Oser Communications Group

GENERAL NEWS www.kitchenwarenews.com n AUGUST 2018 n KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW 1 1 The Specialty Food Association's (SFA) annual State of the Specialty Food industry report reveals that specialty food remain one of the fastest-growing segments of the food business. Fueled by increasing interest f rom both consumers and retailers, total sales jumped 11 percent between 2015 and 2017, hitting $140.3 billion last year. Specialty food sales outpaced the growth of all food at retail – up 12.9 percent, compared to 1.4 percent for all food. Product innovation and the wider availability of specialty foods through mass-market outlets is also playing a part in the industry's success. Sales through foodser vice increased 12.8 percent and online by 21 percent as U.S. consumers make specialty food a regular part of their diets both at home and when dining out. "The specialty food industry is a business that is constantly evolving," said Phil Kafarakis, President of the Specialty Food Association. "Consumers of all ages are embracing specialty foods and making purchases everywhere they happen to be – f rom convenience stores to big box retailers to online, as well as in traditional gourmet shops and groceries. Foodservice and retailers are relying more and more upon our products. The industry's growth has been building and will continue to maintain momentum for years to come. Our research provides a comprehensive picture of where we are today and can be used to help businesses prepare for future success." KN Specialty Food Growth Outpaces Other Retail Food Sales BY LORRIE BAUMANN Snack food manufacturers used the show floor at this year's Sweets and Snacks Expo to showcase how they are using Americans' interest in on-the-go foods as a mandate to explore their own Manifest Destiny. They're carving out new territory for the category with snacks for breakfast and emphasis on snacks that can go along to the office or the gym. Cases in point: Hickory Harvest, which makes a line of trail mixes and yogurt-covered snack mixes, launched two breakfast-option trail mixes; Vannry's Snack Bars are vegan, gluten free and bound by balsamic vinegar rather than sugar; and mushroom grower Porta Bela launched Shrooms, Shrooms Bars and Shrooms Jerky, all made out of mushrooms. Vannry's Snack Bars, handmade in small batches in the U.S., are targeted to the nutrition-conscious consumer who wants to see a short ingredient list on the label. Offered in nine varieties, they're vegan and gluten-f ree, and only the varieties that contain chocolate include added sugar other than the reduced balsamic vinegar that's used to bind the ingredients together into a bar. Varieties include Almond + Seeds, Jalapeno Almonds + Seeds, Chocolate + Almonds + Seeds, Chickpeas + Seeds, Jalapeno Chickpea + Seeds, Chocolate + Chickpeas + Seeds, Coconut + Seeds, Jalapeno Coconut + Seeds and Chocolate + Coconut + Seeds. Each individually wrapped bar is a serving that offers 160 to 250 calories, depending on variety, with weights ranging from 1.25 to 1.36 ounces. They retail for $3.49. Shrooms is a new brand of flavored mushroom chips, jerky, clusters and snack bars offered by Porta Bela, which has been growing mushrooms for 80 years. In its initial launch, the chips come in Original, Mediterranean Sea Salt, Smokey Barbecue, Fire Roasted Jalapeno, Vermont White Cheddar and Pizza Slice. The Shrooms Jerky is naturally flavored with honey and chipotle, Shrooms Clusters come in a Wild Harvest variety that combines mushrooms with berries and honey, and Shrooms Bars are offered in three varieties: Crispy Mushrooms & Maple Syrup; Crispy Mushrooms, Fruit, Honey & Sea Salt; and Crispy Mushrooms and Lemon. The Chips, Jerky and Clusters are sold in 2.5-ounce packages. The Shrooms Bars are packaged with four individually wrapped bars per box. The Jerky retails for $5.99, the Shrooms Clusters for $3.99 and the Chips for $4.99. The box of four bars retails for $3.99. KN Snack Food Manufacturers Broaden the Category with New Launches

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