The North Carolina-based company said its pretzel brand, Snyder’s of Hanover, has always been popular among families with kids.
Snyder’s of Hanover brand includes pretzel minis, sticks, poppers and sandwiches, which are available across the US.
Nut-based pretzels manufactured separately
“Now that our bakeries are peanut-free facilities, it makes pretzels an even better choice, especially for kids with peanut allergies,” the company said in a statement.
Turning Snyder’s facility peanut-free is meant to reduce the chances of cross-contamination since most of its brands are already nut-free. Snyder’s nut-based pretzels are manufactured in a separate facility in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.
After the peanut-free transition, the packaging of Snyder’s pretzels will be labeled with a “peanut-free icon and allergen information,” according to the company.
Nut-free trend swept the bakery market
The nut-free trend for bakery and snacks comes as a report from Food Allergy Research and Education shows “the number of children living with peanut allergies appears to have tripled between 1997 and 2008.”
Vermont Nut Free brand recently repackaged its varieties, highlighting their nut-free nature, to target a 22% business growth this year, BakeryandSnacks previously reported.
In a similar move, Massachusetts-based Fancy Baking Company, who claimed itself as “one of the first baking companies that make nut-free cookies in the US,” also redesigned its Crunch Cookies’ packaging, singling out the fact that their products go along with people with any types of nut allergy.
Bakery giants, including Kellogg, Mars and Hostess, reportedly recalled many of their brands last month over the fear of peanut residue in Grain Craft flour.