In this week's rundown of new product launches, healthy food staple the chick pea gets and indulgent makeover, vegan chocolate rides high, insect protein continues to make inroads, and Asian flavours drive excitement.
Pic: GettyImages-alphaspirit
In this week's rundown of new product launches, healthy food staple the chick pea gets and indulgent makeover, vegan chocolate rides high, and insect protein continues to make inroads.
Pic: GettyImages-alphaspirit
Snack brand Brave is launching three new flavours into its roasted chickpea range, including what the company says is a ‘world first’: cookies and cream.
The cookies and cream variety sees crunchy chickpeas coated in white and dark vegan chocolate. The company is also adding BBQ and salt and vinegar varieties to its line-up.
“We’re really excited about this launch. We’re adding two household classic flavours that really work when applied to chickpeas and cookies and cream – which is as ridiculously indulgent as it sounds. Best of all, they still maintain the strict nutritional profile we set for all our products,” co-founder Amber Fraser said.
Brave’s range is high protein, high fibre and vegan. It also contains ‘less sugar than similar products’, the company claimed. 80% of the company’s range is compliant with the HFSS rules that will come into force in the UK, Brave noted. “The new regulations are really going to shake up key shopping areas instore. There aren’t many snacks currently that are both compliant and indulgent,” Fraser observed. She said the company is currently working with retailers to refresh their front-of-store snack segments ahead of the HFSS changes in the UK.
Brave stockists include Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Wholefoods in the UK. The company is also present in over 10 export markets, including the Netherlands, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Kuwait and Singapore.
British brand Nush, which produces soya-free and dairy-free alternatives live almond m*lk yogs and spreadable ch*ese, is expanding distribution in anticipation of an expected surge in demand for plant-based in 2022.
Nush’s Natural Spreadable Ch*ese will launch at Waitrose for the first time and will now be available in 240 stores nationwide (RRP £1.73 for 150g). Nush has also extended its distribution of the Nush Strawberry Yog (RRP £3.00 for 350g) to 263 Sainsbury’s stores nationwide.
Bethany Eaton, Co-Founder of Nush, commented: “As we head into 2022, we know that the plant-based market is only going to continue to grow in size and importance. We have therefore deepened our relationship with both Waitrose and Sainsbury’s to ensure that both our brand and our retail partners can meet this increasing consumer demand in the new year. By expanding our distribution footprint, more consumers will be able to purchase Nush than ever before, fulfilling our mission to make plant-based products accessible to as many consumers as possible.”
The UK’s first carbon neutral potato - Root Zero - hit the shelves at 200 Waitrose stores last week.
Root Zero potatoes are certified carbon neutral and grown using sustainable farming practices to remove carbon dioxide, create healthy soil and increase local biodiversity. Grown in Pembrokeshire by Puffin Produce, the company has measured the complete carbon footprint of the potatoes - from the power used to grow, store and transport them, to how consumers cook them.
Saving more than five and a half tonnes of plastic from reaching supermarket shelves, the potatoes are packed in 100% plastic-free bags which can be recycled, reused or home-composted.
The company is also promoting awareness of food waste on its packaging and consumer communications.
“The food system contributes up to 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions - in the week that world leaders meet at COP26 it’s clear that we have to act now - we are delighted that Waitrose is supporting our mission to farm in a way that protects and regenerates our land, plants and wildlife," said Huw Thomas, CEO of Puffin Produce.
“With customers increasingly looking for products which will help them reduce the carbon footprint of their weekly shop, and support the protection of soils and nature, retailers have a major opportunity by supporting innovative products like Root Zero” he said.
Around 110 miles of hedgerows are being conserved to support biodiversity and specific projects are underway to protect key species like barn owls, yellow hammers and rare solitary bees. A new Root Zero biodiversity woodland is being planted and the company is supporting nearby undersee restoration of new seagrass meadows. On its farmland, 445 acres of new cover crops are being planted which, as well as sequestering an estimated 97,900kg of carbon dioxide, will boost soil health and provide additional habitats.
Paul Bidwell, fresh produce buyer & Waitrose Partner said: "Puffin Produce has set a target to reduce the carbon intensity of Root Zero potatoes by 51% by 2030, covering emissions from across the entire supply chain. It has also committed through the Science Based Target Initiative to a company-wide 1.5°C target to reduce its operational emissions by 46% by 2030.
"While it works towards that reduction goal, the company is investing in carbon offset projects that will neutralize all currently unavoidable carbon emissions. The offset projects supported include reduction schemes which cut emissions as well as removal projects which absorb greenhouse gases."
Nibble Simply is launching chocolate chips that are made with responsibly-sources Madagascan cocoa, crafted by ‘expert Belgian chocolatiers’ and sweetened with coconut sugar.
