NPD Trend Tracker: From sorghum snacks to meat-free bangers

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Image: Getty/Monty Rakusen (Getty Images/Image Source)

This week's gallery takes in a snack range aimed at consumers looking for better gut health, a new immunity support range from breakfast drink Weetabix On The Go, and new sausages from Quorn.

This week's gallery takes in a snack range aimed at consumers looking for better gut health, a new immunity support range from breakfast drink Weetabix On The Go, and new sausages from Quorn. 

Getty NPD Monty Rakusen
Getty NPD Monty Rakusen (Monty Rakusen/Getty Images/Image Source)

This week's gallery takes in a snack range aimed at consumers looking for better gut health, a new immunity support range from breakfast drink Weetabix On The Go, and new sausages from Quorn. 

Image: Getty/Monty Rakusen

Weetabix On The Go introduces immune support range
Weetabix On The Go introduces immune support range

UK breakfast drink Weetabix On The Go has announced the launch of a new immunity support range. Weetabix On The Go Plus Immune Support will initially hit ASDA shelves from September.

Weetabix’s latest breakfast drink innovation is high in fibre, high in protein (19g per bottle) and fortified with vitamins and minerals including Vitamin D.

Weetabix On The Go Plus Immune Support is available in three flavours; Chocolate Brownie, Berry Burst and Vanilla Maple. 

The bottle designs highlight the product’s HFSS-compliant nutritional credentials.

A £9.9million brand with an almost 60% share of the breakfast drinks sector, Weetabix is hoping to introduce new shoppers to the functional drink category with this launch.

Emma Varlow, General Manager at Weetabix On The Go, said: “The demand for food and drink that contribute to a healthy immune system has been on the rise, with the Coronavirus pandemic fuelling this trend. We know that 67% of shoppers globally are interested in products that support immune health and as the breakfast drinks category leader, Weetabix On The Go has an important part to play in introducing immune-enhanced products to a wider audience.

“Our new Weetabix On The Go Plus Immune Support meets consumer needs by providing key health benefits, boosts energy and keeps you ‘on top’ during those busy mornings, all with the great taste you would expect from Weetabix.”

Weetabix On The Go Plus Immune Support bottles (330ml) are 100% recyclable and come in a clear PET bottle made from 51% recycled plastic. They are available initially at Asda from September, with further listings to follow in the autumn – RSP £1.99.

Chicago Town launches fully loaded meat feast takeaway pizza
Chicago Town launches fully loaded meat feast takeaway pizza

UK frozen pizza brand Chicago Town has added a meat pizza creation to its Stuffed Crust Takeaway range.

The new offering is fully loaded with cheese, a Tomato Stuffed Crust and topped with four meats including ham, fennel sausage, meatballs and pepperoni.

Rachel Bradshaw, Marketing Manager for Chicago Town said: “Meat lovers rejoice, this pizza is for you. Packed with cheesy tasty goodness, a stuffed crust and topped with not three but four different meats, this pizza promises a mega meaty pizza experience like no other."

The Chicago Town Tomato Stuffed Crust Takeaway Magnificent Meat Feast Pizza is available nationwide in Tesco, Iceland, Ocado and Amazon.

Image supplied by Chicago Town

Bringing premium British tea to French consumers
Bringing premium British tea to French consumers

Premium organic tea brand Joe's Tea is now available in French supermarkets Monoprix and Franprix.

The UK company, formed in 2012, says it uses ingredients harvested by hand from sustainable Sri Lankan plantations.

Its range features four flavours -- Cacao & Vanilla Rooibos, Lemongrass, Citrus & Ginger, White tea, and Jasmine.

Joe's Tea only uses eco-designed and biodegradable materials to condition its teas. Its cardboard packs have the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) eco-responsible label and are printed in vegetable-based ink. The pyramid bags are made of plant material.

The transparent pockets in which the pyramid sachets are packed are made of sugar cane fiber from non-food production.

Image supplied by Joe’s Tea

Nestlé introduces new Milo Activ-Go ready to drink in World Foods aisles
Nestlé introduces new Milo Activ-Go ready to drink in World Foods aisles

Nestlé is introducing Milo Activ-Go, a Malaysian chocolate malt drink in a ready-to-drink format, to the UK. 

Milo Activ-Go is fortified with vitamins and minerals. It will be available in the World Foods’ aisle at Tesco and Asda throughout September. It comes in a recyclable aluminium can and is best served chilled, according to Nestlé.

Daniela Campanaro, Brand Manager for Milo at Nestlé UK and Ireland said: “We are very excited to launch this new addition to Milo. Milo is hugely popular in the World Foods aisles which continue to be a growing category with supermarkets bringing you a taste of your favourite flavours from across the world.

“With 5.9 million Milo ready-to-drink products consumed globally every day, we are sure this new convenient on the go drink will be a big hit here too.”

In addition, Milo fans in the UK can also get their hands on the original chocolate malt powder available in World Foods’ aisle in supermarkets nationwide.

 

Image supplied by Nestlé

Quorn introduces new meat-free chilled sausage
Quorn introduces new meat-free chilled sausage

Quorn’s has launched a Brilliant Bangers range in the UK which it claims looks, sizzles and tastes, just like its meat sausage counterparts. Made from Quorn’s unique super-protein, mycoprotein, Brilliant Bangers are high in protein and a source of fibre making them a great choice for those cutting down on meat.  

Launching nationwide in September, each 270g pack of Quorn Brilliant Bangers contains six super succulent sausages for just £2.50 (RRP). Suitable for both vegetarians and vegans, the chilled delicacy goes from oven to plate in only 12-14 minutes.

