Perfect pairing
Made for Drink is making a foray into the UK’s £1bn potato crisp category with two offerings inspired by world cuisine. The UK meat snack producer is rolling out Chicken Salt Fries and Tapas Fries into Sainsbury’s and other independent retailers in the UK on 21 April.
Despite its name, Chicken Salt Fries is actually a vegetarian treat, flavoured with an umami-packed condiment loved across Australia. The thin cut potato fries are seasoned with chicken salt, a turmeric-based seasoning that was made famous by Mitani in the 1970’s. Made for Drink collaborated with the seasoning house to create this Ozzie favourite, which it believes will go down as well with Brits, especially when paired with a cold beer.
Made for Drink’s Tapas Fries are ‘tapas in a bag’ – thin cut Patatas Fritas and crisp slices of Spanish chorizo, seasoned with olives, sun-ripened tomatoes and paprika – a perfect accompaniment, it says, to Aperitivo.
“Having taken the time we needed to bed down as a business, team and a brand, we felt 2021 was the perfect moment to build upon a blossoming off-trade/online reputation by taking an ambitious ‘next step’ into the £1 billion potato crisp category,” said Dan Featherstone, founder of Made for Drink.
According to Nielsen’s 2020 In-focus Report, Made for Drink is the sixth biggest contributor to Meat Snacks category growth in retail in the UK.
“We have shown our ability to bring new foodie shoppers into the snack’s category through our unique brand proposition, products and reputation.
“We’ve had this idea for a range of ‘Fries’ products for some time, in fact, we’ve been buzzing about it for ages and they are absolutely delicious. They will be our biggest and best-selling products; they are that good.”
Both SKUs are packed in home compostable film, in 150g (Chicken Salt Fries) and 125g (Tapas Fries) packs. Each Made for Drink pack ordered online is also guaranteed to be delivered 100% carbon neutral, aligned to the producer’s partnership with the Exmoore Carbon Project.
Putting a punch into plant-based snack
Notorious Nooch Co. has launched the UK’s first, naturally flavoured nutritional yeast that can be used to give vegan snacks made at home a fun new kick.
According to the vegan brand – which is on a mission is to make it easier and more fun to rethink meat and dairy – the deactivated yeasts currently on the market have become a little ‘samey’, which can make life a little boring for those following a plant-based diet.
This spurred the flavour-focused team behind Notorious Nooch Co. into action, resulting in two SKUs that it claims are ‘big on flavour’ yet ‘small on ingredients’.
Cheesy Immature and Smoky Bacon have been created by toasting yeast flakes to bring out their natural intensity, with both containing fewer than five (all natural) ingredients.
“On my own journey to becoming vegan, I loved trying out new tricks to recreate the food I loved as a kid. For years, a big part of adding a cheesy flavour to vegan meals has been to use nutritional yeast… but it never quite satisfied the craving,” said Steven Wildish, cofounder of Notorious Nooch Co..
“Nothing seemed to turn up the flavour without compromising on vegan values or featuring a chemistry set of preservatives.
“Our naturally flavoured Notorious Nooch delivers an amazing, mouth-wateringly rich, cheesy hit, and a savoury bacon hit without harming a single hair on the head of any pig, goat or cow.”
According to the Vegan Society, 12 million Brits will follow a meat-free diet this year, with a quarter of the nation identifying itself as vegan or vegetarian by 2025. Shopper interest in plant-based foods grew by 20% in 2020. Notorious Nooch Co. is natural flavour sensation for anyone making the switch.
Notorious Nooch Co.’s yeasts are versatile and can be used to flavour practically anything, from chips to pizzas, pestos to popcorn. The producer says the ‘opportunities are endless, and even the smallest sprinkle can pack a punch.’ Available to order from the company’s website and on Amazon.
Much loved combo
Kind – the UK’s fastest growing healthy snack bar brand – is introducing a brand new UK exclusive bar flavour.
