and snack items says its new Oat and Protein Balls snack comes in Apple & Oat, and Peanut Butter, Strawberry & Oat, while the Protein Balls come in Berry & Roasted Cashew and Peanut Butter & Caramel flavors. The snacks, each with five grams of plant protein per serving, are vegan-friendly, color free, and have no added flavors. The Oat and Protein Balls are sold with an RRP of US$3.23 for a pack of two.

"Uncle Tobys releases Oat and Protein Balls for snacking", Inside FMCG, October 25, 2021

Upcycled Snacks Offer A Food Waste Solution

Consumers purchase so many food products without thinking about their often good and nutritious by-products, says Philadelphia restaurateur Kiki Aranita. But those otherwise edible by-products often end up in landfills. There are alternatives, however. Among the eight food brands committed to upcycling to reduce food waste are two snack brands: Pulp Pantry’s Pulp Chips (Jalapeño, BBQ, and Sea Salt Lime Pulp Chips), made using the fiber left over from juicing fruits and vegetables, so they’re naturally gluten-free and vegan; and Seconds Carrot Crackers, made from upcycled juice pulp and peels, tapioca flour, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, nutritional yeast, and flax and chia seeds – a vegan alternative to Cheez-Its, according to Aranita. A 6-box variety pack costs $42.

"Upcycling snacks; 7 innovative food brands rethinking sustainability", Reviewed , October 24, 2021

Kellogg's Introduces Three High-Fiber Cereals

The U.K.-based unit’s non-HFSS cereals are available in apricot, blueberry, and plain flavors under its Wheats brand. The new products are part of a push by Kellogg to remove 10 percent of the sugar and 20 percent of salt from its children's range by the end of 2022. The cereals contain 74 percent or more whole wheat, and are low in fat and salt. The range has rolled into Tesco and Morrisons (RSP: US$2.62).

"Kellogg's launches non-HFSS high-fiber Wheats cereal trio", FoodBev Media , October 23, 2021

Mr. Favourite Plantain Chips Will Be Available Soon In The U.S.

The London, Ont.-based snack brand, touted as “the perfect snack for the post-pandemic era,” are sugar-free, 100 percent vegan, gluten-free, and trans-fat-free, and will soon be available in the U.S. In addition to the traditional plantain flavor, the snacks come in Chili Garlic and Sour Cream and Onion flavors. Plantains are high in fiber, and are a good source of vitamins C, A, B-6, and magnesium, and potassium.

"Mr. Favourite Plantain Chips Give Consumers What They Want: Less Sugar", GlobeNewswire, October 22, 2021

Popcornopolis Expands Into Kroger Stores

The California-based ready-to-eat gourmet popcorn brand will be available in more than 1,800 Kroger locations in the U.S. Flavors include Double Drizzle, Caramel & Kettle, and Honey Butter, sold in 7.5 oz resealable pouches. Better-for-you options include Nearly Naked and Kettle Corn. Popcornopolis products are available online and at club, food, drug, mass, convenience stores.

"Popcornopolis Expands Retail Footprint Into More Than 1,800 Kroger Locations Nationwide", PR Newswire, October 20, 2021

Utz Brands To Acquire California Maker Of Tortilla Chips

The Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of salty snacks announced that its subsidiaries will acquire RW Garcia Holdings, LLC (Scott's Valley, Calif.). Founded in 1982, RW Garcia is a family-owned and operated artisan maker of organic tortilla chips, crackers, and corn chips. All of its products are non-GMO verified, certified gluten-free, low sodium, kosher, and free of artificial additives or preservatives. RW Garcia has strong capabilities in better-for-you tortilla chips, crackers, and corn chips. The $56 million deal will enable strong supply chain synergies, enhance Utz’s ability to expand distribution of existing brands, and supplement the better-for-you product portfolio, the company said. Utz says RW Garcia is complementary to Utz's June 2021 acquisition of Michigan-based Festida Foods. 

"Utz Acquiring RW Garcia for $56 Million", Food Processing, November 02, 2021

Scottish Seaweed Snack Maker Gets Financial Help For Healthy Reformulation

New Wave Foods (Wick, Scotland), which trades as Shore Seaweed, has received a financial boost in the second round of funding awards from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland’s Reformulation for Health Program. The annual Reformul8 Challenge Fund (RCF) provides £30k ($41,000) to help small to medium-sized manufacturers with their reformulation costs to bring about a healthier Scotland. Shore Seaweed is a processor of natural Scottish Seaweed used in its better-for-you crisps.

"Scottish producers get financial boost to go healthy", BakeryAndSnacks.com, October 27, 2021

Top Seedz Creator Will Use A $1.4M Prize To Take Her Company Global

A Buffalo, N.Y.-based company’s organic, vegan, and gluten-free seed crackers have found their way into America’s biggest supermarkets, including Whole Foods Markets. And now founder and transplanted New Zealander Rebecca Brady hopes to go worldwide with the help of the $1.4 million she won in a “New York business competition,” beating out 18 other contestants. After investing $5,000 of her own money to perfect the recipe – basically the crackers are made of pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, chia, hemp, and flax seeds – create the packaging, and develop the artisan manufacturing process, she hopes to expand globally and become a $100 million company. Before she can do that, however, she needs to spend some money on upgrading to automated production to meet retail store – including Whole Foods Market – demands. 

"Cracker brand owner from NZ wins $1.4 million in New York business competition", stuff.co.nz, November 07, 2021

Aspire Food Group To Open Cricket Processing Facility In 2022

The Canadian cricket farmer announced plans to open a CAD$90 million (US$72.4 million), 100,000 square-foot automated cricket processing facility near London, Ont., in Q1/Q2 of next year. The processing plant will produce 10,000 tons of crickets a year in phase one. The company says that, before crickets can carve out a meaningful space in the alternative protein arena, costs need to be reduced and supplies of consistent, high-quality raw materials must go up. The new plant should go a long way to accomplishing those goals. 