The innovation came to life after Nibble needed to source a refined sugar-free, vegan chocolate chips for their new keto friendly range. When they couldn’t find chocolate chips sweetened with coconut sugar – and containing 17% sugars of less – they ‘had to make their own’. The result is Nibble’s Divinely Dark Madagascan Chocolate Chips, containing 64% less sugar than most commercially available chocolate chips and ‘absolutely no junk’..
Despite high cocoa content and low sugar levels, the chocolate ‘is not bitter’, Nibble Simply noted. The company attributed this to the ‘incredibly special’ cocoa mass it sources. Madagascan cocoa has been awarded a ‘fine flavour’ classification by the International Cocoa Organization, a distinction given to less than 10% of the world’s cocoa. According to Nibble, it ‘lacks the bitterness’ of many cocoas meaning it tastes ‘deceptively sweeter, even with used at high concentrations.
The chocolate chips are available in 160g consumer packs with an RRP of £3.99. They are also available in 10kg business-to-business bags.
Vegan-friendly oat milk chocolate H!P (Happiness in Plants) has secured its first grocery listings.
The plant-powered brand will be featured on Ocado, stocked in Booths and will be listed on Getir this month.
The oat-based alternative to milk chocolate comes in plastic-free packaging.
Ocado will stock 3 x H!P SKU’s (Salted Caramel, Cookies No Cream and Salty Pretzel), while Booths and Getir (the UK’s largest fast grocery delivery app) will carry all 4 SKU’s, with the addition of Creamy Original to their line-up. Getir will also offer seasonal limited edition Gingerbread Bar.
H!P launched in March 2021. The challenger brand has already sold nearly half a million bars and its recently-launched Salted Caramel Advent Calendar has already sold out,.
H!P founder, James Cadbury (also founder of ethical, luxury chocolate brand, Love Cocoa, and the great-great-great grandson of the original Mr Cadbury) commented: “We’ve found that British consumers are very much in tune when it comes to health trends and as a result, H!P has completely captured the flexitarian zeitgeist. The H!P team and I are excited and proud to be bringing this next-generation chocolate to the masses with these new listings. They represent a great milestone for the brand, which has come far in only 8 months: I am expecting H!P to turn over in excess of £1million in its first year of trading.”
Rice brand Tilda wants to capitalise on 'shoppers experimenting with modern Asian cuisine at home' with the introduction of its new Limited Edition Katsu Curry rice.
Tilda said it expects the new SKU to 'entice new shoppers' to the category and create excitement among those who are already 'fans of the brand', pointing to the 52% of UK consumers who claim they are more open to being experimental with their food choices than they were before the pandemic began.
Made with jasmine rice, the new recipe features a blend of aromatic curry spices including cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and fenugreek, combined with carrots, tamarind and coconut cream. This fusion gives a 'mild, slightly sweet taste'.
Anna Beheshti, Head of Marketing at Tilda, commented: “We know our shoppers are increasingly recreating restaurant experiences at home and really enjoy the taste of new foods drawn from global cuisines. That’s why we are always seeking the latest food trends to help consumers achieve that authentic taste at home in a convenient way. We were the first brand to introduce limited edition SKUs to the ready-to-heat rice category with highly successful variants such as Peri Peri and Caribbean Rice & Peas. With this in mind, and with modern Asian cuisine high on the agenda for home cooks, our Limited Edition Katsu Curry rice is set to be a new favourite with shoppers.”
Rolling out across all major retailers from summer 2021, the Limited Edition ready-to-heat variant has an RRP of £1.59 per pouch.
Premium sparkling tea brand Saicho is set to launch a new Rare Tea Collection, which will build on the brand’s exciting range of gastronomic teas.
The new collection will offer tea connoisseurs the chance to try some of what the company described as 'the world’s most exquisite teas'. The first tea in the collection, Eight Immortals is a Chinese oolong tea which has elegant spiced aromas and complex bittersweet notes on the palate.
This sophisticated sparkling tea is named after one of China's most well-known myths about the legendary Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea and is a rare Dan Cong tea cultivar from Guangdong province, China. The tea is grown on Phoenix Mountain which is known for its mineral-rich soils, foggy climate and rocky landscape.
Designed to be served chilled in a Champagne glass this rare tea provides aromas of nectarine, ginger, sweet baking spices and confit peach with an underlying earthiness, Saicho explained. "A bitterness reminiscent of blood orange is followed by herbal characters of anise, fennel and tarragon, making it ideal for pairing with soft cheeses or lightly spiced dishes."
Founder Charlie Winkworth-Smith commented: “With our new Rare Tea Collection, we want to showcase some of the finest teas in the world. Inspired by the Asian tradition of tea gifting, we hope that the Rare Tea Collection will be a new way to carry this tradition forward.”
Saicho’s RRP will be £32.99 and will be available to purchase from Saicho’s website.
Pilgrim’s Food Masters has launched OXO frozen ready meals into Asda.
