By Lauren Highfill Williams
According to Mintel data, new peanut product introductions increased five percent from Q4 2017 to Q3 2018. Sixty percent of new peanut product introductions are classified as snacks, and the snack category continues to maintain growth and innovation for peanuts with a 28% increase.
Top growing package claims for new peanut product introductions over this period included ease of use, microwaveable, time/speed and functional-cardiovascular. These claims align with consumer demands for food that's convenient and supports health.
Notable snack introductions:
Jif Power Ups Creamy Clusters from J.M. Smucker. Available in peanut butter, apple cinnamon and strawberry flavors, these bites feature peanuts as the first ingredient and contain 6-8 grams of protein per serving.
Nature Valley Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bites from General Mills. Packaged in a 5.3oz. resealable bag, these bites are a delicious combination of creamy peanut butter, chocolate coating and a sprinkle of whole grain oats..
Plum Organics Mighty Nut Butter Bar. Positioned as a toddler snack, the peanut butter-filled bar is made with whole grains and contains 5g whole grains and 70mg omega-3 ALA from chia.
Snack bars with simple and short lists of ingredients are trending in the new product category. For example, Jonesbar PB&J Bar contains strawberries, peanuts, dates, sea salt and chia seeds. The only ingredients in the new Peanut Butter Chocolate flavor of Epic Performance Bar are dates, peanuts, egg whites, chocolate, peanut oil and sea salt. The ultimate in simplicity, RXBar’s new RXBbar Kid PB&J Protein Bar has two egg whites, eight peanuts and one date.
Biggest Growth is in Sauces & Seasonings and Cereals
While snacks are the largest category for peanut product introductions, categories with the biggest growth over the past year were sauces & seasonings (400%) and breakfast cereals (133%).
In sauces & seasonings, Williams-Sonoma brand introduced Thai Peanut Ginger BBQ Grilling Sauce. Inspired by traditional Thai recipes, the savory-sweet sauce combines roasted peanuts, tangy lemon and a dash of sugar with fragrant ginger and spices.
In the breakfast cereals category, Quaker Oats added Peanut Butter & Honey and Peanut Butter & Banana flavors to their instant oatmeal lineup. Promoted as a delicious breakfast for the family, Quaker also highlights heart health, good source of fiber and 100% whole grains. Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in saturated fat and cholesterol may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Looking to the future, new innovations from Jif, Skippy and Smithfield are expected to continue snack category growth for peanut product introductions.