NPD March 2017: ‘Free from’ baguettes, French toast cereal and McVitie’s on the move
Suzy Q's again
Hostess Brands is re-launching Suzy Q’s yet again, after a failed re-launch them in 2016 to poor customer response.
According to the company, the “new and improved recipe” – featuring 50% more crème and 50% more cake – and will closely resemble the popular 1961 recipe, which features two chocolate sandwich cakes bursting with crème filling. The snack cake will also return to its original shape, appearing with rounded edges.
The cakes are now available in six-count multipacks and single-serve twin-packs at supermarkets around the US.
Fuss free
BFree has added Bake at Home Baguettes to its range of wheat and gluten free breads, designed to be baked at home in just 10 minutes.
Available in two varieties - Triple Seeded Demi Baguette and White Demi Baguette – that are both high in fibre, contain no added sugar, are low in fat and suitable for vegans.
The BFree range – which is free from the top 14 EU listed allergens – includes Stone Baked Pitta Breads, Sweet Potato Wraps, Multi-Seed Wraps, Quinoa and Chia Seed Wraps and White and Brown Seeded Sandwich Loaves.
Bake at Home Baguettes are available in selected Tesco stores across the UK and Ireland at £2.50 (€2.99) per pack.
Complete meal in a bowl
UK-based brand Huel has launched what it calls “the world's first nutritionally complete cereal”.
Huel Granola is made from ingredients including rolled oats, crunchy pea protein nuggets, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chicory root fiber, and contains a balance of protein, essential fats, carbs, fiber, phytonutrients, and all 26 essential vitamins and minerals.
According to the brand, it contains the perfect balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats people need on a daily basis.
The company – noted for its Huel powder that turns into a nutritionally complete meal by adding water – created the granola to answer the demand for healthy alternatives to sugar-laden cereals.
Huel Granola contains only 9% sugar per 100g serving, from natural sources such as brown rice syrup and raw sugar cane.
The 100% plant-based granola is available in two flavors - Original and Berry - and is sold through retail outlets around the UK for a RRP of £4.75 ($6.60) (£0.68 – less than $1/213 kcal meal).
Responsibly sourced
Kellogg-owned breakfast cereal brand Kashi has launched a cinnamon French toast cereal, made from crispy corn puffs, cinnamon and maple syrup.
The cereal was inspired by bostock, a French breakfast brioche, and each serving contains 5g of fiber, 14g of whole grains and 6g of sugar.
The release coincides with the announcement that Kashi will source Certified Transitional ingredients from more than 4,200 acres of US farmland – a 400% increase since the Certified Transitional program started in 2016.
Cinnamon French toast is the second Kashi cereal to carry the Certified Transitional seal and builds on the success of Dark Cocoa Karma shredded wheat biscuits and Chewy Nut Butter bars.
Kashi’s portfolio of eight Certified Transitional products also includes two new chewy nut butter bar flavours, salted caramel pecan, and double chocolate almond butter, released last year.
McVitie’s on the move
Pladis has launched McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Pocket Packs – a new product format that caters to the increasing demand from young adults (18-24 years old) for on-the-go consumption.
The individual pocket packs contain three cakes in easy-to-carry packaging and are sold in a multipack of six (for a RSP £1.79 - $2.48 - at UK outlets nationwide).
The new packaging format is in line with insight that identified a demand among young adults for products that are convenient to eat on the go.
The McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes packaging format also taps into the growing demand for portion control, as well long-lasting freshness.