Amplify Snacks launches new SkinnyPop flavors in chemical-free pop-up boxes

The company has also introduced pop-up boxes to eliminate the effects of damaging chemicals.

“There’s a lot of concern from consumers around potential chemicals in microwave bags, [however] we’ve eliminated those concerns with this pop-up box. You can also eat [straight from the pop-up box] so you don't have to worry about doing dishes,”​ said Pamela Finer, Amplify Snacks' director of marketing, noting that the microwave box was designed by Amplify Snacks inhouse.

The company extended its SkinnyPop range beyond the ready-to-eat category earlier this year, with the launch of popcorn mini and large cakes, as well as microwave popcorn.

“[Microwave popcorn] was a category that hadn’t seen much innovation over the last several years, and we have a new microwave offering that pops up in a chemical-free, pop-up box,”​ she said.

The new microwave popcorn flavors will be available across the US in July 2017, said Finer. SkinnyPop will also be rolling out two additional ready-to-eat popcorn flavors - organic aged white cheddar and pepper jack - in July.

The fastest

Amplify Snacks contends SkinnyPop is purportedly the fastest-growing brand in the microwave popcorn category, and it also has the fastest-turning SKUs in the category at multiple US retailers.

SkinnyPop popcorn cakes, too, have driven the category with a growth rate of 3.5% compared to last year. “Without SkinnyPop, the category would have declined by 0.3%,”​ the company said.

In the ready-to-eat popcorn category, SkinnyPop makes up around 19% of the market share, said Finer

Good growth​

Amplify Snacks has experienced high growth recently and has extended into multiple snacking categories with acquisitions like whey protein brand Oatmega, English kettle potato chip company Tyrrells and Paqui Tortilla Chips.

The company's Q1 results​​ “exceeded expectations and continued to gain momentum”​ with a revenue of $87.21m, increasing by 60.5% compared to the year prior.

Tyrells in the US

Amplify Snacks said it intends to manufacture Tyrrells in the US later this year.

“We are going to [print] the names of the potato varietals on the back of the pack so consumers can understand the types of potatoes we’re using,”​ Finer said.

“We leave the skin on the potato to give it [the chips] a rustic look and crunchy texture,”​ she added. “We [only] use premium ingredients and we [will be] taking some of the ‘Englishness’ to the States, like sea salt and cider vinegar.”​

According to Finer, the Tyrrells’ manufacturing facility will be located outside of Chicago, and production capacity will meet domestic consumer demand.