“Yes, there are a lot of brands and the bars category is getting more crowded,” CEO John Huff told FoodNavigator-USA.
“But retailers are still allocating more space to the bars category because consumers want convenience and there are still growth opportunities that haven’t been exploited.”
While many bars are focusing on protein and fiber, and Good Greens is no exception, it also packs in an efficacious dose of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid DHA (whereas rivals more typically feature the shorter-chain omega-3s found in chia and flax), and probiotics (including Ganeden’s ultra-stable BC30 brand), says Huff.
“Making sure we keep our gut bacteria in a healthy balance is gaining traction with consumers.”
Retailers are still allocating more space to the bars category
But the real USP - as the name of the brand makes clear - is the phytonutrient content, adds Huff, with each bar containing a proprietary blend of powdered fruit and vegetables that contains the antioxidant equivalent of your fruit and veg requirement for the day.
“One thing we all know is that we’re not eating enough fruits and vegetables,” he says. “And of course we’d be better off eating the real thing, but if you are going to have a bar instead, at least pick one with some significant nutrition in it.”
Daytime eating has become very disjointed
And given the fact that meals and snacks are now blurring into one for many Americans, who graze throughout the day, it’s all the more important for formulators to think about snacks as vehicles for nutrition rather than simply mini-treats to be eaten between meals or healthier versions of candy bars, he says.
“A lot of people still see dinner as a social occasion when they’ll sit down to eat, but daytime eating has become very disjointed and a lot of the time it’s something people are doing alone and on the move. Breakfast could be a smoothie at 5am or a bar eaten in the car on the way to work.”
The Good Greens bars, which are “cold gradual pressed with 72% organic ingredients and 90% raw” are now available in around 4,000 stores including Kroger and Target and priced at around $1.99-$2.99, which Huff says is a challenge for some consumers, but reflects the ingredients costs.
“Our consumers are Moms, children, athletes, people that are looking for something that is convenient but provides real nourishment, that you can feel good about giving to your kids or eating after workout.”
I think we’re at a tipping point
The message, he says, resonates at many levels, with some people just instinctively warming to the ‘greens’ concept and pleased to find a bar with fruits and veggies rather than just another cereal or protein bar.
But a growing number of consumers are also getting their heads around the concept that phytonutrients can help to tackle the low-grade inflammation that is at the root of many chronic health conditions, just as they are learning more about how the bacteria in their guts could impact their overall health, he claims.
In general, he says, the lines are increasingly blurring between natural and conventional shoppers, just as they are between and natural and conventional food retail channels: “I think we’re at a tipping point.”
Click HERE to read more about Good Greens.