Oser Communications Group

6 SNACKINGNEWS Sneak Peek BY LORRIE BAUMANN The Better Chip is bringing new energy to the deli department with a gluten-free snack chip that comes in flavors that com- plement the premium cheeses, cured meats and the dips already in the deli cases. The product fits in well with the transforming role of the grocery's perimeter, which has become a destination within the store for grab and go meal and snack shoppers who want quick sustenance but who don't in- tend to sacrifice their nutritional goals by resorting to fast food as well as those who regard the deli department as their re- source for food to serve when they enter- tain. Now The Better Chip has extended its line of five flavors of better-for-you veg- etable chips: Sweet Corn and Sea Salt, Jalapenos and Sea Salt, Spinach & Kale and Sea Salt, Beets and Sea Salt and Chipotle and Sea Salt with a smaller pack- age size, a 1.5-ounce bag that's easy to drop into a lunch kit or a sandwich clamshell for an offering that enhances the value of the grab and go offering. "Every- one wants to offer something a little dif- ferent. We feel like that's something different they can offer that you don't get at sandwich places," says Andrea Brule, Vice President/General Manager of The Better Chip. "We found that accounts were interested in a smaller bag they could use in their lunchtime program. Because our chips are doing so well in their big bags, they thought that, in a smaller bag, they might be able to use it in their lunch pro- gram." Of the five flavors, which continue to be offered in 6-ounce family-size bags, the Spinach & Kale is far and away the com- pany's best seller, Brule said. The Jalapenos and Beets Chips are tied for sec- ond place. The chips appeal to consumers who are looking for a better-for-you snack that's a gluten-free alternative to the crackers and bagel chips that are often chosen in the deli to accompany dips and hummus. In addi- tion to being gluten free, The Better Chip snacks are non-GMO, gluten free, vegan, whole grain and made with fresh vegeta- bles. They appeal to deli managers because they're an innovation that can add new en- ergy to the category. "They get the ring on the sandwich, but when they [shoppers] come back to buy more, they get that ring in the deli. That's as opposed to, with other chips, that ring goes to grocery." Brule said. The 1.5-ounce bags retail as a separate a la carte offering for $.99 to $1.19. For more information, visit www.the betterchip.com. n Convenient Mini Pouches from SuperSeedz SuperSeedz ® , creator of gourmet, dry- roasted pumpkin seeds, has expanded its family of products with a convenient, new one-ounce size mini pouch available in six flavors, including: Maple Sugar & Sea Salt, Sea Salt, Somewhat Spicy, Cinnamon & Sugar, Coco Joe and Super Spicy. The mini pouches retail for $1.49 to $1.99. "The new, smaller size pouch is a healthy, on-the-go snack that can easily be tucked inside luggage, school lunches, backpacks, purses or desk drawers," said Kathie Pelliccio, Owner and Founder of SuperSeedz. "And one of the best things about them is that they are cute little standup pouches that don't fall over and spill on your desk after you've opened them." It has been a busy and rewarding 12 months for Super- Seedz. In 2015, it launched Maple Sugar & Sea Salt, a flavor that has quickly become one of its most popular flavors; shortly after the launch, the flavor was awarded The Most Innovative New Premium Snack Award at the 2015 Sweets and Snack Expo. In January 2016, SuperSeedz announced it had become the No. 1 Premium Pump- kin Seed brand in grocery stores. Since be- coming No. 1, SuperSeedz is now the fastest growing seed brand by dollar volume in the food channel, accord- ing to a recent Information Resources Inc. report. SuperSeedz offers more plant- based protein than other nut sources such as peanuts, pistachios, almonds and chia seeds. It is Non-GMO Proj- ect Verified, free of cholesterol and trans-fats, is vegan and vegetarian and is allergen friendly – peanut-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, fish-free, shellfish-free, soy-free and made with gluten-free ingredients. For more information, visit www.super seedz.com. n Deli Department Innovation with The Better Chip BelGioioso Offers Premium Cheeses in Snack-Size Packages BelGioioso Cheese, Inc.offers items that meet consumer's needs for individual sized, portion-controlled snacks. "Follow- ing on the heels of our enormously popular Fresh Mozzarella Snacking Cheese, we decided to expand the line to include a Fontina Snacking Cheese," states Sean Moran, Vice President of Sales. "At just 70 calories, its mild, buttery flavor truly brings a smile with every bite." In addition to the Fontina Snacking Cheese, the BelGioioso snacking line in- cludes a 3-ounce Mini Mascarpone™ cup designed for freshness and conven- ience and a 5-ounce Mini Ricotta™ sin- gle-serve cup. "The Mini Mascarpone and Mini Ri- cotta are petite sized cups of our all-nat- ural, award-winning cheeses, offering freshness, convenience and portion control for the consumer," says Moran. "The cheese is packed with protein and calcium and offers a healthier alternative to tradi- tional snacks." As with all BelGioioso cheeses, the new offerings are made using traditional Italian cheesemaking methods. They are all-nat- ural, rBST-free, gluten-free and contain no gums or fillers. The Mini Mascarpone cups are a perfect size for a healthier spread option, with each serving at nearly half the calories of butter. The Mini Ri- cotta cups provide an individual serving of 16 grams of protein and 60 percent of the daily value in calcium and is packaged for use as a single serve breakfast option with fresh fruit and granola, or as a fresh, creamy dip for vegetables. Each mini por- tion of the Fontina Snacking Cheese is full of flavor and has only 70 calories. Individ- ual packages are printed with the Bel- Gioioso signature snacking smile logo. Protein continues to be top of mind for consumers in relation to satiety, weight management and sustained en- ergy with 51 percent of con- sumers seeking out protein rich snacks for their daily diets. With the key drivers of snack- ing occasions being time, con- venience, health, portion control and exploration, Bel- Gioioso's new Snacking and Mini protein rich cheeses pro- vide a delicious and flavorful snack choice. The 70-calorie Fontina Snacking Cheese contains three cubes, packaged into individual 0.75-ounce pack- ages. The 3-ounce Mini Mascarpone cups are packed 18 cups per case, while the 5- ounce Mini Ricotta cups are packed 12 per case. For more information, visit www .belgioioso.com. n Legendary Jerky with a Recognized Name The Hatfields and McCoys have come to- gether to take 150 years of moonshine and whiskey tradition and blend it with pre- mium beef jerky. The taste starts sweet and hints to whiskey fla- vors boldly revealing smoky premium beef in all its glory. It's the sweetest premium beef jerky the company offers, and it wants all ages to enjoy it. The legendary Hatfield & McCoy fam- ily brand of jerky introduced two jerky fla- vors in May 2016 and released two more in October 2016. Black Powder is the orig- inal classic tangy, spicy beef jerky. This premium jerky is tender and has a sea- soned bite with black pepper and sea salt. Spicy Revenge is a bacon jerky that starts sweet and smoky and finishes with a spicy kick. Spicy Revenge was recognized as one of the top five most innovative new products in the salted snack category at the 2016 Sweets and Snacks Expo. Breakfast Maple Bacon Jerky is the 24- hour jerky made with brown sugar and a hint of smoky flavor that complements the sweet taste of maple found in this pre- mium bacon. For more information, go to www .hatfieldandmccoyjerky.com. n

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