From locally sourced snacking innovation to functional muesli that aims to reinvigorate a declining category, FoodNavigator brings you a weekly round-up of on-trend innovations hitting the shelves across Europe.
©GettyImages-a_namenko
From locally sourced snacking innovation to functional muesli that aims to reinvigorate a declining category, FoodNavigator brings you a weekly round-up of on-trend innovations hitting the shelves across Europe.
©GettyImages-a_namenko
French organic specialist Priméal is launching two new 'raw & tasty' products: Camargue rice and hemp seeds.
The Camargue rice includes three varieties: red rice, a rice trio and white rice.
Priméal also revealed it has teamed up with 12 producers in the Southwest of France to produce a French, organic, healthy and trending product: hemp. The company said this responds to growing interest in hemp, which it described as 'a deserved trend, since hemp seeds are real nutritional bombs'. Priméal is offering two hemp SKUs: toasted seeds & peeled seeds
Premium cereal brand, Lizi’s, is extending its healthier breakfast offering by branching out into the muesli category with the launch of Lizi’s Super Muesli.
The company claimed the range is a 'first of its kind in the category', using a mixture of toasted and untoasted oats with fortified functional benefits.
Variants of the four-strong line contain vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, B6, B2 and Zinc, as well as natural ingredients such as turmeric, barley, hemp, maca powder and quinoa. The line is vegan friendly and GM-free.
Lizi’s Super Muesli comes in four varieties: BOOST – Mango, Papaya & Turmeric; CLEANSE – Cranberry, Raspberry & Cherry; FOCUS – Hazelnut, Pecan & Maca; and GLOW – Fig, Apple & Almond.
Alice Bream, brand manager at Lizi’s commented: “Our research has shown us that 25-35 year olds have the highest consumption of muesli, eating the cereal at ‘least weekly’. We also know that this is the age group that is looking for innovation and expect to be wowed.
“The muesli category has seen some innovation in terms of flavour introductions, however our research shows the consumer is looking for more unique products which offer added health benefits, this could be one of the reasons why the category is in decline at -3.5% YoY. When you compare this to the granola category, which has seen a plethora of innovation, there is strong growth +8% YoY, in comparison.
“The launch of Lizi’s Super Muesli is a first to fixture, with its unique fortified functional benefits and of course being dust free like our granola. Our aim is to grow the category whilst attracting more shoppers to the fixture.”
French start-up Hubert was founded to meet growing demand for healthy, local products in the snacking aisle.
Founded by Antoine Boileau and Hugo Hiolin, Hubert is now launching its "Bonnes Barres", chocolate bars that the company describes as healthy and 100% French.
Based in Loray, in the Doubs region, Hubert offers energy bars free from colourings and preservatives and made with 'healthy, high-quality ingredients' that, as much as possible, are sourced locally from Franche-Comté.
Hubert adopts an environmentally-responsible approach in its production and choice of ingredients, the company said. The brand's packaging is made by workers with disabilities.
Prodigy is a chocolate brand that aims to 'reimagine' chocolate classics for 'a new generation of health-conscious and sustainably-minded consumers'.
The company has launched two new bars : Coconut Cahoots and Peanut & Caramel Cahoots.
The Coconut Cahoots bar has a coconut centre with a chocolate coating. Peanut & Caramel Cahoots features a peanut, sweet caramel and nougat centre wrapped in chocolate.
The Cahoots are made with natural ingredients, have less than half the sugar of mainstream alternatives, are vegan, contain up to 30% of the RDA of fibre, and feature plastic-free packaging.
The new SKU's join Prodigy's existing line-up of Chunky Chocolate and Chunky Orange Chocolate with Baobab.
Like all Prodigy snacks, Cahoots Bars include raw cacao ingredients to retain the 'maximum nutrients'. The company has also added superfoods like lucuma, green tea, and added fibre which benefits the gut.
