Grocery shoppers have seen a proliferation of healthy snacks that combine fruits or vegetables with protein in a single, convenient package for on-the-go eating. Licensed products are part of the mix, as these examples illustrate:
- B&G Foods and its master licensee for Green Giant Fresh, Growers Express, are debuting six vegetable-based meal bowls. They include a “Buddha bowl” with cauliflower crumbles, sweet potato, and tahini sauce; a burrito-focused product with cauliflower crumbles, black beans, and spices; a pad thai bowl featuring carrot noodles; a version of fried rice with teriyaki cauliflower crumbles and chopped vegetables; a rancheros-themed meal with sweet potato and cauliflower crumbles; and ramen with butternut squash noodles, vegetables, and edamame. Some of the items include vegetable proteins; those that are protein-free include an easy recommendation for adding protein, such an egg, at home.
- Sunkist and its licensee Snack-It-Forward have introduced Fruit Lover’s Trail Mix, which features a premium assortment of real freeze-dried fruits along with nuts such as almonds and cashews. The product has no artificial colors or flavors and is billed as never containing peanuts or raisins, which serve as fillers in most grocery trail mixes. Flavors include guava chili mango, blueberry apple, pineapple coconut, mango dark chocolate, and strawberry banana. Each variety comes in a five-ounce bag, with some available in single-serve multi-packs.
- Disney and its fresh produce licensee Crunch Pak continue to offer Disney Foodles, a Mickey Mouse-shaped package containing fruit, cheese cubes, and in some cases a dip or crunchy snack. Combinations include peeled apples, Mickey-shaped crackers, and cheese; carrots, ranch dressing, cheese, and pretzels; apples, cheese, and pretzels; and apples, cheese, and grapes.
All of these products address consumers’ growing desire for healthy and convenient snacks and quick meals that are produce-centric with a protein boost.
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