Bare is the number three player in the vegetable and fruit chips category, and has grown its market share by almost a third compared to the previous year, to just over 6%, CEO Santosh Padki told BakeryandSnacks.
“Dried fruit grocery sections have expanded over the years as a result of consumer demand for better-for-you foods and snacks,” he said. “Many consumers are becoming conscious and educated about ingredient panels, gravitating towards fruits because they’re recognizable and generally thought of as a healthy source of vitamins and nutrients.”
Founded with the idea of “less is more", Bare chips are oven baked and include apple and coconut variants. The most recent launch, banana chips, are the first of its kind on the market, according to Padki, because other banana chips are fried. Bare’s proprietary oven-baking process slowly caramelizes the natural sugars on the outside of each chip.
Available across the US
All the products are available across the US in natural and grocery stores including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Safeway and Publix, as well as national retailers such as Target and Amazon, with a suggested retail price of $3.99 for a 2.7-ounce bag.
The company is currently preparing to roll out organic coconut chips in select Whole Foods markets in the Midwest, Northern California, and Rocky Mountain. They will be available across the US in September in three flavors: toasted, sweet ginger, and coffee bean.
“All Bare snacks are Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten free, a good source of dietary fiber, and free from preservatives, cholesterol and trans-fats," said Padki. "Our simple recipes appeal to consumers with dietary restrictions and preferences.”
Padki expects the dried fruit industry will continue to expand, as will categories within it such as baked fruit chips, although he feels freeze-dried products may fall out of fashion "given their limited appeal to primarily children and toddlers, as well as their lack of ability to satiate snack cravings at a reasonable value".