Specialty Food Magazine

would otherwise end up in landfills, given their appearance. "People don't always connect that food waste can be turned into a delicious, new CPG product," Harper says. Bold flavors are also adding to the appeal of specialty chips, pretzels, and snacks, which serve as an ideal base for such innovations, according to Balanko. "This is a place where snacks really shine since for years, consumers have been more interested in these flavors in snacking formats because the investment is lower psychologically and financially," she says. Millennials, in particular, are game for such exploration, and, of all generations, are most likely to purchase five or more snack types, according to Mintel. "Snacks act as a source of enjoyment and excitement for these consumers among their daily routines, and at a time where pandemic fatigue, cooking fatigue, and likely flavor fatigue have set in, new and different flavor options can continue to provide the small positive snack experiences consumers enjoy," according to its Trending Flavors and Ingredients in Snacks report. Given its close proximity to the College of Charleston and the city's King Street shopping district, Caviar & Bananas in Charleston, South Carolina, serves mainly college students and tourists, says Joe Caradonna, CEO of the specialty market and cafe. "We rotate quite a bit of product here; anything weird and wild I can find, I bring in," he says. "We can get away with offering products that have a higher price point because our shoppers don't shy away from pricey things." Yolélé Foods Fonio Chips 24 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM CATEGORY SPOTLIGHT Products Recently Introduced to Market Brewer's Crackers Baked Pita Chips. When making beer, brewers seep high-quality grains, like barley, in water. They strain the mixture and keep the liquid, while tossing the "spent" grains. Brewer's Crackers uses these upcycled grains as an ingredient in its pita chips, combining them with wheat flour. Described as having the crunch of a classic pita chip but with added nutrition and flavor, these pita chips offer a good source of whole grains and come in Sea Salt and Rosemary varieties. brewerscrackers.com Dream Pretzels Plant-Based Protein Pressels. Baked and pressed protein pretzel crisps, called pressels, are made with a blend of red lentil, white bean, and pea protein. These thin pretzels contain 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving. The snack is Non-GMO Project Verified, vegan-friendly, and free of trans fat, MSG, preservatives, and artificial ingredients and is available in Sea Salt, Everything, and BBQ flavors. pressels.com Hippie Snacks Almond Crisps. These almond crisps are plant-based and made from real almonds, minimally processed, non-GMO and gluten-free. They come in Sea Salt, Rosemary, and Cheezy Chive varieties. hippiesnacks.com Late July Vegetable Tortilla Chips. Available in Beat the Heat! Red Pepper and Dangle the Carrot are Late July's Vegetable Tortilla Chips. Beat the Heat Red Pepper Vegetable are made with chia seeds and are seasoned with chipotle for a hint of spice. Dangle the Carrot are made with teff seeds and seasoned with cumin and paprika. They are Non-GMO Project Verified. latejuly.com Mikso Vegetable Chips. These vegetable chips are hand cooked with olive oil and Mediterranean sea salt. All ingredients are natural and from Spain and local ingredients are used when possible. Vegetable Chips are made with orange sweet potato, purple sweet potato, parsnip, stripe beetroot, and white sweet potato. They are free of artificial colors and flavors. miksochips.com OMG! Pretzels Pretzel Nuggets. Three new flavors were recently added to this gourmet sourdough nugget line. Lemon Pepper, Salty Butterscotch, and Sweet Chili join original flavors Garlic, Sweet & Salty, Chesapeake Spice, Cheddar Jalapeño, and Sweet & Spicy. They complement beer or wine and are a nice addition to cheese plates. omgpretzels.com Pipcorn Heirloom Crunchies. Baked, not fried, these crunchy, twisty, and cheesy treats have 20 percent less fat than leading category favorites, and are available in Cheddar, Cheddar Jalapeño, and Parmesan Truffle. All crunchies are made with sustainable heirloom corn and organic cheese, and are Non-GMO Project Verified. pipsnacks.com Port City Pretzels Tangy Mustard 'N Honey. Port City Pretzels' hard twist pretzels are made from a family recipe and seasoned with the brand's spicy gourmet mustard and sweet honey. Port City Pretzels are also available in Tasty Ranch Dill, Cinnamon Sugar, and Feisty Hot as well as Sampler and Party Pack varieties. portcitypretzels.com Suzie's Sprouted Rice Lentil Crisps. These lentil crisps, with sprouted brown rice and quinoa, are gluten-free, vegan, and contain 20 calories per crisp. Sprouted rice is high in fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B-1, vitamin B-6, and magnesium. Lentils are full of fiber, protein, and iron, as well as B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and potassium. Quinoa is a filling superfood that is gluten-free, high in protein, fiber, and various vitamins and antioxidants. goodgroceries.com Yolélé Foods Fonio Chips. This African food company and purveyor of the ancient grain fonio, recently introduced its first snack product: fonio chips. Made from fonio and cassava, they come in four flavors inspired by the ingredients and tastes of West Africa. They are Sea Salt, Yassa, Afro-Funk, and Greens! Yolélé's founders have partnered with organizations on the ground in the Sahel region to establish a sustainable growth model for the tiny, ancient grain that has been cultivated in West Africa for more than 5,000 years. yolele.com

• Cover