New Food & Beverage Product Rollout: September 2021

Ready-to-Eat Breakfast Eggs

Bob Evans Farms is launching two breakfast items for consumers looking for convenient, nourishing and filling options for a “weekend-style breakfast.” Available in the refrigerated section of grocery stores nationwide, Bob Evans Omelet Rolls and Bob Evans Egg Bites provide consumers a quality and indulgent breakfast that won’t interrupt morning routines.

Both items are made with cage-free eggs. The rolls come in three different varieties--egg with salt and pepper, egg and cheeses, and egg white, spinach and herb—with one roll containing 6-8g of protein. They can be stuffed with whatever fillings the consumer desires or just rolled and eaten plain. The bites come in two packs and are ready to heat-and-eat in a versatile microwavable tray. The three varieties are cheese; bacon and cheese; and sausage and cheese. The low-carb egg bites have 15-17g of protein in each two-bite serving.

“We heard our consumers loud and clear, and we are giving them products that deliver on their needs,” says Thyme Hill, chief marketing officer. “In only one minute, breakfast lovers have the convenient, protein-packed wholesome breakfast they are craving during the weekdays.”

Ascent, a sports nutrition company, now offers Ascent Plant Protein, a new line of organic plant-based protein powders designed to support muscle health and athletic performance. The line complements the company’s focus of providing products for “clean-eating, hard-working athletes dedicated to their nutritional goals."

Suitable for vegans, the mix is made with a blend of three plant protein sources: pea, pumpkin and sunflower. It is formulated to provide 4g of branched-chain amino acids, including 2g of leucine, which is the key amino acid to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. One serving contains a total of 25g of protein with zero artificial ingredients. It is certified organic, certified gluten free and Informed Sport Certified, which is a third-party test for banned substances.

The vegan, soy-free protein mix contains no added sugars. Additionally, Ascent conducted third-party consumer research and confirmed that their plant-based protein is significantly preferred in taste against the market leader. Flavors are chocolate and vanilla bean. The product is making its debut exclusively through Whole Foods Market and Amazon.

Eliminating Lactose in Cultured Dairy 

The pandemic showed that dairy retail sales are alive and thriving, and Good Culture plans to keep up the momentum by offering new forms and products to keep consumers shopping the refrigerated dairy case. The B-corp-certified, clean-label cultured foods brand is already known for revolutionizing cottage cheese for the modern age and plans to continue to deliver disruptive innovation.

The four new products include Good Culture Lactose Free Cottage Cheese. One serving boasts 14g of protein and is made with just five simple ingredients: pasture-raised milk, cream, sea salt, live and active cultures and lactase enzyme. A 15-oz. tub has a suggested retail price of $3.49.

The company is also growing its sour cream business, which debuted as a whole milk product in 15-oz. tubs about two years ago in limited distribution. Now the line includes that same sour cream, but in a 12-oz. squeezable pouch. Joining it is Good Culture Squeezable Lactose Free Sour Cream Pouch and Lactose Free Sour Cream Tub. A 12-oz. pouch sells for about $2.99, while the 15-oz. tubs go for $2.99. The pouches provide a mess-free, spoon-free solution.

Hello? Is it meat you’re looking for? The 4505 Meats company has the meat consumers are looking for in high-protein snacks. New 4505 Butcher’s Snacks are crafted with 2-oz. of high-quality, humanely raised pork and packed with 18-24g protein per serving. These keto-certified, paleo-friendly, gluten-free sausage snacks were created by a real butcher and sausage expert, Ryan Farr, author of the “The Definitive Guide to Sausage Making,” and founder and chef of 4505 Burgers & BBQ restaurant in San Francisco.

The “more sausage than meat stick snack” comes in three varieties. Cheddar & Bacon is studded with chunks of cheddar cheese and uncured bacon, while Original Recipe is a snappy take on a Midwest favorite--the bratwurst—and features the flavors of caraway and thyme. Red Hot is a spicy number that gets its extra kick from paprika, cayenne, coriander and a little yellow mustard. The snacks are available on Amazon and at Sprouts Farmers Market. They will be launching nationally in Whole Foods this fall, with other major retailers following. The suggested retail price is $2.99 per link.

Better-for-you snack manufacturer HighKey is growing its business with sweet and salty products. New HighKey Almond Flour Crackers come in cheddar and sea salt flavors and contain 1-2g of net carbohydrates per serving. They are gluten-free, grain-free, keto-friendly and contain no artificial colors or flavors. The crackers use a combination of almond flour and lupin flour to deliver a crunchy cracker that is sturdy enough to scoop into dips and hold toppings. Lupin flour is a low-carb flour made from lupin beans, which are naturally high in fiber and protein. As a result, one serving packs in 6g of plant-based protein.

On the sweeter side of the business, there is new HighKey Soft Baked Mini Bites in a birthday cake flavor. These low-sugar and low-carbohydrate muffin bites are made from almond flour and have less than 1g of sugar and only 2g net carbs per serving. An added perk, a serving contains 4g of protein. By using a proprietary blend of naturally derived sweeteners—allulose, erythritol, monk fruit and stevia—HighKey recreates the taste and texture of sugar in its Mini Bites. A 6.65-oz. bag has a suggested retail price of $13.97.

Beverages to Boost the Soul 

PepsiCo Inc. has introduced Soulboost, a sparkling water brand that comes in two functional formulations. The Lift variety has 200mg of panax ginseng to help support mental stamina. It is available in blueberry pomegranate and black cherry citrus flavors. The Ease variety has 200mg of L-theanine and is formulated to help people relax. It is available in blackberry passionfruit and strawberry rose.

Soulboost is the latest from PepsiCo’s innovation team, which analyzes data and insights in real time to identify emerging consumer trends and creates products to address those needs. When it comes to wellness, Soulboost encourages consumers to do whatever works for them. The products have 10-20 calories and a suggested retail price of $2.99. The initial launch will be through Sprouts Farmers Market and Amazon.

“Our world-class research and development team developed Soulboost by pinpointing desirable functional ingredients…and adding them into great-tasting sparkling water beverages to help people truly feel the moment, whether they need to support mental stamina to make it through a busy day or a moment of relaxation to help unwind, or both,” says Danielle Barbaro, vice president of research and development for PepsiCo Beverages North America.