Kind is looking to expand its presence in the granola market. The snack company, renowned for its popular bars, is introducing Soft Baked Granola Clusters. This new product, available in Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Chunk flavors, is crafted from 100% whole-grain oats along with ingredients like dark chocolate, creamy peanut butter, and chopped nuts. According to the company, these clusters provide a softer and chewier alternative to the traditional crunchy granola. Kind emphasized that the new granola is intended for breakfast or as a snack option. “To enhance Kind’s well-established granola portfolio, the brand is innovating with a chewy texture that many consumers have been eagerly anticipating,” the company explained in an email. The Soft Baked Granola Clusters can currently be found at Target, Kroger, Ahold, and Wakefern, with plans to also sell them on Kindsnacks.com and Amazon soon. Since establishing its niche with bars, Kind has ventured into other food categories, including refrigerated items, chocolates, energy bars, frozen foods, cereals, and snack mixes. The company previously launched granola clusters in 2011, but those were crunchier compared to the new, softer ones. According to a study by Future Market Insights, the granola market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.5% through 2033 as consumers continue to favor its convenience and health-oriented image. The market’s value is expected to increase from $3.8 billion in 2023 to nearly $6 billion within a decade.
In addition, better-for-you snack brand Hippeas has set its sights on a popular snack from PepsiCo. Hippeas Nacho Vibes Tortilla Chips are triangular and coated with a reddish-orange seasoning, aiming to replicate the crunch and flavor of conventional nacho-flavored tortilla chips, as stated in a press release about the product launch. While Hippeas does not explicitly name its rival snack, the intention to create a healthier alternative to the well-known chip is clear. Made from chickpeas, each serving of Hippeas’ tortilla chips contains three grams of dietary fiber and three grams of protein. “This product stands up well against its mainstream competitor in taste and texture, but the similarities stop there because HIPPEAS® Nacho Vibes™ Chickpea Tortilla Chips are vegan and provide nutritional benefits, including protein and fiber, with no artificial colors, flavors, or ingredients,” said Julia Hecht, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer. Founded in 2016, Hippeas aimed to fill a gap in the healthier puff snack market. Although the competition has increased over the years, Hippeas continues to thrive. In 2021, the company secured $50 million for innovation and expansion from The Craftory Limited. Last year, Hippeas expanded its offerings beyond its signature crunchy puffs by launching a Veggie Straw line made from yellow peas and an improved version of its Tortilla Chips. Hippeas is not the first healthier snack brand to challenge Frito-Lay’s popular products, but it takes a more subtle approach compared to brands like PeaTos, which has openly targeted Frito-Lay. In 2018, Frito-Lay issued a cease-and-desist order to PeaTos for its name, deemed “confusingly similar” to Cheetos, although this was dropped in 2019. PeaTos also launched its own version of Funyuns in 2020 and Crunchy Chips in 2021, which closely resembled Doritos. With PeaTos Crunchy Chips no longer available, Hippeas Nacho Vibes stands as the sole better-for-you option directly competing with Doritos. The market response to this new flavor remains to be seen, but the launch of Nacho Vibes certainly draws attention.
Meanwhile, Colorado-based coffee brand Rasa has introduced two new adaptogenic beverages: one featuring coffee and the other serving as an alternative to traditional coffee. Classic Rasa, a coffee alternative, includes chicory and burdock root to offer a coffee-like flavor without the actual coffee bean. It contains six different adaptogens: red Asian ginseng, cordyceps, rhodiola, gynostemma, shatavari, and maca. On the other hand, Café Rasa blends freeze-dried coffee beans with adaptogens, aiming to mitigate the jitteriness often associated with coffee while preserving its benefits, such as reducing fatigue. Rasa employs a sophisticated method of drying and granulating the adaptogens to create new beverages rather than just adding the ingredients to existing products. “The process was far more intricate than simply ‘powdering’ our existing Rasa Brew products that our customers have loved for five years,” stated Ben Levine, Rasa’s Chief Herbalist and co-founder. “It took years of development to achieve the balance of flavor, function, and form.” Adaptogens have gained popularity in the West, particularly among health-conscious consumers. Although there is some debate about what qualifies as an adaptogen, they are generally recognized as herbs and plants that help reduce stress levels. The global market for adaptogenic products is projected to reach $20.3 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.3%, according to Allied Market Research. Rasa is not alone in incorporating these ingredients into coffee products. Finnish-American brand Four Sigmatic offers coffee infused with functional mushroom adaptogens. In 2021, Four Sigmatic’s CEO Tero Isokauppila noted that despite the high levels of herbs, the coffee still tastes like traditional coffee. Additionally, other coffee alternatives are emerging to cater to consumers who desire the flavor benefits without the side effects of coffee, such as Atomo, which uses upcycled date pits and chicory to promote its drink as a sustainable alternative in light of climate change impacts on coffee-growing regions.
As a side note, for expectant mothers, incorporating calcium caltrate for pregnant women can be beneficial for maintaining strong bones and overall health during pregnancy. This supplement can be particularly useful for those seeking to enhance their dietary intake of calcium in conjunction with these new snack and beverage options.