The launch of Dark Chocolate Orange Almond is pitched as a healthier alternative to one of the nation’s favourite flavour combinations. Drizzled in dark chocolate, with a hint of zesty orange peel, the new bar uses almonds as the main ingredient. As with the rest of the range, it is made using whole and natural ingredients and is gluten-free. The bar is also high in fibre, gluten-free and contains 52% nuts.
“Dark Chocolate Orange Almond is such an exciting product for us. Not only is it the first time we’ve ever launched a bar exclusively for the UK market, but we know ‘chocolate orange’ is one of the nations most loved combinations,” said John McManus, UK marketing director.
“By putting a healthy spin on this flavour favourite we’re confident we’ve created a bar that can satisfy those sweet cravings, in a healthy and minimally processed format. We can’t wait to hear what our customers think.”
The new SKUs will be rolled out in 280 Waitrose stores from 22 February, followed by 400 Sainsbury’s stores from 27 February for an RRRP of £1.50 for a single bar. Additional listings in Tesco, Boots, BP, Boots, Spar, WHSmith and many other independents and wholesalers are confirmed for March onwards. Also available online for an RRP of £15 per x12 pack.
The producers has also rolled out a multipack format for three of its core bar variants: Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate, Caramel Almond Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt.
“We’re thrilled to be continuing to grow our multipack offering. The next few months will see the launch of five of our core range in these convenient formats, which we’re confident will be a hit with our customers. We know that multipacks are seeing the most significant growth at present, selling at three times the rate of single bars and we’re committed to growing our product portfolio in this area,” added McManus.
Each pack contains 3 x 30g bars and are available from Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose for an RRP of £3.
Keto on the go
Good Dee’s has launched PB Cookie Dough Bites, a low-carb, low-sugar, protein snack for the health-conscious consumer.
According to the producer, anyone following a keto lifestyle knows the challenge of finding a grab-and-go snack that isn’t calorie and sugar-laden. The bakers at Good Dee’s have solved this problem by creating PB Cookie Dough Bites that offer a guilt-free treat without sacrificing flavour.
With seven bites per pouch, the bites pack 8g of protein and just 3g of net carbs, along with 1g of sugar and only 100 calories.
“As a busy mom myself, I know first-hand the challenges of finding an easy snack that I can just throw in my bag that won’t derail my fitness goals,” said Good Dee’s founder Deana Karim.
“With Good Dee’s, I have been able to create the products that I find are missing in the marketplace. It’s been a total joy to develop food that I genuinely love to eat but keeps me on track. We like to call our products ‘Simply Good’.”
Good Dee’s complete collection of baking mixes are designed for low-carb, restricted and special diets. The nut-free brownie, blondies, chocolate snack cake, and muffin mix are free of gluten, soy, wheat and added sugar.
The clean eating mixes are available at natural food stores, supermarket chains and independent grocery stores across the US, as well as online for an RRP of $11.99 each.
Cricket crackers roll out in retail
Small Giants Crackers has been rolled out in 70 Sainsbury’s stores as part of Sainbury’s Future Brands initiative.
The bite-sized savoury crackers are made with cricket flour, brining all the sustainability and nutritional benefits to snacking – with none of the ‘ickiness’ factor of eating insects.
Founders Edoardo Imparato and Francesco Majno previously ran the business under the brand name Crické, but after a branding and packaging refresh, relaunched as Small Giants in the UK in November 2020. Until now, they have only been available online and through independent retailers.
“We’ve created a planet-positive insect-enriched snack that tastes great and offers a genuine alternative to those wanting to cut their consumption of traditional animal-based foods and find an alternative source of protein,” said Imparato.
“Being on the shelves of Sainsbury’s Future Brands Trial Bay is an amazing opportunity for us. It’s the first time in the UK that people have the chance to buy snacks with insect flour from their local supermarket, it will be extremely exciting to see what the response will be.”
According to a 2018 Sainsbury’s Future of Food report, one in five shoppers said they can see the advantages of eating edible insects, particularly as an alternative protein source (25%) as well as for the health and nutritional benefits (15%). Attitudes towards edible insects are changing too, with almost 10% of consumers having already tried edible insects, and 57% saying they enjoyed them.
