Go for gut health
Planet Organic claims to have created the UK’s first-ever raw chocolate snack bar with added probiotics, Biolive Crunch, tapping into the trend for microbiome-friendly food.
According to the retailer, each bar contains one billion colony forming units of the spore-forming probiotic bacteria strain, Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086.
There are no approved health claims for probiotics in Europe – and Planet Organic is careful to avoid making any on-pack, merely stating the presence of the 'good' bacteria - but consumer interest in the subject is growing. In addition to the booming probiotic supplement market, fermented foods such as kefir, kombucha and sauerkraut are increasing in popularity.
Launched at the start of August, the bars are vegan, gluten-free and free from refined sugar.
They come in three flavours - Salted Almond, Goji & Pumpkin Seed and Mulberry Spirulina - each with a crunchy buckwheat coating and raw cacao inclusion.
Retailing for £2.50 (€2.79), Planet Organic says sales have already reached the thousands in the first month alone, making Biolive Crunch the best-selling product out of their 150 other snack brands.
