It’s time to take snacking up a notch with a ‘truly new’ chip experience, an intelligent nibble that blends hydration with brain-enhancements, oats-with-a-twist that turn breakfast into a party and ‘special treat’ biccies to share.
To kick off 2022, Lay’s lineup has been taken to the next level with a novel new addition.
Introducing Lay’s Layers, which the PepsiCo-owned brand describes as “multi-dimensional, one-of-a-kind potato bites with layers of delicious crispiness”.
It also contends the bite-sized snacks are not your ordinary chips and unlike anything it has unveiled before to deliver “a truly new snacking experience”.
Lay’s Layers comes in two variants – Three Cheese (a tangy combo of cheddar, parmesan and gouda) and Sour Cream & Onion.
Fans can find Lay’s Layers in the chip aisle at retailers across the US from the middle of January. The new innovations have an RRP $4.09 for a sharing 4.75oz bag or $1.99 for the individual 1.75oz pack.
It may be cold outside but things are getting hot in the snack aisle with the new addition to the Flamin’ Hot family from Frito-Lay.
Doritos Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch Flavoured Tortilla Chips presents the perfect dichotomy of spicing it up while cooling it down with a trendy tang.
From the original Cheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hot to this latest innovation, the Flamin’ Hot lineup has certain cranked up the heat over the years. Fans have even taken the addictive sting a step further, embracing it as an attitude rather than just a flavour. Doritos believes there’s boldness in everyone and love to champion those who live life fully engaged by stepping outside of their comfort zone and pushing the limits.
“Doritos is no stranger to bold – whether it’s bold flavour, bold experiences or our bold fans that embody the Flamin’ Hot attitude,” said Caio Correa, senior director of marketing, Frito-Lay North America.
“With new Doritos Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch, we took a legacy flavour that has been beloved for generations and injected it with a spicy new edge to bring consumers a tasting experience that’s on truly Another Level.”
Doritos Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch is being rolled out on store shelves at retailers across the US for an RRP of $4.79 for the 9.25oz bags and $2.19 for the 2.75oz bags for $2.19.
pladis is ramping up its offering in the special treats category with a first-to-market innovation.
McVitie’s Blissfuls comprise a McVitie’s biscuit topped with Belgian milk chocolate cream, lidded with another crunchy and golden baked biscuit. Two variants are available: hazelnut and caramel.
The latest addition from Britain’s biggest biscuit brand is available in a 228g sharing pouch, recognising the important role biscuits play in social connection.
“McVitie’s has a long-established history of baking the nation’s favourite sweet biscuits, and our everyday biscuits like McVitie’s Digestives, and everyday treats like McVitie’s Chocolate Hobnobs, are firm favourites for morning and afternoon snacking,” said David Titman, McVitie’s marketing director at pladis UK&I.
“However, there remains an untapped opportunity for sweet biscuits during the evening, where they currently under-index compared with other sweet snacking categories. This means NPD specifically developed for this consumption moment could help drive huge incremental sales for the category – and that’s where McVitie’s Blissfuls come in.
“Created especially for sharing, our latest innovation is just the moreish special treat to shake up the evening snacking occasion by boosting relevance for sweet biscuits during these moments.”
McVitie’s Blissfuls is being launched in Sainsbury’s this month, and will follow with a larger roll-out across most major retailers in February for an RRP of £2.59.
As with all pladis products, packaging is recyclable through pladis’ partnership with Terracycle.
The same biscuit major is bringing back a limited edition flavour following popular demand. McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Lemon & Lime was first released in 2018 for a limited season, but is now back permanently to bring some life to the party.
The popular flavour features the iconic crackly dark chocolate and springy sponge layers, filled with a tongue-tingling citrus centre.
“McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Lemon & Lime Flavour was a hit when first launched as a limited-edition flavour in 2018,” said Sarah Babb, marketing manager for McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes at pladis UK&I.
“Since then, we’ve been inundated with requests from ‘Jaffanatics’ to bring back this much-loved flavour. So we’re really excited to announce its return … it’s the perfect way to brighten up your day.”
McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Lemon & Lime Flavour is rolling out in recyclable sharing boxes of 10 cakes in UK supermarkets and select retailers from January for an RRP of £1.20 per pack.
Brain + body nutrition startup IQBAR has expanded into a new category with the launch of IQMIX, a first-of-its-kind hydration stick pack that blends hydration and brain function with 0g sugar and just 1g total carbs.
