Polish meat producer Henryk Kania has started to make a name for itself with unusual new product development: first, it launched mini sausages in a cup, then a range of women-only meat snacks, now a three-strong line of meat crisps – or chips, if you’re American.
The crisps are not potato, but thin slices of cold, crispy bacon that come in two flavours: classic or green onion. Henryk Kania has applied for a patent for its bacon crisps.
While unusual, the company’s interesting mix of meat products has already landed it a lucrative sponsorship deal with Poland’s equivalent of the English Premier League – the Ekstraklasa.
Meat snack demand strong in Poland
More generally, meat snacks have become a big thrust of the company’s NPD strategy. It believes people are eating meat snacks more frequently because they are often higher protein and lower in carbohydrates than other snacks, such as crisps.
“Today, one-fifth of the society in Poland eats so-called ‘on-the-go’ products at least once a week for breakfast, lunch or dinner,” explained Dominika Rąba, vice-president of Henryk Kania.
“This trend is deepening, especially as more than 60% of Poles admit that [they have] too little time to prepare a meal. Therefore, snacks are a great solution for them.”
Mintel research has also suggested one in three people struggle not to snack between meals, with many opting for salty snacks, like crisps, to satisfy their hunger cravings.
Henryk Kania hopes its bacon crisps will provide a difference for snack-hungry Polish consumers.
The company is not stopping with bacon crisps and women-only meat snacks, however, saying more “innovations” are in the pipeline. News of these launches could be announced in the coming months.