The new brownies are available in four flavors - mint, blueberry, raspberry and chocolate – and are sold as six or 12 twin-packs, starting at 99 cents for one pack.
The business, which previously co-packed natural foods for other manufacturers, launched the brand five years ago. The products are sold in 20,000 retail locations throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Poland and other parts of the globe - and the business is now hoping to drive greater awareness.
“The biggest learning curve for us has been learning what is required to build a nationally known consumer packaged goods brand,” said Nature’s Bakery president Dave Marson.
NASCAR driver sponsorship
Among activity to raise the profile of the brand is becoming the main sponsor of professional NASCAR driver Danica Patrick.
“Our sponsorship of Danica Patrick will help us launch our brand and products further into the mainstream,” said Marson. “As we continue to grow, the company will continue to experiment and hone in on our broader marketing and brand-building tactics.”
Marson added that the business – which is based in Reno, Nevada, and has a baking facility in St. Louis, Missouri - was committed to creating products made with “only the best ingredients, keeping things fun and simple”.
Sweetened with dates
The new brownies – which are kosher- and vegan-certified, and free from GMO, dairy and soy - are designed to be the type of snack people can enjoy in their everyday active lives, according to the company. They are made without high-fructose corn syrup and use dates as its sweetener.
“We have been able to create a simple chocolate snack blended with dates,” said Marson, adding that he believes more snack brands will experiment with ingredients nature has to offer.
The business said it will continue to focus on finding quality ingredients based on consumers’ feedback, and also offers a line of gluten-free products made with a blend of ancient grains.
Nature’s Bakery products are sold at retailers including Kroger’s, Shoprite, Walmart, Whole Foods, Sam’s Club, Costco, Walgreens and 7-Eleven.