Rollout: March comes in like a . . . tiger?

FoodProcessing.com

This month's hot properties include high-fiber kids' cereal, whole-grain bread, tweak-your-own-flavor gum, super fast side dishes, the Doughboy on ice, and personalized M&Ms.

Eeny, meeny, miny, mo,
catch a tiger by
the paw in your bowl,
Kellogg's urges.




By Diane Toops, News & Trends Editor

Kellogg’s intros high-fiber kids cereal

Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Mich., rolls out Kellogg’s Tiger Power, a GR-R-REAT lightly sweetened whole-grain cereal option for kids (or kids at heart). It’s rich in fiber and contains protein, calcium and iron.

Consisting of three whole-grain Os fused together to look like Tony’s paw, Tiger Power cereal fits nicely into a spoon and makes a perfect sized finger food for babies, toddlers and 2-to-5-year-olds. As such, it could take a bite out of General Mills’ Cheerios sales, the No. 1 seller for the toddler market.

“The new 2005 Dietary Guidelines call for increased consumption of whole-grain and nutrient-rich foods and also identify calcium and fiber, among other vitamins and minerals, as ‘nutrients of concern’ for children,” says Chris Lowry, vice president global nutrition. “We believe that Tiger Power provides moms and kids with a nutritious, great-tasting whole-grain option that can become part of their daily routine.”

Suggested retail price for Tiger Power is $3.19 for a 10-oz. box.

The pendulum has swung again, from bread-as-bad-guy to nutrient-packed superhero, with extra fiber plus folic acid, vitamin D and calcium.

Next big trend in bread

Sara Lee Bakery Group, St. Louis, launches the next big trend in bread with Earth Grains Extra Fiber, a line of three fortified whole-grain breads – 100% Whole Wheat, 100% Whole Wheat Made With Honey, and 100% Multi-Grain.

Fortified with folic acid (a key nutrient for the prevention of birth defects and a potential contributor to cardiovascular health), vitamin D (essential for absorption of calcium for bone health) and calcium, two slices of Earth Grains Extra Fiber bread provide 35 percent of the RDV of fiber (9 g), 30 percent of the RDV of calcium, 20 percent of the RDV of vitamin D, 20 percent of the RDV of folic acid and 3 oz. of
whole grain.

"Consumer demand for whole-grain breads is soaring," says Frances Coletta, director of product nutrition. “These breads were developed based on nutrition research to address consumer needs as outlined by the 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee and other experts.”

In addition to the three new varieties, six other Earth Grains sandwich breads have been reformulated to include both vitamin D and calcium. They include: 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat; Honey Whole Grains; Honey Wheat Berry, Buttermilk, Potato, and Oat & Nut. Two slices contain 20 percent of the RDV of calcium and vitamin D and folic acid.

Suggested retail price for all nine of the 24-oz. loaves range from $2.59 to $3.39.

Create your own fusion flavors

A unit of Cadbury Schweppes, Cadbury Adams USA LLC, Parsippany, N.J., creates two new flavors of Trident sugarless gum -- strawberry fusion, featuring sweet and sour strawberry flavors, and wintergreen fusion, featuring extreme and mellow wintergreen flavors.

Each 12-piece pellet pack includes six pieces each of sour and sweet strawberry or extreme and mellow wintergreen, allowing consumers to blend their own intense strawberry or wintergreen combinations for a one-of-a-kind taste sensation.

Trident sugarless also is good for teeth. Chewing these products after eating helps clean teeth, because they contain the sugar-free sweetener xylitol, a sweetener that helps fight cavities.

"We created these new flavors for Trident to offer the ever-changing teen audience an exciting new taste experience that is also good for their teeth," says Chris Helle, business director for Trident. "Chewing sweet and sour strawberry and extreme and mellow wintergreen is an interactive experience, allowing consumers to customize their own flavor according to their personal taste, piece by piece."

Suggested retail price is 89 cents.

Country Crock Side Dishes are quick fixes for consumers who like to eat at home.

Easy does it

According to a recent ACNielsen study, nearly 70 percent of all dinners are prepared at home, but most moms spend less than 10 minutes preparing dinner. Unilever Best Foods, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., debuts Country Crock Side Dishes – fully-prepared, chilled sides that are ready to microwave and serve in five minutes – a great and convenient meal solution for busy consumers.