This week’s slate of new product launches that caught the eye include new confectionery from Mars, Arla adding to its lactose-free dairy range and The Collective entering the dairy-free category for yogurts.
US vegetarian-foods manufacturer Keystone Natural Holdings adds to brand roster
Planty Good is the latest brand to emerge from the stable of Keystone Natural Holdings, the US manufacturer behind Franklin Farms, Nature’s Soy and Superior Natural.
Marketed as a sub-brand under the Franklin Farms brand, Planty Good burgers and ground meat are being launched in chilled- and frozen-food aisles. An eight-ounce pack of two burgers and a 16-oz bag of ground are available.
Through the Franklin Farms brand, Keystone Natural Holdings sells more traditional vegetarian burgers, such as a beet and kale patty. The Planty Good “product line [is] focused on meat-like products”, a spokesperson said.
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Elsewhere in the Franklin Farms portfolio, Nature’s Soy is a brand targeted originally at the Asian American community on the East Coast of the US and is also now expanding its presence.
Superior Natural is a brand of tofu and soymilk products sold in Canada.
Keystone Natural Holdings owns and operate five factories in North America. The company also manufactures retailer own-label products. Its annual revenues stand at more than US$50m.
Mars reveals slate of confectionery innovation
Confectionery giant Mars has revealed a slate of new products for the US market across brands such as M&M’s, Snickers and Skittles to cater to changing consumer habits during the pandemic.
The M&M’s line-up includes the Sugar Cookie featuring a white chocolate shell with a crispy centre, Chocolate Popcorn, a milk chocolate popcorn with a crispy centre, and M&M’s Mix, with varieties in Milk Chocolate, Peanut, Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Peanut.
A Peanut Brownie will be introduced in January under the Snickers brand combining the traditional snack bars with brownies. It features two individual squares coated in Snickers chocolate, with a caramel and a chewy peanut-brownie filling. The snacks come in singles and sharing bags and pouches.
Skittles Gummies will be introduced next spring, a pop-able gummy candy with fruit flavours including the Original Five Fruity Flavours and Wild Berry varieties.
Mars is also re-introducing Skittles Smoothies for the first time since 2005 but with an “improved recipe” featuring a “creamy yogurt flavouring”. Strawberry Banana, Raspberry, Blueberry, Peach Guava and Mango will hit retailers shelves during the coming winter.
Jim Dodge, vice-president for convenience at Mars Wrigley, said: “Treating and snacking has changed dramatically and even more so over the last six months. Not only are we continuing to see people looking for wider variety in regard to flavours and textures, but we also know they are gravitating towards familiar brands they trust.
“Mars Wrigley is laser-focused on listening and responding to our consumers and this shift in behaviour has driven us to evolve our approach and introduce new products.”
Mondelez licenses Milka brand for Pascual shakes
US confectionery and snacking giant Mondelez International has licensed its Milka brand to Spanish food manufacturer Pascual, which will incorporate the product into a range of smoothies.
Pascual will produce and market the Milka shake in Spain and Portugal.
The beverages combine Pascual’s milk and the chocolate brand from Mondelez, with the shakes available in 200-ml glasses and cartons in retail and foodservice outlets.
Natalia Fernández, business manager at Pascual, said: “Until now, the category of shakes has not had the level of innovation that other categories of snacking such as cookies or chocolate have. This causes a certain boredom in the consumer that demands new proposals from us.”
Arla adds yogurt to Lactofree dairy range
Arla Foods, the European dairy producer headquartered in Denmark, is adding free-from yogurts to its Lactofree range of milk, butter and cheese in the UK.
Arla Lactofree Yogurt+, which is “low in fat and high in vitamin D,” is available in vanilla, blueberry and mango in 150-gram recyclable pots exclusively in the supermarket chain Morrisons.
Rebecca Allen, senior brand manager for Arla Lactofree, said: “The huge rise of in-home consumption as a result of the pandemic has led to total category growth in free-from. We are also seeing a real trend at the moment with consumers for general wellness and gut health products so the addition of Lactofree Yogurt+ to our total range allows us tap into these trends whilst broadening the choice in lactose-free products.”
The Collective to debut dairy-free Plant yogurts
The Collective has entered the dairy-free category with a new brand in Greek-style yogurt – Plant.
