Styling and Photography by Laurie Mosco

Clean is the word that’s on everyone’s lips.  And it isn’t reserved for merely clean environments. They’re looking for clean labels too!  In this case “clean” refers to a product’s ingredients. Here, simpler is better with 66% of consumers saying they’re looking for labels with the shortest ingredients list  and 64% saying they try to eat foods with clean ingredients (Institute of Food Technologists).

Even during their search for clean and natural, consumers are not ready to give up the comforting snacks they love.  That means your business has the potential to really clean up by including traditional snacks with clean ingredients in your selection.

No need to start researching clean and all natural brands.  We’ll share some of our favorites with you!

Unreal

Childhood chocolate favorites made with less sugar and simple ingredients, Unreal Chocolate has cracked the snacking code.  Classics like Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, or Almond Cups, Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars, and Dark Chocolate Peanut Nougat Bars just taste amazing when they’re made with Fair Trade Chocolate and Non-GMO ingredients.

According to a survey by the International Food Information Council, 22% of consumers said clean means “not artificial or synthetic”.  So adding Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems and Dark Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Gems with crisp candy shells (colored only by veggies) to your selection will give customers a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow of good feelings.  

Vegan Rob’s

While many customers like to indulge with chocolate, there are those who find their snacking bliss on the saltier side.  A significant portion of the “natural” and “clean” craze is plant-based, with sales up 12.8% to $6.4 billion in the 52 weeks ending August 8, 2021, according to FoodNavigator-USA.com. So, Vegan Rob’s plant-based remixes of the salty snacks they love to have on repeat will be a real chart buster. Dairy Free Cheddar Puffs offer all that crunch and rich, cheesy flavor of the original in a Vegan, plant-based, Non-GMO version.  Chips become even more poppable when they’re made from cauliflower like Vegan Rob’s Cauliflower Crisps.  Add a little smoky spice to plant-based chips like Vegan Rob’s Dragon Crisps and things really start to heat up.

Justin’s

Another way customers are enjoying the plant-based craze is with plant-based proteins like those found in nut butters. When it comes to nut butter, there’s “nutting butter” than Justin’s, known for delectable nut butters made with premium ingredients. Customers’ cups will runneth over with excitement when these rich, creamy, sweet and salty nut butters are paired with premium Rain Forest Certified Dark Chocolate like in Justin’s Almond Butter Cups and Cashew Butter Cups.  For those customers who like their chocolate on the creamier side, Justin’s has Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups and even White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups too.

Badda Bean Badda Boom

Simple and clean also means recognizing the food you’re snacking on.  That’s where Bada Bean Bada Boom broad bean snacks are a clear choice.  Whole Broad Beans (a.k.a. fava beans) roasted with just a touch of sunflower oil pack protein and that craveable crunch customers want in a snack, all in a recognizable bean package.  Bada Bean Bada Boom satisfies customers’ savory side with such classic snack flavors as Mesquite BBQ, Sweet Sriracha and Sea Salt, and bonus, they can satisfy their sweet tooth as well with Sweet Cinnamon.

Project 7

Sugar free, or low sugar snacks have become increasingly popular requests from consumers when looking for confectionery snacks.  In fact, a 2021 survey by natural flavor manufacturer, FONA reported that 50% of consumers wanted to reduce their sugar intake, up  8% from 2019 (Candy Industry). The survey continues to explain that even with low sugar claims, flavor trumps all when it comes to  consumers’ snacking selections. Good thing Project 7’s line of low sugar gummies are the best of both worlds.  The classic gummies like Sour Apple Rings, Sour Fruit Gummies, and Sour Gummy Worms are always a customer hit, offering the soft chew and tangy sweet flavors they love at 3g of sugar per serving, 6g net carbs, and 60 calories per serving.

Often paired with clean ingredients is customers’ hunt for brands that help better communities and the environment. This is what makes Project 7’s low sugar products just a little sweeter.  The company also gives back to 7 areas of need including helping the environment, battling hunger, and clean water.

Element Snacks

Even with all the newer better-for-you snacks on the market, you can’t go wrong with a classic like rice cakes.  Element Snacks takes the crispy snack one step further, offering rice cakes made with all-natural US grown rice, dipped in tempting sweet toppings. For the more traditional snacker there’s Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, and White Chocolate Strawberry rice cakes.  For those customers who want a little twist, offer them White Chocolate Orange.  Not only are Element Snacks natural, they’re organic and certified gluten free – two other popular claims in the clean eating space.

Matt’s Munchies

When it comes to offering better-for-you snacks, it’s one time where thinking inside the box is ok.  Inside the lunchbox that is! Consumers want fruit snacks with better-for-you ingredients too.  An up-and-coming brand we really love is Matt’s Munchies.  They bring sophistication to the traditional fruit snack, made with premium ingredients like real fruit, Matt’s Munchies are low in calories, and offer up to a serving of fruit per package, and they are gluten free.

What makes Matt’s Munchies truly special is that they “fruit” bowl customers over in flavor. Flavors range from childhood classics like Apple-licious, Banana, and Grape, to the more exotic like Mango Acai, Tropical Punch, and Mango Ginger. No matter customers preferences, there is a Matt’s Munchies to make everyone a happy snacker.

Clean up with our better-for-you snacks full of clean ingredients