The company said it was responding to a consumer preference for “better-for-you options”.
Prompted by European sales
Its BelVita breakfast biscuits are to be launched in the US following strong European sales.
Following Kraft’s third quarter results issued last month, Michael Mitchell, vice president for corporate external communications told this site that Belvita breakfasts biscuits were potential “growth platforms” after sales for the product range had jumped 20% in Europe on the same quarter last year.
Other snacks and confectionery launches
Kraft has also announced plans to launch its MilkBite Milk and Granola bars, a snack that it claims contains as much calcium as an 8-oz glass of milk, in a bid to seize upon wellness trends in the US.
Plans have also been announced to expand its Lunchables portfolio with what it has called “better-for-you” options. These include a turkey and cheddar flatbread sandwich and ham and an American flatbread sandwich. It added that the new varieties would include fruit, such as a BBQ Chicken Dippers lunchable with pineapple titbits.
Other product launches aimed at health conscious consumers are two new varieties in its SnackWell range – cinnamon crème drizzled caramel popcorn and peanut butter flavoured pretzels – and a new sugar free gum for its Stride brand called ‘Spark Kinetic Berry Sugar Free Gum’.
Company split
The new product launches were announced just a few weeks after information about the heads of Kraft’s snacks and American grocery spin-offs were made public.
Kraft Foods chairman and CEO Irene Rosenfeld was made chairman and CEO of Kraft’s global snacks company, while W. Anthony Vernon, currently Kraft Foods executive vice president and president in North America, took the helm at Kraft’s North American grocery company as its CEO
In August it was announced that the company would split its operations in a strategic move that would enable both segments to “realise their full potential”, according to Kraft chairman Irene Rosenfeld.
The split will take full effect from next year.