"Edible insects in focus part II: Scale and automation… Aspire Food Group gears up to open world’s largest edible cricket processing facility", FoodNavigator-USA.com, October 30, 2021

KP Snacks Ad Campaign To Support Testicular Health

The Hayes, U.K.-based provider of crackers, crisps, popcorn, and nut snacks, whose KP Nuts campaign will support the testicular health charity Movember, has hired celebrity drag queen The Vivienne to be the campaign ambassador. The campaign features video content encouraging people to give themselves a health check. A KP marketing manager said The Vivienne’s sense of humor and appearances on Ru Paul’s Drag Race U.K. “make her the perfect ambassador” to educate men “on the importance of checking their nuts…”

"KP Snacks appoints drag queen as Movember ambassador", Talking Retail, October 29, 2021

Sun Valley Expands Lineup With Healthier Nut Snacks

The Merseyside, U.K-based company’s Nuts For brand is adding three healthier flavors to its product line in January. The Protein Pick-up and Berry Boost variants are a vegan source of plant protein; and the Honey Cashews and Peanuts delivers the taste of honey-roasted nuts with more honey and less sugar. Packed in plastic-free compostable packs, the snacks are also non-HFSS. The Nuts For range available to retailers and wholesalers includes savory nut snack mixes Punchy Smoked Paprika and Indian Spice Infusion, sweet mixes Rocky Road Riot and Chocolate Brownie Chaos, which combine fruit, nuts, and candy, as well as Simply Dip’d Almonds in Dark Chocolate, a chocolate-coated almond snack. The five flavors come in single serve 30- to 35-gram bags at an MRRP of $1.36.

"Sun Valley’s Nut For range to be expanded", Convenience Store UK, October 27, 2021

Tosi Launches Puffed Ancient Gain Snack

The California-based family-owned BFY snack brand’s new allergy-friendly SuperPops are available in Everything, Salty Sweet, Smoky BBQ, and Cinnamon Apple flavors. The light and crunchy snacks, made with puffed ancient grains and organic seeds, contain none of the eight most common allergies, including milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, or soybean. Each resealable bag of SuperPops contains 46 bite-sized pieces containing eight grams of complete protein per serving, and are naturally sweetened as needed with low-glycemic coconut sugar. Tosi snacks are sold online and at select Whole Foods Markets, Sprouts, Costco, Pavilions, Vons, Albertsons, Jewel, Gelson's Markets, and Nekter Juice Bar locations. 

"Tosi Puts the Crunch in Satisfying Allergy-Friendly Snacks with New SuperPops", Business Wire, October 26, 2021

Canada’s Chiwis Is Poised For Expansion

The Canadian snack maker, known for its healthful kiwi chips, is gearing up to launch an expanded line of flavorful and healthy chips made from fruit. According to founder and CEO Sarah Goodman, the lineup will include chips made from pineapple, mango, and oranges. The chips will use “as much of the fruit as possible,” including nutrient-rich parts like the pineapple core or an orange rind which. The fruit that is used is upcycled fruit, which is rejected fruit from grocery stores. Goodman’s expansion plans also include broader distribution beyond British Columbia to other Canadian provinces and eventually the U.S.

"Squamish-owned chip company growing across Canada", Business in Vancouver, October 22, 2021

Vegky Mushroom Jerky Builds On Its U.S. Success

The Pine Brook, N.J.-based vegan shiitake mushroom jerky brand, which is getting a packaging makeover as it prepares to launch a Smoky BBQ flavor in January. 2022, arrives on store shelves as the demand for plant-based jerky rises. The Taiwan-originated snack, made from the meaty stems of shiitake mushrooms, replicates the texture and umami flavor of meat jerky – without the cholesterol – and containing 12 grams of fiber per 70-gram bag. Available flavors include original, spicy, pepper, curry, and wasabi.

"Vegky. Vegan Shiitake Mushroom Jerky Snack, To Launch New Smoky BBQ Flavor", Specialtyfood.com, October 21, 2021

Mars Wrigley Exec Says Snacking Trends Are Not New

Blas Maquivar said in a recent podcast interview that the three important snack trends his company sees actually existed before the pandemic, but are now accelerating. The first is the digital default trend, as digital shopping has quintupled over the past 18 months. A second trend – back to nature and back to home – involves people discovering new activities with their families inside their homes. The third trend is health and wellness: consumers are more aware of what they are eating and more aware of their mental health. The real challenge for snack makers is to have the speed and agility to be one step ahead of the competition and to “delight consumers as they are embracing these trends,” he said.

"Mars Wrigley Sees 3 Snacking Trends Post-Pandemic", National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), November 02, 2021

Natasha’s Law Focuses British Consumers – And Food Companies – On Food Allergens

Increasing numbers of British consumers are demanding more food allergen information and allergen-free products, thanks in part to Natasha’s Law. Enacted in 2019 to protect allergy sufferers – Natasha died of anaphylactic shock after eating a badly-labeled snack – the law is now in effect, The law, plus recent trends in dietary patterns, pose continued challenges for labeling and innovation in the growing free-from sector. For one thing, many food manufacturers were unprepared for the new regulations: four in ten businesses had never heard of the law, while eight in ten said they were unprepared. Nevertheless, a Mintel free-from foods report, which noted a free-from slowdown in 2019 in the U.K., says sales growth accelerated in 2020. Value sales rose by 16.9 percent year-on-year to break through the £1 billion ($1.4 billion) ceiling.

"Free-from food: Natasha's Law and green thinking fuel trends", FoodManufacture.co.uk, October 31, 2021