FoodNavigator-USA’s Special Edition on Snack Foods

I always like to share FoodNaviagator-USA’s special editions—collections of articles on one theme, in this case, what’s happening with snacks from the industry’s perspective.

Special Edition: Snacking trends 

What’s hot in snacks? Sprouted grains? Posh jerky? Chickpeas? Gourmet marshmallows? What’s the difference between a meal and a snack, or are the lines becoming increasingly blurred? What’s a suitable portion-size? This FoodNavigator-USA special edition explores the hottest new trends and brands in the market.

• Consumers want tooth-friendly confectionery treats: Consumers don’t want to compromise – they want both sweet treats and good oral health. And of course great taste! Learn how Zerose^® erythritol delivers with this infographic highlighting a recent clinical study and proprietary consumer research…   Click Here
• yusō founder: The next generation of snacks is fresh, satisfying and healthy: Japanese onigiri – protein-filled sticky rice balls wrapped in crunchy seaweed – are gaining traction in US restaurants. But if yusō founder Sarah Sturtevant has her way, they could also give retailers convenient new savory options in their emerging refrigerated snacking sets… Read
• Serial snacker: Can Jason Cohen strike CPG gold again with Road Crew Crunch? Most entrepreneurs are lucky if they strike CPG gold once. Jason Cohen has done it multiple times, and reckons he could be onto a winner again with Road Crew Crunch, a simple combination of chocolate, nuts, rice and pretzels he discovered on a family vacation in Vermont… Read
• Perfect Bar CEO: The refrigerated snacking category is on fire: Getting retailers to give up valuable space in the chiller for nutrition bars was a tough sell when Bill Keith first started knocking on doors in 2006. Today, Perfect Bars are the third best-selling snack bar in the natural channel, and their success has prompted many retailers to completely rethink the way they merchandise snacks… Read
• Crunchsters secures financing to bring sprouted mung beans to the US snacks aisle: Most Americans are pretty clueless about mung beans, but Crunchsters – a Boulder-based start-up determined to put them on the culinary map – reckons it’s only a matter of time before the protein- and fiber-packed beans become an essential part of every retailer’s healthy snacks set… Read
• BjornQorn’s mission-driven sun-popped corn attracts both buyers and brand collaborations: The Brooklyn-based small-batch popcorn brand saw its sales double after a collaboration with Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, which used the snack in one of its summer flavors… Read
• Baby and toddler snacks often fall short on nutrition while marketing misleads parents, review reveals: Food manufacturers should voluntarily expand the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative for improving food advertising to children to include marketing of baby and toddler food and drinks, the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity recommends after it found marketing for baby and toddler snacks are likely to mislead parents about nutritional content… Read
• Startup brand DNX Bar bets on the meat bar category: Distributor United Natural Foods has signed a deal to distribute DNX Bar’s beef and bison meat bars. Founder John Rooney believes it’s a sign that the meat snack category is poised to exit the ‘trendy’ realm and become a new snack-aisle staple… Read
• Quinn Snacks removes more than gluten from pretzels, shows consumers its supply line: Historically consumers who wanted a gluten-free alternative to a wheat-based product had to sacrifice nutrition, taste or accept the presence of other common allergens in the ingredient list. .. Read
• Pasta Chips secures $3m cash injection: Pasta Chips has secured a $3m investment from Advantage Capital Agribusiness Partners, LP (ACAP), along with Silas Capital and Emil Capital Partners… Read
• What’s the size of the sprouted food prize? To Your Health Sprouted Flour Co – the Alabama-based supplier of the organic sprouted grains in Kashi’s cereals – has expanded its facility for the third time to meet surging demand, says founder Peggy Sutton, who is predicting revenues of $6m in 2016, 10-years after she first started sprouting grains in mason jars in her kitchen. .. Read
• Full of beans? BRAMI lupini bean snack firm raises $1.5m in seed funding round: BRAMI, the New York-based brand bringing the Mediterranean lupini bean to the snack aisle, has closed on a $1.5m seed round of funding led by Lerer Hippeau Ventures, AccelFoods and Enlightened Capital… Read
• Malted milk helps startup root cookies in nostalgia & be on cutting edge of current trends: The founders of startup Malt Shop Cookies are hoping to jumpstart their new ecommerce business by launching on Cyber Monday the online sale of their line of malted milk cookies before expanding into more traditional brick and mortar stores next year… Read
• Pulse Innovation Forum highlights: Introducing lupini beans, and do we need a ‘Got Milk?’ style campaign for pulses? From terminology (do US consumers get the word ‘pulses’?), to positioning (what are the key selling points?), and how to deal with flatulence questions, the recent FoodNavigator-USA Pulse Innovation Forum covered a lot of ground. Here are some of the highlights from the 60-minute session, supported by Ingredion, which is now available on demand. .. Read
• FOOD VISION USA 2016… THE TRAILBLAZERS: Hippeas carves out new territory in snacks, ‘What really gives me confidence is the level of consumer engagement’ Give peas a chance? It’s tough breaking into the ultra-competitive snacks market with a brand that resonates across all retail channels, but Hippeas – one of three winners in this year’s trailblazers challenge at Food Vision USA – has managed to pull it off. So what is founder Livio Bisterzo doing differently?.. Watch now
• Startup The Little Kernel shows when it comes to RTE popcorn smaller can be better: Based in part on the idea that good things come in small packages, the founders of The Little Kernel earlier this year launched a line of tiny pre-popped popcorn, which they say is sweeter, crunchier and easier to eat than regular sized popcorn because it won’t get stuck in consumers’ teeth… Read
• New Pop sets itself apart in crowded RTE popcorn category by offering first ‘skinless’ option: Already recognized by many as the epitome of a convenient and better-for-you snack, ready-to-eat popcorn is about to become even healthier and easier to enjoy, claim the founders of New Pop as it makes its US debut… Read
• Four emerging trends to watch in snacks in 2017: From sour and heat combinations to charred flavors and California garlic, Sensient Natural Ingredients outlines key flavor/ingredient trends to watch in the snacks category in 2017… Read
• Pure Growth Organic seeks to make organic accessible & acceptable to children: Rightly or wrongly, organic snacks often are stereotyped as “esoteric” products that sacrifice flavor and fun for nutrition and are “hard on the wallet” compared to their conventional counterparts, according to the CEO of Pure Growth Organic… Read