Smart snacks
How candy, chocolate and snacks are meeting consumers' health concerns.
BY BRENDA G. RUSSELL Chocolate offerings from Marich Confectionery feature vibrant colors, flavors and packaging. F
ortified foods. Healthy. Snacks. Better for you. Natural. Organic.
If it seems one of these things is not like the others, you've
been overlooking the emerging health-conscious offerings in confectionary and snacks. The new smart snacks range from all-natural or less processed
choices to items fortified with vitamins, fiber or other healthful ingredients. Chocolate is increasingly seen as a healthy choice thanks to the antioxidant properties of cocoa beans. Consumers are demanding more healthful options in all
food categories. With obesity, diabetes, celiac disease and food allergies all on the rise, confectionery is far from immune to health concerns. Yet taste is still king in their snack choices, according to
research by the NPD Group. And those tastes have grown more adventurous, a trend reflected in unusual flavor combinations. Candy and snacks with dual layers and multiple flavor profiles
in one bite top the tasty trends in the National Confectioners Association's Top Consumer Sweets and Snacks Trends 2011 report. New combinations include unique blends of fruits and the addition of ingredients like chili and mint.
CHOCOLATE AND ACTIVITY On-the-go and individual chocolate sales were up 10 percent.
In the NCA report, research by SymphonyIRI Group traced the link between chocolate consumption and active lifestyles. "Parents
claim children who consume chocolate daily exercise nearly twice as oſten as children who eat chocolate weekly," says the trend report, which also links daily gum chewing and sports activity. The connection suggests fast moves for energy bars, the
emerging category of candy bars with less fat and sugar, high fiber content or vitamin enrichment. Mars Inc. is giving its Marathon line of energy bars
a workout this year with the launch of vitamin-fortified Marathon Smart Stuff bars. Mars Chocolate North America says Smart Stuff meets the school foodservice snack guidelines of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a childhood- obesity joint venture of the American Heart Association and the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation. The chocolate, peanut and dried fruit bars have 3 to 5 grams of fiber and 140 or fewer calories per serving. Mariblu Naturals in Anaheim, Calif., extends its fruit and
nut clusters into a line of gluten- and dairy-free Crunch Bars in varieties such as Blueberry Pomegranate Trail Mix Crunch, which features dry roasted cashews and almonds with dried blueberries and pomegranate juice. Chocolate will lead the confectionary category through 2011,
the NCA research suggests. New product launches will remain strong, and consumers will explore the potential benefits of dark chocolate and its higher cocoa concentration. "People over 45 consume more dark chocolate because it's perceived as healthier," according to the report.
September 2011 • www.specialty-coffee.com | 19
