Sweets & Snacks Expo 2017

Our Little Rebellion's “double-digit growth is within grasp” as plant-based protein snacks are set to stay

By Douglas Yu

- Last updated on GMT

Dan Morgan, president of BFY Brands said there's a big future for plant-based protein snacks.
Dan Morgan, president of BFY Brands said there's a big future for plant-based protein snacks.
Our Little Rebellion is shipping its latest snack line, Protein Crisps, to US retailers this month as the growth of plant-based snacks shows no signs of slowing down.

Dan Morgan, president of Better For You (BFY) Brands, said the industry forecasts the plant-based category is going to surpass meat-based snacks by 2018.

BFY Brands is the parent company of Our Little Rebellion, which manufactures PopCorners and Bean Crisps, in addition to Protein Crisps. BFY also owns Ideal Snacks​ that co-manufactures products for other CPG snack companies.

“There’s a big future for plant-based protein snacks, and we’re going to be the cutting edge of it,”​ Morgan said.

Protein Crisps come with three varieties, including Wasabi Ginger with Honey, Hot Buffalo, and Sweet & Smoky Barbeque. Each bag contains 10 g of protein and 90 calories per serving.

Protein is not a fad

“It’s difficult to make snacks with a high level of protein [yet] maintain good taste,”​ Morgan told BakeryandSnacks at the recent Sweets & Snacks Expo held in Chicago.

Protein Crisps
Source: BFY Brands

“We don't think protein is a fad [and] have invested tons of money in multiple types of protein sources like tapioca, soy and cassava,”​ he said. “There have been numerous fads over the years that many snack companies jumped on.”

“Animal protein has been growing over the last 10 years: the meat snack category has been on fire. But it’s hard to get plant-based protein at a reasonable price and have it taste good.

“[However], we’ve able to do that and we believe this is a category that’s going to be there for a very long time,” ​Morgan said.

Expanding distribution

Our Little Rebellion has experienced good growth, even though it's been through some distribution disruptions after the five-ounce bag was changed to a seven-ounce bag.

“It looks like we’re really picking the distribution back up,”​ said Morgan. “In the specialty world, changing UPCs has been a lot more difficult than we thought, but we’re starting to see the fruits of our labor paying off.”

Based in New York, BFY Brands is expanding the brand’s footprint from the East Coast to the west.

“We opened our new R&D center in Liberty, New York, about six months ago. It will be fully up and running this month,”​ he said.

Morgan believes that a “double-digit growth is within grasp”​ for Our Little Rebellion by the end of 2017.

“I think we should be able to double our business in a few years,”​ he said.

Related news

Show more

Related products

show more

Step-by-step guide to sustainably-sourced flour

Step-by-step guide to sustainably-sourced flour

Content provided by ADM | 14-Oct-2024 | Insight Guide

Every step in our integrated supply chain can help you achieve your sustainability goals and increase relevance with consumers. With our regenerative agriculture...

Sweeten Your Treats with Sustainable Syrups

Sweeten Your Treats with Sustainable Syrups

Content provided by Green Plains Inc. | 03-Oct-2024 | Insight Guide

Elevate your products with Green Plains’ premium, low carbon-intensity corn syrups. Drop-in replacements with an up to 40% lower carbon footprint than...

Breakthrough ingredients for better-for-you bread

Breakthrough ingredients for better-for-you bread

Content provided by ADM | 03-Oct-2024 | White Paper

Our new flour blend is a carefully curated blend of clinically studied ingredients to help you create better-for-you bread that tastes great to help you...

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars