The BFY and functional food market is continuing its meteoric rise as brands innovate to meet growing consumer demand for cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable options. This movement is reshaping grocery aisles, with everything from plant-based proteins to upcycled ingredients and wellness-focused snacks gaining traction.
Today’s shoppers are more informed than ever, seeking transparency and nutritional value without sacrificing taste. BFY brands are responding with products that cater to evolving dietary preferences. From Kellogg’s oat-based cereal Oaties to Seven Sundays’ upcycled clean breakfast options, TREK’s Biscoff-infused protein bars, and SNAX-Sational’s nostalgic PB&J popcorn, these products are proving that better-for-you doesn’t mean boring. We also spotlight innovative kids’ wellness solutions from The Functional Chocolate Company and the rapid expansion of ALOHA’s plant-based protein bars.
The Functional Chocolate Company launches FunCho Kids
The Denver-based producer – known for blending dark chocolate with botanicals and clinically validated ingredients to address everyday health needs – has unveiled its FunCho Kids collection. Designed for children aged 4 and up, the line transforms wellness into delicious chocolate treats, making it easier for parents to support their kids’ health with a smile.
“As our company has grown, so have the families we serve,” said CEO Nicole Smith. “FunCho Kids is our solution to everyday challenges like restless nights, school jitters, and bumps and bruises. These chocolates make wellness something kids will love.”
The collection features four condition-specific products:
- Carefree Chocolate for Kids: A calming mix of lemon balm, passionflower, and chamomile to ease stress and promote relaxation.
- Brainy Chocolate for Kids: Boosts focus and clarity with botanicals like ginkgo biloba and rhodiola.
- Painfree Chocolate for Kids: Combines bromelain, turmeric, and MSM to soothe everyday aches.
- Sleepy Chocolate for Kids: A bedtime treat infused with chamomile, magnesium, and L-tryptophan for restful sleep.
All products are plant-based, naturally gluten-free, and free from artificial additives.
Co-founder Chris Peruzzi originally created the company to address his teens’ health needs – like PMS, stress, and anxiety – without bitter pills. Today, the company offers vegan, ethically sourced chocolates for adults and children alike, tackling menopause, sleep, energy, stress, focus, and much more.
Available online and at select US retailer.
Start your day right with Kellogg’s Oaties
Kellogg’s is redefining breakfast with the launch of Oaties, a new oat-based cereal that is both non-HFSS and designed with a balanced, health-conscious recipe. This addition to Kellogg’s range continues its commitment to better-for-you options, including non-HFSS favourites like Special K, Coco Pops, Rice Krispies, and Corn Flakes.
Crafted from wholegrain oats and enriched with fibre, B vitamins, and iron, Oaties supports normal energy-yielding metabolism for a nutritious start to the day. Available in two flavours – Original Crunch and Choco Crunch – each crispy pillow is designed to stay crunchy in milk to deliver a satisfying breakfast experience.
Months of meticulous research went into perfecting the recipe, blending oats and cereal flours with high-quality ingredients to achieve a unique, multilayered texture.
“It’s been many months in the making, but we’re confident our new Oaties range will be well worth the wait,” said Caroline Deeley, R&D cereal technical manager for Kellogg’s.
Priced at £3.49 for a 500g pack, Oaties is rolling out in Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco across the UK.
Part of Kellogg’s broader innovation drive, supported by a £75m investment in its Wrexham cereal factory, Oaties launches alongside a campaign featuring the iconic Cornelius the cockerel under the tagline ‘It’s Crunch Time’.
Celebrate a gluten-free Valentine’s Day with Mightylicious
Valentine’s Day just got sweeter for anyone with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, thanks to Mightylicious Gluten Free Foods.
Founder Carolyn Haeler knows firsthand that dietary restrictions don’t have to limit your celebration. With Mightylicious Gluten Free Flour Blends and the popular vegan brownie mix, you can create delicious heart-shaped treats that are so good, no one will believe they’re gluten-free.
“The simplest Valentine’s Day traditions in our home involve making heart-shaped sweet and savoury recipes,” said Haeler. “We use heart-shaped moulds for pancakes, brownies, or even gluten-free pizza.” For more inspiration, the Mightylicious website features recipes for gluten-free cinnamon rolls, donuts, biscuits, and sugar cookies.
Not up for baking? Mightylicious offers award-winning gluten-free cookies in seven indulgent varieties. Choose from four vegan options – Double Dutch Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Chip, and Grandma Arline’s Oatmeal Coconut – as well as dairy-inclusive favourites like Brown Butter Chocolate Chip and Brown Butter Shortbread. For a unique twist, try the Salted Peanut Butter cookie, which is both grain- and dairy-free.
Mightylicious products are available online and in US retail stores, including Walmart, Whole Foods, Costco, King’s, and Price Chopper.
