KANSAS CITY, MO — As we move into the last half of 2021, sweets are picking up speed. Innovation in upcycling, convenience, “free from” claims and beyond are yielding growth for treats of all kinds in both perimeter and center-store aisles.
According to an IRI report, which broke down the perimeter dollar share for desserts and sweet snacks for the 52 weeks ending April 18, 2021, cakes held the overwhelming majority at 56.62%. Cookies held 24.51%; pies held 13.73%; brownies, squares and bars held 3.91%; and specialty desserts held 1.23%.
These categories also made some dough in the center store. As of April 18, sales for snack cakes were $1.7 billion; cookie sales were $740 million, cake sales were $470 million, brownie, square and bar sales were $463 million and pie sales were $389 million.
Check out some new sweet and dessert product releases capitalizing on these numbers below. You can read a full list of new products in our digital edition.
Innovation in upcycling, convenience, “free from” claims and beyond are yielding growth for treats of all kinds in both perimeter and center-store aisles.
Breakfast blondies from Killer Brownie Co.
Miamisburg, OH-based The Killer Brownie Co. has taken its products to a new daypart with its new Breakfast Blondies. These products fit the bill for consumers returning to their busy lifestyles and seeking a portable breakfast option that’s outside the norm. According to the company, interest in on-the-go breakfast has risen 154%.
And Killer Brownie’s clean ingredients list makes the indulgent breakfast item an appealing choice. Breakfast Blondies come in two varieties — Apple Pie Oatmeal Crisp and Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble — both of which are made with real fruit, rolled oats and brown sugar cookie crumbles.
Both varieties wholesale in a case of 12 containers of 2-count packages. Breakfast Blondies are available to buy at KillerBrownie.com.
Grain-free cookies from Hu
Hu, the popular grain-free snacking company, has taken things a step further with its new line of Grain-Free, No-Added-Sugar Cookies. These new cookies come in four classic flavors: Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Snickerdoodle and Ginger Snap.
Being a trailblazer in the grain-free food market since 2012, New York, NY-based Hu has gone above and beyond the usual requirements to create deliciously healthy cookies, rooting itself deeper into the grain-free movement. It uses certified humane, free-range eggs, along with naturally occurring whole cassava flour instead of refined starches.
Hu remains at the forefront of the better-for-you snacking segment with its in-depth research of the growing grain-free movement, utilizing various trend information from research companies such as SPINS.
The cookies are available online at HuKitchen.com and Amazon.com and recently rolled out at Sprouts stores nationwide. Consumers can purchase these products in a $15 single-flavor 3-pack, a $20 variety pack with all four flavors and a $28 single-flavor 6-pack.
Dessert pots from Pots & Co
Pots & Co is a London-based premium dessert company known for high-quality handmade desserts. Its indulgent desserts are inspired by culinary influences and made with clean ingredients, including sustainable Colombian cocoa sourced by Julian Dyer, founder of Pots & Co and UK-based chef.
All Pots & Co’s desserts are developed by Michelin-star chefs and handcrafted in London before being baked in ceramic pots from Spain. Dyer and his team found that the pots ensure the desserts are baked evenly, giving the final product a depth of flavor and texture that are elevated above the typical store-bought dessert experience. Additionally, these ceramic pots are table-ready, and consumers can reuse them for home or garden.
Pots & Co pivotally expanded its US reach in early 2021 and is now available in three Kroger banner stores — Ralphs, Smith’s and King Soopers — throughout the West Coast and Rocky Mountain region.
Three Pots & Co flavors are currently available in the refrigerator aisle of grocery stores: Chocolate Fudge Lava Cake, Salted Caramel & Chocolate Pot de Crème and Lemon Cheesecake. Each 3.5-oz. single-serve pot has a suggested retail price of $4.99.
Upcycled cookies from Fancypants Baking Co.
Fancypants Baking Co., a Walpole, MA-based bakery serving up clean-label, nut-free and allergy-friendly cookies, announced in January the addition of two new products to its line of cookies made with upcycled ingredients.
The two new flavors — Double Chocolate Chip and Vanilla Oatmilk — further Fancypants’ mission to reduce food waste while creating snacks loved by consumers and embodied by the company’s motto, “Eat a Snack, Save the Planet.”
Upcycling means rescuing ingredients that would otherwise end up in the trash. Fancypants’ recipes star the nutritious pulp left over from tofu, soy milk and oat milk production, as well as coffee cherry — the prime ingredient in the Double Chocolate Chip flavor.
Fancypants Upcycled Cookies are sold in 6-oz. packages for a suggested retail price of $4.99. They are available online at the company’s website and Amazon.com, as well as at Whole Foods Market, Raley’s, Costco and other major retailers.
Low-sugar stroopwafels from Sweet Amsterdam
Sweet Amsterdam is no stranger to innovation, having started out as a Los Angeles-based food truck with the simple goal of spreading the joy of Dutch desserts in the US. But while consumers are trending toward more unique, international products, founder Farhad Faqiri realized he couldn’t reach many people with dietary restrictions. He decided to expand the offerings of his cornerstone product: the Stroopwafel, a wafer cookie made with two thin layers of baked dough joined by a caramel filling.
In 2020, the company underwent a major rebranding and announced three new flavors: Caramel Cinnamon, Lemon bar, Speculaas Spice and Chocolate Banana. It also improved its recipes, reducing the sugar content by more than 50% and taking a more allergy-friendly approach.
Today, Sweet Amsterdam’s low-sugar Stroopwafels are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, organic and non-GMO. The products are available on SweetAmsterdam.com, Amazon.com and Walmart.com, individually wrapped in boxes of 12.