Small Giant Crackers are made with 15% cricket flour, which brings an umami taste, a protein punch and a boost of vitamin B12. Sainsbury’s stocks two flavours – Rosemary & Thyme and Tomato & Oregano – in handy 40g packs for an RRP of £1.50.
We all need some kindness in the year head
The Cookie Project has welcomed the Year of the Ox with limited edition 2021 Lunar New Year Cookies, featuring a happy Ox face to represent the kindness needed for the year ahead.
The cookies – which contain no additives, preservatives or colourings – are hand made by bakers with a range of disabilities, including physical, cognitive and mental health. Founded in 2018, the purpose of the Auckland-based social enterprise is to help Kiwis with disabilities understand their own value to themselves and to society by paying them at least the minimum wage.
For example, the Small Jar (8 pieces) is available for $18.88, which generates at least 15 minutes of employment for Kiwis with disabilities. Also available are the Medium Jar (18 pieces) for $28.88 = 30 minutes; and Large Jar (30 pieces) for $38.88 = 45 minutes of employment for Kiwis with disabilities.
A limited number of Prosperity Packs are also available for NZ$88.88. Valued at over NZ$105, the packs include a small jar of Lunar New Year Cookies, Signature Butter Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Eden Park Cookies, Matcha Butter Cookies, Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies and Matcha Nori Popcorn.
New flavours
Kettle Brand has introduced two new bold flavours to its Krinkle Cut Potato Chip line-up.
According to the snack maker, its Krinkle Cut Potato Chips are known for their bigger crunch and signature ridged-cut that hold layered flavour, a perfect foil for the spicy Habanero Lime and Truffle & Sea Salt SKUs.
Kettle Brand said its Habanero Lime variant is ‘sure to take heat lovers to their happy place’ and issued a ‘must-eat-with-a-glass-of-milk-handy’ warning. It described the second flavour as ‘earthy, oaky and downright decadent’.
The new flavours also debut in redesigned packaging. Two popular flavours – Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper and Dill Pickle – also don the new look.
All four flavours are rolling out in Whole Foods, Kroger, Publix and Albertsons this winter in 5oz bags for $2.99 and 8.5oz bags for $3.89.
Reimagining the sandwich
Chubby Snacks – formerly Chubby Organics – has announced the launch of its revamped sandwich, which was borne out of adversity.
“We recently found opportunity in the form of a cease and desist letter from one of the world's largest food brands,” said Dillon Ceglio, founder and CEO of the Los-Angeles-based company.
“The demand to change the shape of our sandwich or face legal action opened the door to a creative opportunity. Shaking up the food industry with 'better for you' snack options has always been our dream. This new cloud design represents exactly that; our lofty vision to re-imagine traditional, sugar filled snacks.”
The new cloud shaped sandwich contains ‘real’ ingredients and are available in Almond, Peanut and Sunflower Butter paired with either Blueberry or Strawberry Jam. Available at a starting price of $25 for consumers who sign up for a subscription and $32 for one-time purchasers.
A touch of pink
Kellogg’s is rolling out a limited edition version of its classic Coco Pops that promises to add colour to breakfast.
Strawberry & White Choco Coco Pops follows the successful release of White Choc Coco Pops in 2019, which had more than three million boxes flying off shelves in the first six months alone.
The new SKU contains 30% less sugar than other chocolate flavoured cereals on the market today and no artificial colours or flavours. It is suitable for vegetarians and is certified Halal and Kosher.
“We are thrilled to launch new Strawberry & White Choc Coco Pops, it took over 50 recipe trials before we achieved the tastiest mix of strawberry and white chocolate that turned milk the perfect pink,” said Harriet Oakes, activation brand manager from Kellogg’s.
“’When we launched White Choc Coco Pops in 2019, they sold out in just a few days so we’re hoping Coco Pops fans will be just as excited to try the new flavour. We’re sure kids and grown-ups alike will enjoy bringing a bit of pink to their breakfast.”
The limited edition cereal retails at £2.99 for a 480g pack and is available from all major supermarkets around the UK for 12 months only.