Snack and bakery producers looking to entice consumers more often than ever cannot just offer only healthy products, or items that give good taste. If these companies want to succeed, they must deliver on both counts.
Three Wishes is one of the producers aiming to give health-conscious shoppers a balance of both. The producer, likely best known for its line of better-for-you, grain-free cereals, has added to its BFY offerings with a range of chewy granola bars, produced in three flavors designed to aim for consumers’ sense of nostalgia. To learn more about the company’s BFY innovations, history, and latest line of treats, Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery connected with Three Wishes’ CEO and Co-founder Margaret Wishingrad.
Jenni Spinner: Could you please share a bit about the history of Three Wishes—how and when you got started, how you’ve grown since then, and what makes the company and its products stand out from the crowd?
Margaret Wishingrad: We launched in 2019, and the cereal aisle looked very different back then. We had the foresight (and good fortune) to be an early player in the better-for-you cereal space and focused on building amazing relationships with some great retail partners. Since then, we’ve grown our cereal and launched two new categories with the same delicious taste and nostalgia: grain-free granola and grain-free chewy bars. What makes our products stand out from the crowd is balance. We try to strike the balance between being novel and familiar; indulgent, with an ingredient panel to be proud of.
JS: Please tell us about your first products, found in the cereal aisle—anything you can tell us about the better-for-you cereals, the flavors you created, and how you managed to come up with products that balance good health with great taste would be appreciated.
MW: I think it would shock consumers to learn how long it takes to develop any and all products, especially when you’re committed to such high standards like we are. We were taste-testing our cereal for two years before we let the world have a bite. Our mantra has been to never settle. We sought this balance of good health and great taste, and because we never lost sight of either side of the equation, we were able to make it happen.
JS: Your most recent innovation is your grain-free granola bars. Could you please talk about the decision to create and release these products, and tell us about the flavors?
MW: You could find some sort of chewy bar inside every pantry cupboard, glove compartment, or lunch box in the Wishingrad household. We never loved the nutritional value or ingredients in those bars, and after making our cereal and granola we knew we could do better. We decreased the sugar, increased the protein, and made the grain-free chewy bars of our dreams! As for flavors, we didn’t do anything too crazy. With Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and S’mores, we knew we’d hit our target of being nostalgic and delicious.
JS: How has the response been to the new bars—as a consumer, I tend to seek out baked snacks that offer a bit of protein, low sugar, and decent taste, so I imagine folks who fit that description just might be picking up on these.
MW: Exactly as we’d hoped—customers are loving our grain-free chewy bars. They feel like they’ve been given permission to consume what they considered a naughty snack.
JS: What’s next for Three Wishes, and the Wishingrads? If you have any new products or flavors in the works, new retail locations planned, or any other news, please share.
MW: We’re always wishing for more wishes! Stay tuned for more stores and new holiday flavors.
JS: What’s your favorite product?
MW: For me, each of our products is so mood-dependent. Sometimes I’m running out the door and can’t wait to grab a bar, or feeling snacky at my desk and go for granola right out of the bag, or craving a classic and pour myself the best bowl of cereal. Luckily for me, I don’t have to pick!
