Industry innovation pivoting to reducing sugar and portions
This year’s annual get-together of the snacks and confectionery industries, the Sweets & Snacks Expo, was held in Indianapolis last month. The usual assortment of desserts, candy, snack food and other treats were part of the lineup. But the big surprise was the number of new items that demonstrated how the industry can lead on delivering better-for-you indulgences. Responding to increasingly health-conscious consumers who want their treats but in smaller doses, John Downs, CEO of the National Confectioners Association, told me: “Our companies are striving to meet consumers’ demands for transparency and smaller portions. We want them and their families to enjoy their favorite treats while helping them manage their sugar intake.”
I’m encouraged that this industry has recognized this trend and I hope other sectors hop on, because it’s a growth opportunity as well as the right thing to do for public health. Here are some of the innovations that were on display at Expo:
Smaller package sizes
A recent report by the International Food Information Council cited that eating appropriate portion sizes is the #1 element of a “healthy eating pattern.” Building on the confectionery industry’s Always a Treat Initiative to sell at least half of its instant consumable items in 200 calorie or less packages – a pledge it made in collaboration with the Partnership for a Healthier America in May 2017 – the show spotlighted several new smaller, individually-wrapped pack sizes, including:
- Reese’s Big Cup with Pretzels from Hershey. When I first examined this item I thought the name implied that it was going to be mega-sized. I stand corrected. It was only 180 calories per pack.
- Kinder Bueno Mini. From Ferrero North America, these are bite-sized pieces featuring milk chocolate, wafer, hazelnut filling and dark chocolate drizzle, weighing in at 30 calories each.
- Even the sweet baked goods crowd is getting in the act. Hostess introduced its Baby Bundts line, a portable, on-the-go version of this treat – the first product of its kind in the sweet baked goods aisle. The Lemon Drizzle version totaled 150 calories.
Reduced sugar products
According to Mintel, nearly 3 out of 5 consumers are choosing low-sugar products for their health. This year’s Expo featured several lower-sugar versions of traditional treats, including:
- Lily’s. Recently acquired by the Hershey Company, Lily’s is a high-growth maker of low-sugar, better-for-you confectionery products. The show highlighted several stevia-sweetened items such as chocolate bars and peanut butter cups, both under 200 calories each.
- Russell Stover also used Stevia in their new Sugar Free Chocolate Candy Gems, chocolate candy in a colorful candy shell.
- Even stalwart brands Reese’s and Hershey’s got into the act, introducing Zero Sugar versions of their iconic products (reminds me of what Coca-Cola did with Coca-Cola Zero Sugar!). The products are flagged as “aspartame free.”
- And yes, Bazooka Bubble Gum now offers a sugar-free version in a to-go cup!
Keto friendly products
The keto diet has taken the world by storm. In 2020, the word “keto” was the most Googled food-related topic in the world with 25.4 million searches. In concert with this trend, Expo showcased numerous new keto-friendly products, among them:
- Shrewd Foods’ displayed a broad line of protein snacks like Keto Dippers, with 7-8 grams of protein and 2-3 grams of carbs. The company claims these items are “The smartest way to keto.”
- Among other keto items were Nola Bars, Second Nature Keto Crunch Smart Mix and KetoKers high protein chocolate bars.
- Not to be outdone, Kiss My Keto gummies and chocolate made their appearance. The products contain various prebiotic soluble fibers and Erythritol as a sugar substitute.
Along with their lineup of slimmed-down products, these industries are also starting to take the environment seriously. The winner of the show’s Most Innovative New Product Award was Perfetti Van Melle USA’s Mentos Gum Paperboard Bottle. A first in the US gum category, this new bottle is made of 90% recyclable paperboard, “giving consumers the Mentos Gum they know and love in a paper-based bottle, with no premium cost.” The company also shone with its Fruit-tella soft gummies products which featured real fruit puree as the #1 ingredient (rather than sugar). The company added Mentos Gum with Vitamins to round out its innovations.
New Mentos Gum Paperboard Bottle
Candy & Snack Today
While these innovations are exciting, there still is more work to be done. Here are a few things I would like to see these manufacturers do:
- Increase availability of smaller portions at retail checkout. Consumers want choice, including size, and the industry would benefit themselves and their consumers by offering more of these versions.
- Sweet baked snacks companies must do more. Hostess’ Baby Bundts is a good move to deliver an indulgent, comfort product in a smaller format. This industry sector needs to step up like the confectionery companies have and pledge to deliver fewer calories and less sugar.
- Advertise and promote better-for-you and smaller portion versions more aggressively. Making such products available is one thing; driving sales is another. Companies – in all food and beverage sectors – must vigorously support these items to ensure their success.
Delivering tasty products while helping consumers eat healthier or with smaller portions has always been a challenge, especially for more indulgent products. Expo showed that this can be done, and with flair. Manufacturers and retailers must step up to make these items more prominent.