Plant is made with oats, coconut and rice and will available in the UK in most major retailers from January, including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Wholefoods market.
It has already been launched in New Zealand, where The Collective was founded, with products such as high-protein yogurts and Kefir cultured milk drinks made in the UK under contract.
Plant, which is free-from soy and nuts and is vegan-friendly, will come in two formats, 135 gram and 400 gram recyclable pots, in four flavours: Natural, Raspberry, Passion Fruit and Fudge.
Sarah Smart, general manager of The Collective UK, said: “This is our biggest launch since we hit shelves in the UK almost ten years ago. Our team has worked passionately for over two years, developing a unique recipe.”
Plant will carry a recommended retail price of GBP1.25 (US$1.64) for the 135-gram pots and GBP2.20 for the larger format.
Bio-tiful makes debut in kefir yogurts
Bio-tiful Dairy, the London-based kefir business, has entered the yogurt category for the first time.
The fermented yogurts are a natural source of protein, calcium, and the vitamins B12 and B2, and have no added sugar.
Bio-tiful kefir yogurts are rolling out in Sainsbury’s this month in four flavours: Original, Raspberry & Pomegranate, Mango & Lime, and Honey & Ginger.
The 400-gram pots carry a recommended retail price of GBP1.75 (US$2.30), while the smaller 130-gram version will retail at 75 pence.
Founder Natasha Bowes said: “With immunity and gut health higher on the consumers agenda than ever, we’re delighted to be able to bring our expertise in kefir making to the yogurt category. Our aim is to cater for more occasions and consumers looking to upgrade their yoghurt with a product that combines the very best in nutrition, quality and taste.”
Keto-friendly meals from Cedarlane Foods
Cedarlane Foods, a US manufacturer of organic frozen meals and chilled wraps and salads, is introducing a Keto-friendly range of dishes for the retail channel.
The protein and low-carb meal options cater to breakfast, lunch and dinner occasions, and feature bowls and omelettes (or omelets in the US) such as Buffalo Style Pork Omelet and Hamburger & Cheese Omelet.
Cedarlane’s new line-up of meal bowls includes Chicken Fiesta, Turkey Taco and Chicken Thai Curry.
The Keto meals are available in Sprouts Farmers Market, Albertsons, select stores of United Supermarkets and Central Market.
Cedarlane was founded in 1981 in Carson, Southern California, and supplies both the retail and foodservice channels. The company employs around 700 people.
CEO and founder Robert Atallah said: “We’ve been championing the importance of a diet rich in vegetables since our founding, and are proud to continue providing families and individuals with a diverse new variety of delicious, nourishing options you can prepare in just minutes.”
Bells of Lazonby brings We Love Cake duo to UK
UK bakery business Bells of Lazonby is introducing a range of gluten-free cakes in the UK after a favourable launch in Australia with retailer Coles two years ago.
The We Love Cake offering from the Cumbria-based company encompasses four-packs of Rip-Roaring Raspberry Ripple Slices and Totally Toffee Sticky Toffee slices, which are available in Morrisons at a recommended retail price of GBP1.80 (US$2.36).
They are also free-from wheat and dairy and have been registered with Coeliac UK.
Josh Boydell-Smith, the head of brands and marketing for We Love Cake, said: “Nostalgia is one of this year’s biggest food trends across multiple markets. Interestingly, in the UK we see a craving for these comforting flavours and products amplified by times of uncertainty. As the UK faces into local lockdowns and further unknown, families are looking for a lift from their shopping basket – classic treats, tastes of familiarity and fond memories to give shoppers a boost.”
Unilever launches The Vegetarian Butcher brand in Spain
Anglo-Dutch consumer good giant Unilever has launched its The Vegetarian Butcher meat-alternative brand in Spanish supermarkets.
The brand, which was launched into the Spanish foodservice channel earlier this year, has already been launched into the retail channel in other markets.
It has launched four products for the retail market in Spain – Rebeldes de Corral (chicken chunks), Albondiciosas (meatballs), Nug-get’s prty (nuggets) and Picado Carnal (mince). All the products are either vegan or vegetarian.
The range will be available in selected stores of El Corte Inglés, Bon Preu and La Sirena.