TREK unveils Biscoff Protein Flapjack
The UK’s second-largest protein bar brand is shaking up the snacking market with the launch of the TREK Biscoff Protein Flapjack. Combining TREK’s signature oat flapjack with a thick layer of iconic Biscoff topping, the new bar packs 9g of plant-based protein and a great source of fibre in a convenient, on-the-go format.
Building on the success of the TREK Power Biscoff – which generated £3.9m in sales and became the top Cereal & Sports Nutrition Bar launch of 2024 – this introduction aims to drive further category growth.
“TREK and Biscoff are an unstoppable combination that shoppers just can’t get enough of,” said TREK marketing manager Alice Boardman. “With over 1.7 million TREK Power Biscoff bars already sold – that’s 7 every minute – we knew extending Biscoff to our iconic Protein Flapjacks was the next big move.
Available as single bars (RRP: £1.35) or multipacks (RRP: £3.45), TREK Biscoff Protein Flapjack will launch in Sainsbury’s at the beginning of February before rolling out nationwide from April.
ALOHA expands presence in Target
A mere three months after its launch in Target, ALOHA is doubling both its product lineup and retail footprint. From mid-January, ALOHA bars will be available in over 1,000 Target stores nationwide, as well as Target online.
The expansion brings two new flavours – Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Coconut Chocolate Almond – to join existing favourites Peanut Butter Cup and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. All flavours are offered in convenient five-pack boxes in the grocery/lunchbox aisle.
This milestone comes seven years after Target initially dropped the brand, marking a remarkable comeback driven by a complete brand overhaul under CEO Brad Charron.
“Doubling our retail footprint at Target in such a short time is a testament to the incredible momentum we’re seeing with consumers across the country,” said Charron. “We’re not just selling protein; we’re leading a food movement towards more thoughtful, delicious nutrition that consumers are craving. This latest milestone signals that our brand is hitting another major inflection point in the market.”
With revenue nearing triple-digit growth year-over-year and a $68m investment from SEMCAP Food & Nutrition, ALOHA is solidifying its status as the fastest-growing protein bar in the US. As a Climate Neutral Certified, USDA Organic, B Corp brand, ALOHA’s commitment to ingredient transparency and sustainability also positions it as a leader in the better-for-you food movement.
SNAX-Sational debuts PB&J popcorn
SNAX-Sational Brands has unveiled its newest creation – PB&J POP – a nostalgic treat that reimagines the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a crunchy snack.
Launching this month, PB&J POP combines the smooth, nutty richness of JIF peanut butter flavour with the fruity sweetness of Smucker’s Grape and Strawberry jelly, all drizzled over airy popcorn. Designed to delight snack lovers of all ages, it offers a unique throwback to childhood lunchboxes and after-school snacks, packaged for modern convenience.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Smucker’s and JIF to bring this American classic to life,” said SNAX-Sational CEO Mike Hagan. “The response has been overwhelming, and we’re excited to deliver a product that resonates so strongly with our customers.”
PB&J POP is rolling out in 24oz PB&J Grape bags at Costco in the Pacific Northwest of the US, with 5.25oz PB&J Grape bags available at Stop & Shop and Winn-Dixie. Both Grape and Strawberry 5.25oz flavours will be stocked at Burlington and Five Below, and all varieties are available online at cookiepopcandypop.com.
The partnership was facilitated by Brand Central, LLC, J.M. Smucker’s licensing agency.
Seven Sundays cleans up breakfast cereals
As parents demand better options in the wake of protests and petitions targeting artificial ingredients in cereals, Seven Sundays is leading the charge with a refreshing alternative. As the first upcycled cereal brand in the US, Seven Sundays has been delivering on its promise of real, clean ingredients since day one – no petitions required.
Unlike traditional cereals loaded with artificial dyes, preservatives, and fillers, Seven Sundays reinvents childhood favourites with natural sweeteners like maple syrup, honey, and real fruit. Certified Glyphosate Free, the brand’s products bring nostalgic flavours without harmful additives like Red Dye No. 40 or Yellow Dye No. 6.
The lineup includes two innovative upcycled cereal lines:
Sunflower Cereal: Packed with protein and fibre from upcycled sunflower seeds, available in three variants: Real Cocoa, Maple Sea Salt, and Real Berry.
Oat Protein Cereal: The first of its kind, made with upcycled oats for 3x the protein and 2x the fibre of whole oats. Flavours include Simple Honey Oat, Super Fruity, and Apple Oat.
For on-the-go convenience, Cereal Snackies (RRP: $14.99/20 oz) feature single-serve pouches of Real Cocoa Sunflower and Simply Honey Oat Protein cereals – perfect for school, work, or travel.
Available online and from selected US retailers.