Gill Riley, Marketing Director at Quorn Foods, said: “We know that when the weather starts to cool, there’s nothing our customers love more than a comforting sausage meal – so we’re delighted to be launching Quorn Brilliant Bangers to offer a meat-free alternative this winter that will rival its meat equivalent.” 

 

Image supplied by Quorn

Swedish snack brand wins WHSmith listing
Swedish snack brand wins WHSmith listing

Swedish food-tech company Nick’s has announced its first UK listing with WHSmith for healthy and indulgent snacks.

WHSmith will stock a selection of Nick’s chocolate bar products, including its Coconut, Peanuts n’ Fudge, Crunchy Caramel, and Soft Toffee.

Established by founder Niclas Luthman, Nick’s launched in Stockholm in 2017, and is currently providing its products to millions of customers across 16 markets, including the US. In the UK, Nick’s confectionery is currently sold through WHSmith and Amazon, with a number of key retailers set to be announced over the coming months.

All Nick’s products - ranging from chocolate bars and wafers to sweeteners for cooking and baking and ice cream - are low in calories, with no added sugar, gluten, or palm oil. Replacing sugar and the artificial sweeteners commonly used in confectionery, Nick’s makes innovative use of ingredients that are typically found in nature, including xylitol (birch sugar from trees), sweet fibres from corn, erythritol (a natural sweetener from plums and pears), and stevia (an extract from the stevia plant).

Stefan Lagerqvist, CEO at Nick’s said: “We are really pleased to work with WHSmith as our first retail partner in the UK, an exciting and important new market for us. Our products are just as delicious as those of the market-leading confectionery brands, but with the potential to significantly reduce the consumer’s sugar intake. With widespread market penetration here, we know that we can make a significant impact on the health of the general public, and that’s really the end goal of everything that we do.

Image supplied by Nick’s

New ‘activated snacking’ range
New ‘activated snacking’ range

Boundless Activated Snacking, the brand on a mission to ‘make snacking well easy’ and bring ‘gut health to the masses’, has launched what it calls the world’s first ‘activated chip range’.

The chips are made using sprouted sorghum, which thanks to the soaking of the ancient supergrain enables better digestion of the nutrients meaning it's great for the gut, the company said.

Available in two flavours; Chipotle & Lime and Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar (RRP: £1.80 / 80g bag), the range is available nationwide in the UK from the Boundless website. Independents and Amazon will follow in September.

Now four years in, Boundless Activated Snacking can be found in more than 3,000 stores across the UK as well as 10 international markets including Germany, Belgium and Asia.

Cathy Moseley, Founder, said: “Our mission is quite simply to make snacking well easy. That’s why we believe this launch is a real game-changer, we’re helping people to look after their gut with a product range that is both accessible and affordable. We know that consumers are more aware of gut health than ever, but it can be confusing and overwhelming when it comes to what to actually buy, especially when it all seems so expensive and complicated. There are so many snacks that claim to be ‘gut friendly’ and ‘high in fibre’ but the problem is that without activation none of these things really matter. We take great ingredients and make them better. With a little TLC our grains are ready to unlock their impressive range of nutrients. Sprouting the grains reduces the levels of phytic acid, which in turn increases the bioavailability of nutrients inside the grain. To put it simply the process removes the stuff that messes with your digestion to begin with! The method is simple, but mighty.”

 

Image supplied by Boundless Activated Snacking

Home baking subscription box launched
Home baking subscription box launched

A meal kit delivery service has launched in the UK promising its users all the ingredients needed to create ‘their fabulous bakes at home’.

BakesterBox, which is available on a monthly subscription, was launched by Tamsin Robinson, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef in July 2020. Each box is filled with professional quality ingredients similar to those used by top chefs in 5* hotel and Michelin-level pastry kitchens, handy baking tools like dough scrapers and piping bags, and easy-to-follow baking tutorials.

Robinson said: “My dreams are for BakesterBox to be able to offer more patisserie-style items, like tartlets, choux pastry and mousses to give my customers even more of a pastry-chef experience at home. Of course, I would love for the business to grow and become a well-recognised brand nationwide too.

 

“Eventually, I hope to own a bricks-and-mortar patisserie where customers could come and sit in for cakes (and Afternoon Tea!), take in-person baking classes using BakesterBox kits and purchase baking kits to take home.”

 

The best-selling products are the Cinnamon Bun kits and the Valrhona Dark Chocolate Tart kits. 

Bone Broth Bros enters ‘buoyant’ bone broth market
Bone Broth Bros enters ‘buoyant’ bone broth market

Bone Broth Bros is the latest player to enter the growing ‘superfood’ bone broth sector. Proper Broth has been developed by five British brothers and offers bone broth in a versatile and convenient sachet format which simply requires the addition of hot water.  Available in four variants – Beef with Miso & Peppercorns; British Duck with Ginger, Lime & Coriander; British Chicken with Lemon & Thyme and Root Vegetables with Dashi, the nutrient packed broths can be consumed as a health / protein drink or to add depth of flavour to soups, stews, gravies and sauces, the company said.  

Containing no artificial additives or flavourings, Proper Broth comprises bone broth amplified by vitamins, minerals and seasoning. Gluten free, high in protein, a source of collagen and suitable for those following Keto and Paleo diets, the family inspired broths have been created following authentic recipes with a focus on clean ingredients (utilising responsibly sourced quality assured bones and vegetables) and minimal food waste.

 Managing Director Daniel Adams said: “We are excited to be bringing our authentic family products to the market – and look forward to raising awareness of the exceptional taste, convenience and health benefits associated with our innovative Proper Broth collection. As we head into the colder months - when a hot drink alternative to tea and coffee and warming, hearty dishes become more desirable - we anticipate there will be a significant interest in the range. And of course, the festive season also represents a time of feasting and fasting, both of which resonate well with the Proper Broth offering.”

Image supplied by Bone Broth Bros