NPD trend tracker: From chilli Marmite to ‘stripy’ Kit Kat bars

NPD-trend-tracker-From-chilli-Marmite-to-stripy-Kit-Kat-bars.jpg
Getty/phototechno (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This week’s gallery takes in new versions of shopper favourites designed to give consumers ‘what they want’.

This week’s gallery takes in new versions of shopper favourites designed to give consumers ‘what they want’.

NPD trend tracker: From chilli Marmite to ‘stripy’ Kit Kat bars
NPD trend tracker: From chilli Marmite to ‘stripy’ Kit Kat bars (phototechno/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This week’s gallery takes in new versions of shopper favourites designed to give consumers ‘what they want’.

Image: Getty/phototechno

KitKat unveils new Zebra version in Europe
KitKat unveils new Zebra version in Europe

The KitKat Zebra features trademark crispy wafers on a dark chocolate base, topped with marbled dark and white chocolate.

Callum Smith, Assistant Brand Manager for KitKat said: “Now over 85 years old, KitKat’s unique mix of heritage and innovation has helped to make it one of the UK’s most iconic confectionery brands. We know how much people love to discover new KitKat flavours, and we think Zebra is an innovation they will go wild for!

“KitKat Zebra brings you the best of both worlds - combining deliciously rich dark and white chocolate with our crispy wafer – and we hope fans will agree that it tastes as good as it looks. All we can say is, stripes are definitely in this season!”

KitKat Zebra is the latest in a long line of new flavour launches from the brand. Last year’s KitKat Gold, originally launched as a limited edition, is now a permanent addition to the range. Other recent innovations include KitKat Green Tea Matcha and KitKat Ruby.

Pic supplied by Nestle

Ethical egg brand revamp
Ethical egg brand revamp

French company Poulehouse, maker of the ‘L'œuf qui ne tue pas la poule’, or the the egg that does not kill the hen, ‍has changed its image with a new logo, a redesign of the website and a new packaging. The new boxes of six eggs are available in all GMS and GSS stores that are partners of the brand in France and Belgium.

The company’s egg cartons have been re-designed in an ecological way using vegetable ink, recyclable cardboard, and compostable honeycomb part in potato starch.

Poulehouse was created in February 2017 by three entrepreneurs: Fabien Sauleman, Elodie Pellegrain, and Sébastien Neusch after realizing that 50 million laying hens were slaughtered each year in France in the egg industry. It now has 33 employees and more than 75,000 hens in its model.

Pic supplied by Poulehouse

Cocktails at home
Cocktails at home

UK start-up STIR-UP is a new subscription-based cocktail service that promises to bring the experience of world-class cocktail making to consumers’ doors.

Customers can choose monthly parcels to make iconic drinks such as Negronis, Old Fashioneds and Mai Tais. As well as cocktail-making ingredients, customers can learn about the origins and story behind each drink and receive a playlist for the perfect ambience for their very own cocktail hour, aperitif or weekend drink.

Pic supplied by STIR-UP

Marmite unveils chilli variant
Marmite unveils chilli variant

Unilever is expanding its Marmite line-up in the UK with limited-edition Marmite Dynamite.

The new variant combines Marmite with chilli and to provide an “explosion of flavour”.

Unilever said Marmite fans had been experimenting with chilli and Marmite combinations on social media, and the brand wanted to “give the people what they want”, as it did with the first Marmite Peanut Butter launch in 2019.

It will launch on 7 February for a limited six-month period and is exclusive to Sainsbury’s (rsp: £3.99/250g). It follows limited edition flavours including Marmite Champagne and Guinness.

Image supplied by Unilever

New African flavours launched in Germany
New African flavours launched in Germany

Germany-based ZUVA Foods, the brand for ‘100% natural, fair and sustainably grown food from Africa’, has launched new ready-to-eat breakfast and lunch bowls produced in partnership with farmers in rural regions of Zambia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

They come in three varieties: the South African national dish Bobotie with fruity mango, spicy turmeric, and a hint of chilli; the exotic North African spice blend Chermoula with sweet potato and coriander; and the zesty African seasoning sauce Chakalaka with fruity tomato, cumin, and chilli.

"We know that a balanced diet is a vital part of managing our wellbeing, but when we're on-the-go, it's often easier to reach for unhealthy fixes," said CEO and Founder of ZUVA parent company Amatheon Food GmbH, Mr. Carl Heinrich Bruhn. "Our bowls are specially made with only natural ingredients and are balanced with plant-based proteins, fibre, vitamins and minerals."

Image supplied by ZUVA Foods

‘The next generation of pre-prepared meals’
‘The next generation of pre-prepared meals’

An elite sports chef and nutritionist have joined forces to launch tailored meals for UK consumers.

Tweakd promises to offer a unique approach to home-delivered meals, providing an alternative approach of frozen meals designed to be 'Tweakd' to produce tailored meals that are focused on goals, helping to boost peak performance on the field or in the office.

It delivers food that is nutritionally designed for the world’s best athletes and tweaked to suit the needs of the customer, straight to their door across the nation.

Individuals are able to input their performance goals and preferences before the platform sources the appropriate nutrition required and offers a selection of meals to choose from. They can then pick meals from the list, which are delivered weekly. Once the meals have been cooked, Tweakd utilises its own science and freezes the meals into user-friendly and easily stored meals that have had the great taste locked in through the process.

Elite sport chef Omar Meziane said: "We know that on average people eat around 1,100 meals a year. As a chef, I recognise that every meal is special – not only in enjoyment – but it presents an opportunity to change and improve your body.

“What we want to achieve here is to make performance food that is genuinely delicious and exciting, as well as accessible through convenience, price and education.

“I have worked for years with some incredible nutritionists, like Naylor, who have helped me understand the role food science plays in performance. It’s all about understanding goals and then proving the right nutritional benefits to support them. Everyone deserves the chance to have this available to them.”

Prices start from £9.99 per meal for three days a week. Included in a standard meal is a freshly made juice and main dish, which range from Massaman Duck Curry to Falafel Super-Bowl or even Tweakd’s vegan Nut-Free Chicken Satay.

Pic supplied by Tweakd

New Indian plant-based meals
New Indian plant-based meals

Irish plant-based food company fiid has added Indian flavours to its range of meals, with the launch of its latest Rich Chana Masala.

The newest meal, a generous helping of chickpeas and lentils immersed in a creamy, tangy, and deeply spiced sauce, makes the Chana Masala a truly authentic taste of India. Ready in just two minutes, the meal is dairy-free, high in protein and fibre, low in calories and contains 3 of your 5 a day, it is the ultimate comfort food for those long hectic days.

This newest meal is the fifth product in the fiid range, which also includes Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry; Hearty Chickpea Tagine; Rich Sundried Tomato & Lentil Ragu and Smoky Black Bean Chilli. The products can be stored in a pantry for up to 18 months without the use of any preservatives or additives. The Chana Masala is an online exclusive.  

Launched in December 2018, fiid reports its sales up by 70% on the same period last year.

Pic supplied by fiid