Simple salt just won’t cut it in the competition for consumers’ popcorn-craving palettes. Unique ingredients and flavor profiles are helping popcorn manufacturers go for their personal best in the great snacking games.
Low in calories, high in fiber—popcorn may just be the perfect natural snack. Of course, that doesn’t stop manufacturers from trying to up the ante by enhancing all the whole grain has to offer. Now, popcorn can be found competing with chips, pretzels and even candy in the snacking Olympics.
Pretzels have been around for more than a thousand years, originating in southern Europe around 610 A.D., according to historians. Today, crispy,
hard pretzels are consumed by people in many of the countries represented at the 2012 Olympics.
Crackers and crisps are benefitting from new production techniques, better-for-you ingredients, cleaner labels and innovative flavors as manufacturers deal with consumers having less discretionary income.
Crunch and flavor have always been gold and silver medalists in the cracker and crisp game, but because consumers are looking for more healthful snacks, there have been interesting developments with these products.
Tortilla chip manufacturers are using innovative shapes, zesty flavors and healthy ingredients to turn consumers’ everyday snacking occasions into mini fiestas.
Harris Interactive recently released the results of its 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend study, which analyzed the responses of more than 38,500 consumers on key measures of brand health for more than 1,500 lifestyle, product and service brands. When questioned about the brands they are likely to reach for when craving a salty snack, respondents chose Lay’s Potato Chips—the top-ranked salty snack for the past eight years—followed by two other Frito-Lay North America brands, Doritos and Tostitos.
Blue Diamond Almonds’ ingredients business is transitioning its name from Industrial Products to Blue Diamond Almonds Global Ingredients Division. It’s the largest division within Blue Diamond Growers, which is expecting revenues this year to approach $1 billion.
Applications are due July 31 for America's Best Raisin Bread Contest (ABRBC). Professional bakers are encouraged to register for the 5th Annual America’s Best Raisin Bread Contest, hosted by the California Raisin Marketing Board.
C.H. Guenther & Son, San Antonio, buys Pizza Blends, maker of frozen and dry-mix pizza crusts and other custom flour blended products. Pizza Blends has four manufacturing plants located across the United States.