“Refined sugars and energy slumps are out and nutrient rich ingredients are in, all without compromising everything we love about chocolate,” said Sameer Vaswani, founder of Prodigy Snacks. “I’ve spent a lifetime in the business of chocolate and I’ve seen the good, the bad and quite honestly, the evil ingredients and unhealthy processes that exist in so many chocolate snacks available today. It’s time for a chocolate revolution and Prodigy Snacks is reinventing chocolate for the mainstream market. It’s a rebirth of how chocolate should have been made – we are taking the classics we all grew up with and making them better for you and better for the planet.”
Coconut Cahoots and Peanut & Caramel Cahoots are available from prodigysnacks.com and Amazon from 3rd Feb 2020, with distribution expanding in early 2020.
Complete food brand Huel is addressing feedback about its 'questionable taste' with the launch of a new version of its powdered food: Huel Powder v3.0.
Huel’s new formula has been made with all natural flavours to improve the taste, while not compromising on nutrition, the company said.
Huel is powered food, blended with water to create a nutritionally complete meal in a shake. The brand has sold over 50 million meals in over 80 countries since it launched in 2015.
Huel Powder v3.0 contains all 26 essential vitamins and minerals, along with the 'perfect balance' of protein, carbs, and fibre. Each serving contains 29g of plant-based protein, 7g of fibre and less than 1% sugar. It is made using ultra-fine oats, tapioca starch, pea protein, brown rice flour, MCTs from coconut and flaxseed. Huel adds a blend of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and the complete meal powder is a natural source of vitamin C from acerola cherries, and iodine from kelp. Kombucha and pro and prebiotics have also been added to enhance the nutrition profile.
Julian Hearn, founder of Huel, commented: “As we continue to grow and expand globally, we are working to meet the needs of our customers. As a nutrition first brand, we’ve improved our formula with the addition of natural vitamin and mineral sources, while at the same time delivering on improved taste to meet growing customer preferences.”
Huel Powder v3.0 is gluten free, vegan and made with sustainable ingredients.
Aldi is rolling out a range of hot cross buns with a 'twist' in the UK this Easter.
The own-label line includes: Specially Selected Raspberry & Belgian White Chocolate Hot Cross Buns; Specially Selected Sticky Toffee Pudding Hot Cross Buns; Specially Selected Triple Berry Hot Cross Buns; and the more traditional fruit-based Specially Selected Luxury Hot Cross Buns.
Further options include: Specially Selected Rhubarb & Custard Hot Cross Buns; Specially Selected Salted Caramel & Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns; Specially Selected Kentish Bramley Apple Hot Cross Buns; and Specially Selected Brioche Hot Cross Buns.
Orkla is launching new thin-based pizzas to celebrate the 40th birthday of its Grandiosa brand in Norway.
Grandiosa 'Tynn Bunn' comes in two different flavors; Norwegian Mozzarella and Prima Pepperoni.
Grandiosa Tynn Bunn is made at Stranda in Sunnmøre and is topped with Norwegian ingredients. It is developed by Norwegian chefs adapted to Norwegian taste preferences, Orkla said. New technology at the Grandiosa plant in Stranda has made it possible to create the extra thin and brittle pizza base, the company noted.
"We have been inspired by two of the biggest flavors in the pizza world, namely mozzarella and pepperoni, and given them a Norwegian twist adapted to our new pizza base," said development chef Marius Niva.
The Grandiosa Tynn Bunn is also 'slightly smaller' than the classic Grandiosa variants. Orkla said this meets demand from people who eat alone - 'a growing trend in Norway'.
PepsiCo has introduced Quaker Perfect Blends in the UK in a bid to attract more shoppers to the porridge segment.
The Perfect Blends line contains four different flavours: Multigrain, Raspberry, Apple & Acai; Apple, Raisin & Cinnamon; and Blueberry, Cranberry & Guava. All variants will be available for a recommended retail price of RRP £2.99 each.
Corinne Chant, grains marketing director at PepsiCo, told FoodNavigator the range is a 'premium porridge offering, containing 100% wholegrain, real fruit pieces and no added sugar'. It was launched 'with the aim of attracting new shoppers into the porridge segment' by 'overcoming the taste barrier by offering delicious and easy ways to enjoy oats'.
