Fancypants Baking eyes further growth after rebranding Crunch Cookie range

The new packaging features a larger Fancypants logo and the words “nut-free​” replace the previous “peanut-free​” claim. It also highlights the use of non-GMO ingredients, that the cookies are baked with cage-free eggs, and use sustainably sourced palm oil.

Nut-free pioneer

“We are very proud we are one of the first baking companies who make nut-free cookies, and they are completely safe for people with any type of nut allergy​,” said Fancypants president Maura Duggan, who launched the business 10 years ago. “There is a huge number of consumers looking for products with specific allergy-related concerns.”​

“The first packaging was bright and colorful and we got lots of great feedback about it, but we decided we could do even better​,” ​ she told BakeryAndSnacks, adding that gaining non-GMO certification had taken a lot of time and work.

“But it’s worth it because more and more people understand that means they are eating a high-quality product​," she said.

Growth ambitions

Duggan hopes the new look can help to grow the Fancypants business

“Our goal for 2016 is to continue to expand, so customers across the US can find our cookies for an everyday snack​,” she said.

Fancypants’ current distribution channels include the natural and organic market, club stores, and independent supermarkets.

“We know we have lots of opportunities all over the country but we will focus on very population-dense areas like Chicago, San Francisco and New York where there are opportunities for growth in independent stores, food service, and grocery stores​,” said Duggan.

New flavors being developed

The rebranded Crunch line retains its original flavors - including brown sugar oatmeal, chocolate chip, vanilla sugar and double chocolate - and new flavors are in development. Fancypants also customizes Crunch cookies flavors to cater to seasonal opportunities.

“The different seasons affect people’s food preferences and choices quite a bit and that means that people like variety​,” Duggan said. “It’s the reason we make so many different flavors of our Crunch cookies, like apple cider and pumpkins chocolate chip in the fall, and lemon ginger and orange burst in the spring​.”   

Mintel’s 2015 report on the free-from food trends shows that roughly 40% of 25 to 34-year-olds seek items free of nuts and peanuts.