Avoiding or reducing carbohydrates in a daily diet is not exactly a new trend. However, a few decades ago, CPGs offering packaged snacks, baked goods, and beverages to carb-conscious consumers were a lot fewer and farther between than they are now. 

One of the companies pioneering snacks that fit the bill for carb counters is Atkins. As the field of producers offering such treats has grown larger, Atkins has continued to innovate its product offerings, working to ensure that BFY-minded consumers have an ever-increasing array of items to choose from. To find out more, Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery touched base with Jonathan Clinthorne, PhD, senior director for nutrition and scientific affairs with Atkins.

Jenni Spinner: Could you please tell me a bit about yourself, and what you do in your role as senior director for nutrition and scientific affairs?

Jonathan Clinthorne: I spent the first part of my career in nutrition research and earned a doctorate in human nutrition while studying how metabolism influences immune function. Now leading the Nutrition function at Simply Good Foods (the parent company of Atkins) I work to socialize and share the science behind our great brands like Atkins. This involves building relationships with healthcare professionals, creating continuing education, and publishing studies that we conduct with research partners. I also have been involved in our policy work, where we have worked to make the government more aware of the over 500 studies that have been conducted on lower carbohydrate approaches. 

JS: Then, please tell me a bit about Atkins—its history, how it’s expanded its mission to improve the health of people everywhere, and then specifically the snacks and baked goods it’s offered for folks who want to satisfy their between-meal hunger in healthful ways.

JC: Atkins was originally founded as a low-carb approach aimed to facilitate weight loss but has since evolved its mission to improve overall health by promoting balanced eating that is sustainable and doesn't feel restrictive. Atkins now provides a wide range of snacks and baked goods designed to satisfy between-meal hunger in a health-conscious way, including protein bars, low-carb cookies, protein wafers, and protein shakes, all formulated to help consumers reach and maintain their health goals while enjoying familiar indulgent treats and flavors. One of the fundamental pieces of achieving better health is improving metabolic health, and our products are designed to have a limited impact on blood sugar and have macros that can satisfy anyone who is following a higher protein, higher fiber, and lower sugar approach. Overall, these products are going to help promote satiety and will help satisfy cravings but without the sugar crash that often comes with higher-sugar foods. 

JS: Atkins is always coming out with new products in this space—could you please tell a bit about the company’s strategies around product innovation, and what customer-interest targets you’re working to hit with your new stuff?

JC: I can't speak to Atkins's innovation strategy, but I work with Atkins to create products that have nutrients we know our consumers are looking for. Our products contain much less sugar than their conventional analogs, but just replacing sugar with starch doesn't help our consumers from a metabolic perspective so we're constantly looking at ways we can use new innovative ingredients, like prebiotic fibers and high-quality protein to replace sugars and carbs. 

JS: Then, please tell me about the new Indulge truffles—anything from the flavor to the nutrition benefits; whatever you like.

JC: The new Endulge truffles are made to satisfy your sweet tooth without derailing your goals; what I like about them is how much they deliver on the experience of a truffle. They have a rich and indulgent mouthfeel, come packaged just like you would expect a truffle to look like, but don't have all the sugar. Even more amazing, they contain over 20% of the daily value of fiber.

JS: Let’s also talk about the Lemon Crème Protein Wafer Crisps—what do those sweet snacks bring to the table, and what about the taste, texture, and other attributes make them a standout?

JC: The Lemon Crème Protein Wafer Crisps are a deliciously crispy crunch of light wafers sandwiching creamy lemon-flavored filling, all covered in a delicately sweet vanilla-flavored coating that offers a great source of protein. One thing I've learned through both our consumer research and working with people who are trying to improve their diets is how much they crave variety, in both taste and texture. This product really delivers for that consumer who is just looking for something different than a traditional protein bar.

JS: Can you tell us anything about what Atkins has in the works—whatever you’d like to tell us about the new products, company expansion, new production facilities, etc. would be great.

JC: You’ll have to stay tuned for what Atkins has coming down the pipeline. But consumers can continue to expect products that provide consumers with great-tasting products designed for anyone following a high-protein and low-sugar approach. We continue to stay at the forefront of ingredient science and are going to keep looking to use beneficial ingredients like high quality protein, prebiotic fibers, and some of the newer sugar alternatives like allulose.