Company: ZEST Brands

Website: www.zestbrands.com

Introduced: June 2016

Distribution: Regional

Suggested Retail Price: Varies; $4.99 to $7.00 per slice, $19.99 to $21.99 (Whole Foods) per 14 oz cake

Product Snapshot: A slice of ZEST Vanilla Hazelnut Coffee Cake is 2.9 ounces (whole cakes are 14 oz). Imagine a rich, moist, textural almond flour cake flavored with fragrant vanilla and hazelnuts — madly reminiscent of an Italian Frangelico torte.  Joining ZEST’s Chocolate Coconut and Lemon Almond Cakes, this pastry features organic vanilla and buttery hazelnuts baked with 80 percent California Almonds.

As are all ZEST’s gourmet baked goods, the Vanilla Hazelnut Coffee Cake is Paleo Perfect and therefore Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Corn Free, Soy Free, Grain Free and, most importantly, Guilt Free — with only 6 grams of naturally occurring fructose per 2.5 ounce slice. 

Non-GMO ingredients (only 10) include almonds, organic agave, virgin unrefined organic coconut oil, cage-free eggs, hazelnuts, organic vanilla extract, organic hazelnut extract, organic coconut, baking soda and sea salt.

Without any preservatives added, ZEST cakes enjoy a 16-week (4 months) Best By dating profile and are baked to order each week and shipped ambient to Whole Foods markets and Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage stores in over 25 states.

Rich, buttery, and sweet by nature, ZEST almond cakes are very high in protein (with 8 to 10 grams per 2.5oz slice) and also high in fiber, low in carbs, nutrient dense, antioxidant rich, with heart-healthy fats from the almonds and coconut.

The cake retails for $4.99 per slice, and $19.99 per 14 oz. cake (Natural Grocers pricing). At Whole Foods Markets in the Rocky Mountain region, the (whole) cake sells for $21.99. The Northern California region, which includes over 50 stores, will be selling ZEST Cakes for $28.00, with slices offered at $7.00.