increasing behavior, has only accelerated as consumers spend more time at home. With more mindful snacking happening at home, consumers are paying closer attention to the snacks they are eating.” Real Food From the Ground Up, which makes cauliflower-based swaps for pretzels, tortilla chips and puffs, recently expanded distribution of its cauliflower-based versions of the classic potato chip, now available in four flavors. Later in 2021, the company will also launch a Cauliflower Snacking Cracker and a Purple Carrot Cracker. “We’ll keep innovating until there’s a plant-based cauliflower snack offering for each salty snack subcategory,” says Holt. “People have been turned off by starches, and that behavior is not changing,” observes Steve Kneepkens, SVP of sales and marketing at Fairfield, Calif.-based Harvest Snaps. He anticipates higher sales for plant-based snacks over the next five years. Harvest Snaps snack crisps, made from green peas, red lentils and black beans, are delivering a nutrient-dense, crunchy chip option for consumers avoiding starches. This May, the brand is launching a tortilla chip featuring a blend of almond and cassava flours for a more nutritious chip. Cassava root is also the base ingredient for Plant Snacks products. Dave Eisen, CEO of the Boston-based company, believes consumers are looking for a reason to try something new, and Plant Snacks products, which are grain- and gluten-free, check the right boxes for consumers. “What a product contains is just as important as what it doesn’t contain,” says Eisen. Available in a variety of vegan flavors, such as beet with vegan goat cheese, and vegan cheddar, the brand recently launched a larger 8-ounce-size version of its sea salt-flavored chip. Younger consumers in particular are tuned into products that are
also good for the environment. “Our chips were born from the idea that you can have still enjoy healthy snacking with reimagined vegetable chips, and be kind to yourself and the planet while enjoying them,” notes Stephen Williamson, CEO and founder of San Francisco-based Forager Project, maker of such plant based-snacks as Super Greens (kale and spinach blended with ancient grains) and new Cassava Cashew chips.
Beyond Plant-Based
Protein- and cheese-based items are also growth segments. “We’re seeing shoppers looking for new options that provide the same flavor, comfort and nostalgia as snack favorites like chips and crackers,” says Allison Schuman, SVP of sales at New York-based Whisps. “We’re going to continue to see brands reimagine these flavors with premium spices and other natural ingredients to deliver the same taste in a cleaner format. Whisps meets their needs with a nutrient-dense single-ingredient option, [featuring] 100% artisan cheeses exclusively made for the brand.” Whisps recently launched three new chip-inspired flavors and is currently rolling out a Garlic Herb flavor. “We are also exploring fun brand moments, such as the Valentine’s Day pack of single-serve Whisps pouches, cheesy stickers and cards,” adds Schuman. “We’re exploring how our brand can show up during other holidays as a snack and activity as well.” Protein-enhanced options are likewise on the rise. “A recent report from The Hartman Group says that 60% of consumers are adding or increasing protein in their diet, and 36% of consumers indicated that they are
PROGRESSIVE GROCER March 2021
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