Key takeaways:
- Protein is spreading into new formats, with brands moving beyond bars and shakes into baked breakfast, cereals, vegetables and real meat snacks.
- Comfort-led flavors are reshaping better-for-you, as pastry, chocolate and warming spice cues make functional snacks feel less restrictive.
- Fiber and inclusivity are gaining ground, with high-fiber formulations and nut-free or mixed-diet options becoming central to smarter snacking.
If there’s a defining mood to this latest wave of launches, it’s that smarter snacking no longer feels austere. Protein and fiber are still doing the heavy lifting, but they’re increasingly wrapped in comfort cues – bakery flavors, chocolate coatings, apple-and-cinnamon warmth – rather than gym-bag severity. The result is a crop of products that feel useful and enjoyable, not like something you’re forcing down between meetings.
Another shift is format fluidity. Snacks are borrowing from breakfast; breakfast is borrowing from dessert; and the old boundaries are blurring fast. Muffins now come with double-digit protein. Jerky is pitched as a legitimate morning option. Cereals taste like pastries. Even vegetables get an upgrade through mixed-diet formats that acknowledge real households don’t all eat the same way.
Fiber, too, is finally getting its moment. Once an afterthought, it’s now positioned alongside protein as a core benefit – whether that’s through oats, buckwheat, vegetables or low-sugar formulations designed to keep consumers fuller for longer, particularly those managing weight or GLP-1 use.
What ties these launches together is intent. These products aren’t chasing novelty for novelty’s sake. They’re designed to earn their place in a routine – breakfast at a desk, a mid-afternoon slump or a sweet craving that still wants to feel like a smart decision.
Vievé adds pistachio-led protein bars
Vievé is stepping beyond functional hydration and into bars with a range deliberately built to stand apart from the usual chocolate-brownie playbook. The three flavors – pistachio punch, strawberry blondie and coconut crunch – lean hard into indulgence and novelty, with pistachio explicitly inspired by the Dubai chocolate trend.
Each 45g bar delivers 15g protein and 12g fiber, with no added sugar, gluten-free ingredients and under 160 calories. Fiber has been a central pillar of the NPD, with each bar supplying roughly a third of daily needs. The compact format is designed for impulse and meal-deal placements.
“Launching into the healthy snacking sector is a completely new venture for us and part of an on-going brand expansion project,” says founder and CEO Rofael Rozenson. “Since 2018, we have focused on functional hydration for busy people with our protein water, however, we now see our new protein bars as a great complimentary product for health conscious individuals. These new bars are also designed for those on GLP-1, following research that has shown that 50% of our customers use its products as part of a weight loss regime.”
He adds: “We’ve focused on unusual flavors and our pistachio variant is inspired by the Dubai chocolate craze, but with that extra protein and fiber hit. Added fiber has been an important part of our NPD with this launch; so many consumers don’t get enough fiber, so upping fiber levels in our protein bars was vital.”
The bars are rolling out nationwide across the UK with an RRP of £2.49.
Premier Protein moves into baked breakfast
Premier Protein is pushing protein into baked breakfast territory with new muffin mixes and single-serve microwave cups developed with Hometown Food Company. The move taps directly into routine-driven eating, where consumers want something warm, familiar and filling without a long prep time.
The muffin mixes deliver 13g protein per serving and bake into 12 muffins, aimed squarely at meal prep and repeat usage. The microwave muffin cups take convenience further, offering 15g protein and a 90-second cook time for genuinely on-the-go mornings. Blueberry and chocolate chip flavors keep the proposition accessible.
“Our Muffin Mixes and Muffin Cups make it easier than ever for people to enjoy high-protein options that fit seamlessly into their daily routines – whether at home or on the go,” notes Dan Angelmyer, COO of brand owner Hometown Food Company.
The products begin rolling out to US retailers in early 2026, including Walmart.
Taylor Farms launches a double-dip veggie tray
Taylor Farms’ new double-dip vegetable tray is a smart response to mixed-diet households. By pairing classic buttermilk ranch with a dairy-free, almond-based chipotle-style dip, the tray offers flexibility without forcing consumers into a single choice.
The tray includes carrots, broccoli, celery and snap peas, positioned as ready-to-share and family-friendly. Familiar ranch anchors the format, while the plant-based dip adds heat and modern appeal.
“These trays are first of their kind,” says Brian Riordan, product director at Taylor Farms. “Combining the familiarity of ranch, with the booming flavor of Chipotle Bitchin’ Sauce, we are giving the consumers what they are looking for. It is a win-win for our customers and consumers.”
