New Products for the Lunchbox
Bare Snacks
Marking what it says is the first line of baked, no-oil veggie chips to hit the market, the company’s new savory snacks can stand in for potato chips and come in kid-friendly flavors like Ranch Carrot Chips. Unlike other veggie snacks, which are often fried or made with starchy powders and oil, these snacks give parents and kids clean options made with real vegetables and nothing extra, but in a familiar chip format. Bare Snacks has also introduced a banana chip featuring classic flavor combination beloved by kids: banana and strawberry. Unlike rival banana chips, the new variety contains no oil or added sugar.
Country Archer Jerky Co.
Perfect for tiny hands and popping into lunchboxes, Country Archer’s no-mess, individually wrapped mini meat sticks come in a kid-friendly Original Beef flavor that combines juicy beef with a hint of garlic and pepper. Each stick contains 5 grams of protein and only 50 calories per 0.5-ounce serving, with no sugar, and features real ingredients, like grass-fed beef, that are all free of nitrites/nitrates, gluten, MSG, hormones and preservatives. Country Archer is also introducing the first meat bars on the market made with collagen peptides, each one packed with 15 grams of protein and made with grass-fed beef, antibiotic-free turkey or pork, and dates for a touch of natural sweetness. Flavors include Cayenne Beef, Herb Citrus Turkey and Sweet BBQ Pork.
Enjoy Life Foods
The allergy-friendly company’s Grain & Seed Bars, which rolled out in January of this year, are the first to combine three types of the ancient grain sorghum in four kid-friendly flavors: Chocolate Marshmallow, Banana Caramel, Maple Sweet Potato and Cranberry Orange. Its truffle-like Protein Bites, now including two new flavors – Dark Raspberry and Dipped Banana, launched this spring with an elevated taste and texture profile, but with the same plant-based protein (6 grams worth) in each poppable bite. Like all Enjoy Life products, the bars and bites are made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free bakery, are Certified Gluten-Free, Non-GMO Project Verified, kosher, Halal Certified and contain all-natural ingredients. There are also several Vegan options available.
Expresco
The company’s ProSticks line consists of portable grilled chicken breast skewers in three street food-inspired flavors: Mediterranean, Sweet Sriracha and Chipotle. Packed with more than 20 grams of protein per serving, the artisanally prepared line can serve either as a snack or a purposeful meal replacement that can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime, meeting consumer needs for portability, nutrition and flavor.
Hostess Brands LLC
Last October, the company launched its 6-SKU Hostess Bakery Petites line of products featuring a cleaner ingredient deck, and the Double Chocolate Cake Delights variety was subsequently named Best in Show at the 2018 Sweets and Snacks Expo this past May. Additionally, Hostess Jumbo Donettes hit the market in April of this year in Glazed and Chocolate Iced with Sprinkles varieties, bringing the line into the full-size doughnut segment. Each Jumbo Donette is individually wrapped to ensure freshness. The company also provides seasonal flavors year-round for all of its popular brands, including Twinkies, Hostess CupCakes, Ding Dongs and Donettes, each also individually wrapped.
RX Bar
Launched in late May, RX Nut Butter is a spreadable snack that can be eaten straight from the single-serve packet or enjoyed on a favorite fruit. Made with simple ingredients like egg whites, fruits and nuts, the product provides 9 grams of protein.
Tree Top
In January 2018, Tree Top introduced clear apple sauce pouches to retail stores across the western United States. Also featuring a compact design, easy twist-off top, the line comes in seven varieties: original apple, organic apple, cinnamon, mango, strawberry, tropical and mixed berry. Additionally, the see-through package means that parents and kids can see what’s in each pouch, avoiding hidden mold buildup.