The range, which focuses on batch cooking styles, includes six meals: Chicken In Red Wine with Boulangère Potatoes, Beef & Pancetta Ragu, Beef Bourguignon with Dauphinoise Potato, Creamy White Wine Chicken with Garlic Mash Potato, Dijon Chicken with Rice and Minced Lamb Lancashire Hotpot.
It is one of the first frozen ready meal launches from Pilgrim’s Food Masters since it was rebranded from Kerry Group’s UK and Irish consumer meats and meals business, following its acquisition by Pilgrim’s Pride which completed this June.
Andrea Flemming, Senior Category Manager at Pilgrim’s Food Masters, said: “OXO has been transforming mealtimes for over 100 years and the new range of frozen ready meals is perfect for consumers who are competent cooks but who lack time and are looking to trade up in the category.”
The OXO launch comes at the same time as a major brand refresh for Pilgrim’s Food Masters’ Bisto and Sharwood’s FRMs, with both ranges benefitting from NPDs, recipe reformulation to improve flavour and nutritional value, and a modern packaging revamp.
Bisto has made the move into meat-free for the first time with the launch of four new SKUs, including meat-free Cottage Pie, Spaghetti Bolognese, Lasagne and Chicken Hotpot, available in Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Heron Foods. Elsewhere, all 24 of the existing Bisto SKUs feature new and improved recipes, and across the range there is 10% less salt.
Meanwhile the biggest Indian and Chinese FRM brand, Sharwood’s, has added five new meals to its line up to reflect the changing tastes of consumers. NPDs include Chicken Katsu and Kung Po Chicken, as well as Low Fat variants of its existing Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Korma meals, and a Low Sugar Sweet & Sour Chicken. Throughout its 11 existing SKUs, saturated fat has been reduced by 22% and calories by 11%.
Andrea added: “Frozen ready meals provide a real lifeline to shoppers who are looking for delicious, convenient meals – either those without the time to cook every day, or those who are no longer able to – and they are a great way of locking in flavour & nutrients, without needing to use preservatives. The category continues to attract new consumers who are drawn to the benefits of frozen meals; namely value for money, great taste and a reduction in wastage.
“The Bisto and Sharwood’s ranges have a very loyal consumer base and the changes this year across both brands reflect their changing tastes, needs and shopping habits. For example, our core Bisto shoppers are very engaged with the meat free movement and see it as the number one driver to better health, so this trusted brand can help to enable behaviour change among consumers who want to reduce meat intake more frequently by giving them a helping hand in doing so.”
Nestlé is rolling out four new organic soups under its Maggi brand in Germany this in autumn.
The focus of the recipes are natural ingredients in organic quality, according to the company. The soup mixes are free from palm-oil and carry a 'B' Nutri-Score rating, Nestlé noted.
Nestlé said the range was a convenient option with a 'clear conscience'. Containing organic ingredients, Maggi brings the tomatoes for the “Maggi Organic Tomato Cream Soup” from southern Europe. The food brand uses potatoes from Northern Germany in the "Maggi Bio Potato Cream Soup". While “Maggi Bio Vegetable Cream Soup” contains vegetables such as pumpkin, carrot or tomato. The company is calling out ingredient origin on the back of pack, it noted.
The range also comes in recyclable packaging.
The recommended retail price for all Maggi organic soups is €1.19.
UK start-up Ento is rolling out a Protein Powder made with 60% mealworms that, it says, 'provides a tasty alternative' to pea protein.
The powder is designed to add to smoothies, juices, yogurts and breakfast cereals. It is also suitable for use in baking.
The company stressed that mealworms are 'highly nutritional' and offer 'lower environmental impact benefits', including using less land, water and feed resources than other protein alternatives.
The powder is available online through Ento's e-shop and Amazon as well as some independent health food stores.
Coldpress, a maker of high pressure processed cold-pressed juices and smoothies, will join Asda's 'health bay' pilot.
Asda is trialling health bays at 170 of its stores later this month. The area will include three Coldpress smoothies that are fortified with vitamins and minerals, as well as the country's 'only' orange juice with added vitamins and its 'hero' juice, Pink Lady.
According to Andrew Gibb, Coldpress founder, the move signals a renaissance for the category, which has come under some pressure from campaigners questioning the content of natural sugars in juices and smoothies.
"As excited as we were to be Europe’s first HPP juice and smoothie provider back in 2011, the simple reality was that we whilst we over-indexed in terms of extra freshness and fuller flavours, we hadn’t gone as far as we perhaps we might have championing good nutrition and a well-rounded functional benefit agenda. Latest sales data shows that juices that commit to fortifying with energy-boosting vitamins (B,D & E) resonate well with consumers looking to stay healthy however busy life gets," he said.
Over the last year, Coldpress has taken a number of strategic initiatives to position it as a leading healthy beverage brand, including the creation of a Spanish production facility to significantly increase production capacity; an export operation which has now spread to 12 countries; and an ongoing commitment to increase further rPET content in bottles.