Bitchin’ Sauce founder and CEO Starr Edwards adds: “Whether you’re vegan, dairy-free or just love great flavor, this tray has something for everyone. We’re thrilled to team up with Taylor Farms to make healthy snacking even more Bitchin’.”
The double-dip vegetable tray is available now at Sprouts Farmers Market across the US.
Kallø introduces apple and cinnamon oat cakes
Kallø’s latest puffed oat cake flavor leans into warmth rather than restraint. Apple and cinnamon is a familiar, comforting pairing, positioned as a lighter alternative to cereal bars or biscuits for breakfast or mid-morning snacking.
Made from puffed oats, apple concentrate and cinnamon, the cakes are gluten-free, naturally high in fiber and contain beta glucan, with fewer than 37 calories per cake. Using oats rather than rice creates a lighter, crunchier texture while reinforcing the health halo.
“We’re consistently looking to push the boundaries and challenge the snacking category with innovations that are both tasty and nutritious,” says Charlea Price, Kallø brand controller at Ecotone UK. “We know Apple & Cinnamon is a much-loved flavor profile that will appeal to culinary curious shoppers that want a wholesome, sweet snack.”
The jumbo packs are priced at £2.99 and available at Waitrose in the UK, joining existing strawberry and honey variants.
Defi brings buckwheat-based chocolate protein bites
Defi Snacks is taking a more technical approach to indulgence, combining premium chocolate with what it calls time-lapsed nutrition. Each bite uses sprouted organic buckwheat as a base, paired with fast-absorbing whey protein crisps and slow-digesting casein to promote longer-lasting satiety.
Founder Tatyana Jones draws directly on her Ukrainian upbringing for inspiration. “Most people assume buckwheat is a wheat or some type of a grain. In reality, it’s neither. Buckwheat is a naturally gluten-free flower seed and nutritionally outperforms many of today’s trendy ingredients.”
The range includes dark chocolate and milk chocolate varieties, including a newer milk chocolate peanut butter crunch option. Rather than aggressively cutting calories, Defi focuses on ingredient density, texture contrast and sustained energy.
The brand is available direct-to-consumer, via Amazon and through selected US retailers including ShopRite and Raley’s.
Catalina Crunch debuts pastry-inspired protein cereal
Catalina Crunch is leaning into bakery nostalgia with two new protein cereal flavors inspired by classic pastries. Strawberry Strudel and Apple Turnover aim to deliver warmth and indulgence while keeping sugar to a minimum.
Each serving delivers 10g protein, is high in fiber, contains just 1g sugar and includes real fruit pieces. The flavors join Blueberry Muffin, reinforcing a broader strategy built around familiar breakfast cues rather than functional austerity.
“We know consumers are looking for snacks that do more for them,” says Sam Martin, CRMO of Catalina Snacks. “The Snack Swap Movement makes that shift exciting and accessible. With Catalina Crunch’s portfolio and new flavors, our Snack Swapline helps consumers find better-for-you snacks that can be bold, joyful and still craveably delicious.”
The cereals are available online and in US retailers including Walmart, Target, Whole Foods and Sprouts, with additional rollouts planned through the year.
Jack Link’s pushes jerky as a breakfast swap
While many brands lean on whey or plant protein, Jack Link’s is doubling down on real meat as a smarter option – even in the morning. The brand positions jerky as a breakfast swap that delivers complete protein alongside nutrients like B12, iron and zinc, without added sugar or long ingredient lists.
The range includes turkey jerky, zero sugar beef jerky and mini beef sticks, with prices starting at $6.99. Products are widely available across Amazon, Walmart, Costco, Target and major US grocery retailers.
Sister brand Lorissa’s Kitchen brings an allergen-free angle to the space, offering grass-fed meat snacks free from the top nine allergens and available via Amazon, Walmart and Thrive Market.
Sweet Freedom launches nut-free chocolate spread
Sweet Freedom’s latest launch tackles indulgence from an inclusivity angle. Choc Pot Hazelnot delivers a hazelnut-style chocolate spread without nuts, palm oil or refined sugar, and is made in a nut-free factory.
Naturally sweetened with fruit and containing just 15 calories per teaspoon, the spread is positioned as a lighter alternative that still leans into nostalgia. It’s designed for toast, porridge, pancakes or straight-from-the-spoon moments.
“Choc Pot Hazelnot has been a real labour of love. We wanted to recreate that classic hazelnut-chocolate experience, but in a way that’s totally nut-free, natural and a little bit lighter,” says cofounder Deborah Pyner.
Priced at £3.35, Choc Pot Hazelnot launched exclusively at Asda for Veganuary, with wider UK availability via Sweet Freedom’s website to follow.
