The US snack firm will add Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper to its 40% reduced fat line comprised of Original, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Sweet Mesquite Barbeque and Aged Cheddar and Sour Cream.
“The reduced fat varieties have always played a major role in the Cape Cod portfolio; in fact our number one item has consistently been our 40% Reduced Fat Original variety,” said Faith Atwood, marketing manager for Cape Cod Potato Chips.
“Demand for our 40% less fat kettle chips is quite high. It makes up about half of our kettle chip sales volume,” Atwood told BakeryandSnacks.com.
The first reduced fat variety in Original flavor has been on the market for 15 years. Cape Cod also has a 6-flavor strong line of original potato chips, two ‘Chef’s Recipe’ products formulated by a US chef and two versions of waffle cut chips.
Better-for-you snacks
“Consumers are looking for better-for-you snack options and want to feel good about what they are eating,” she said.
The Cape Cod reduced fat line claims to contain 40% less fat than the leading brand of regular potato chips although Snyder’s-Lance doesn’t name the brand.
The chips are kettle-cooked in 100% canola oil with no trans-fat and no chemical additives. The company says the fat reduction is achieved using a ‘natural’ method.
Atwood said the reduced fat variety is cooked in the same way as the regular kettle chips using 100% canola oil. "We then use a second processing step under specific pressure and temperature conditions for the 40% Less Fat items. This removes the additional oil from the product but ensures that the chips have the same unmistakable crunch and bold flavor as the original varieties."
Atwood said that there are plans in place to introduce more flavors to the reduced fat line, with evaluation and testing ongoing.
Snyder’s-Lance expansion hopes
Cape Cod forms one of Snyder’s-Lance’s four core brands alongside Snyder’s Pretzels, Lance Sandwich Crackers and Pretzel Crisps – recently acquired in the acquisition of Snack Factory at the end of last year.
The snack firm recently announced the opening of a new research and development (R&D) center in Pennsylvania set to open this month. President and chief operating officer (COO) Carl Lee said it would support the firm’s aggressive innovation plans for 2013.