Healthy indulgences: Q&amp;A with Miss Jones Baking Co. on its new 50 percent less sugar baking mixes

Healthy indulgences: Q&A with Miss Jones Baking Co. on its new 50 percent less sugar baking mixes

Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery was recently able to talk to Sarah Jones, founder of Miss Jones Baking Co., about Miss Jones' new 50 percent less sugar baking mixes and proprietary SmartSugar blend.

Liz Parker: Do the finished Miss Jones products taste the same as their sugar-sweetened counterparts?

Sarah Jones: Yes, that's what makes these products so unique. Everyday Delicious mixes taste and bake exactly like their full sugar counterparts but contain 50 percent less sugar. They are powered by SmartSugar, our proprietary blend of sugar, chicory root, tapioca, and monkfruit that naturally reduced sugar by half without any sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners, or weird aftertaste.

LP: Do the products brown the same as regular products?

SJ: Yes, our team worked hard to make sure our products brown the same as regular products. We found that by using sweeteners such as erythritol, allulose, aspartame, or sucralose does not create a Maillard reaction. Instead, our Everyday Delicious line uses real sugar blended with other natural ingredients to ensure the products brown while baking.

LP: What is in the sweetener blend?

SJ: The sweetener blend we use in our Everyday Delicious line is another one of our innovations called SmartSugar. It’s a proprietary blend of sugar, chicory root, tapioca and monkfruit. Unlike other sweeteners and sugar substitutes on the market today, SmartSugar does not use any sugar alcohols such as erythritol and allulose, and also doesn't contain any artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose. It's truly the holy grail when it comes to reducing sugar—you get substantial sugar reduction without any change to taste or performance, and without the use of any sweeteners.

LP: How are consumers reacting to the products?

SJ: We’ve been getting amazing feedback from consumers who absolutely love the Everyday Delicious mixes because they truly are the very first mixes to substantially reduce sugar without any impact on taste. Everyone wants to indulge but are worried about sugar intake. Everyday Delicious mixes make it easier to treat yourself, your friends, and your loved ones more frequently without all of the guilt.

Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.

This webinar will examine variables factoring into nutritionally improved candy sales, including ingredients, label claims, and alternative sugars.Better-for-you options remain top of mind for consumers who are searching for indulgences, but in a healthier format.