While most leading hydration offerings centre on electrolytes – like sodium and potassium – IQBAR claims its latest innovation is the only hydration solution that layers on brain-functional compounds with the Lion’s Mane adaptogen and Magtein, which has been clinically shown to enhance cognitive performance and mood.
Like IQBAR’s protein bars, IQMIX is keto, vegan, and free of GMOs, gluten, dairy and soy.
Available in four variants – Lemon Lime, Blood Orange, Blueberry Pomegranate and Peach Mango – the bars have been touted as the latest thing to pay attention to.
Available from hundreds of retailers across the US, as well as online at various price points.
‘Fine nut aficionados’ Borna Foods has launched two better-for-you Trail Mixes designed to help consumer achieve their healthier living aspirations.
Today’s demands means producers need to pair great taste with nutrition and functional benefits – a call out that Borna has grasped with its Blueberry, Cashew, Banana & Toasted Coconut Trail Mix, and Sour Cherry, Almond, Tanzanian Chocolate & Jumbo Flame Raisins Trail Mix.
Despite very distinct flavour profiles, each recipe prioritises ingredients rich in iron, calcium and protein and rejects artificial unnecessaries, added sugar and life-extending sulphurs.
“It’s been a long-term ambition of ours to utilise our fine nut & dried fruit expertise to introduce a couple of meticulously mingled Trail Mixes that showcase ‘healthier living’ ingredients in a more enticing light,” said Behnam Haydaripour, cofounder of Borna.
“There’s long been an opening for Trail Mixes that only operate with finest single origin cacoa, discreetly toasted coconut, and most excitingly sour cherries that offer an authentic ‘tart twang.’ We’re especially proud of our super sweet banana slices that aren’t bland, crunchy disks of nothingness,’ to make a fantastic first impression.”
Borna’s Mixes are available in generous-sized ‘foraging’ bags (125g) for an RRP of £3.99 from select retailers across the UK.
Ferrero-owned Eat Natural has partnered with Costa Coffee to launch three new recipe bars.
The 50g bars are available at all 2,700+ Costa Coffee stores across the UK and include a Dark Chocolate Protein Bar, a Chocolate Caramel Nut Bar and a Mixed Berry & Yoghurt bar, each priced at £1.75.
The Dark Chocolate Bar is 100% vegan and contains dates, cashews, pecan nuts and a touch of sea salt to complement the coconut blossom nectar, while the Caramel Nut Bar is packed with seeds and nuts (in fact, over 20% of the bar is almonds) along with zingy cranberries.
The Mix Berry & Yoghurt variant is loaded with gluten-free oats and pumpkin seeds.
“We know consumers are demanding more from on-the-go snacks, they want convenient products that don’t compromise on taste and contain delicious ingredients,” said Lucia Gimson, brand manager at Eat Natural.
Harriet Gregory, head of Product Innovation and the mastermind behind the new bars, added, “The key premise for the bars was to strike a balance between delicious and indulgent. Each bar fulfils that ambition in a different way and offers a treat that is also deeply satisfying.”
New-to-the-market Oats in Coats is the breakfast offering that’s ready to party.
According to the producer, these little pots of joy are not your run-of-the-mill morning oats, as it has snuck in some nutritionally-packed fruit and veggies (like dried apple, strawberries, blueberries and monkfruit, along with zucchini and beet powder) to get kids off to a great start.
However, the developers, being moms of picky-eaters, cloaked the new offerings in two tummy-rubbing flavours – Berry and Apple – to ensure the little ‘uns come back for seconds.
Oats in Coats also claims to only use oats that are 100% glyphosate-free, no GMOs and certainly no added sugars. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but Oats in Coats have taken it further to make the breakfast pots free from the top 10 allergens. According to one cofounder, though, "while oats themselves are naturally gluten-free, the way conventional oats are grown leaves them susceptible to cross contamination with neighbouring wheat fields, hence the importance of calling out that we are sourcing Purity Protocol, gluten-free oats. Quaker oats, for example, have been tested and found to have contamination levels of gluten that exceed the FDA standards for gluten-free. Many people do not know that, but our gluten-sensitive community definitely appreciates the care we take."
With 5g of fibre, a good source of iron and protein and 100% whole grain, Oats in Coats will appear to everyone in the family.
The whole grain oats are easy to prepare, popped into the microwave for a minute, thrown into a smoothie or left to soak to make overnight oats. Perfect for busy mornings or as an anytime snack.
Available online in 12 packs for $36 (one time order) or $32.40 for a monthly subscription.
