Leftovers: Hostess brings the heat with lava cakes | Beyond Meat reformulates crumbles

Hostess Brands is turning up the heat in snacking

The Twinkies maker is introducing its newest snacking innovation, Hostess Meltamors, a soft, fluffy mini-cake with a chocolate-flavored drizzle and a chocolatey- or caramel-flavored melting center that flows like “lava” when warmed in the microwave. 

“Inspired by warm restaurant desserts, Meltamors can be enjoyed immediately or transformed into a whole new level of chocolatey-flavored goodness by warming Meltamors in the microwave for just five seconds,” Chris Balach, vice president of marketing for Sweet Baked Snacks at J.M. Smucker Co., said in a statement. “Meltamors is a transformational snacking experience that brings carefree joy to everyday moments.”

The offering, the company’s largest innovation in more than a year, comes four months after Hostess was purchased by Smucker last year for $5.6 billion. 

Hostess, which traces its roots back to 1919, has targeted the fastest-growing snacking occasions — morning sweets, lunchbox, afternoon reward, immediate consumption and afternoon sharing — that it values at more than $65 billion. 

Hostess Meltamors will be available at grocery and mass retailers in boxes containing eight individually wrapped mini cakes. Single-serve packages, containing two Meltamors, also will be sold at convenience stores nationwide. 

In debuting Hostess Meltamors, the snack maker is building on the growing trend of CPG brands bringing a restaurant-style experience into the home. 

Just recently, Subway partnered with T. Marzetti Company to bring four of its sauces to grocery store shelves. And last April, Conagra Brands partnered with Wendy’s to bring the restaurant chain’s popular chili to the dinner table in a canned offering.

— Christopher Doering

Beyond Meat crumbles into more product renovations

The pioneer in plant-based meat is continuing its march toward innovating in the space with the launch of a new generation of Beyond Crumbles. The new product launched in the freezer aisle of grocery stores nationwide on Thursday. 

The crumbles are now certified by both the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Program as well as the American Diabetes Association’s Better Choices for Life program, the company said in a press release. The company said the product are juicy, bite-sized crumbles that go from frozen to finished in just a few minutes for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and come in three flavors: Original, Feisty, and a new flavor of Sausage Crumble Italian Style, which will be available this summer. 

The product line comes after Beyond recently revealed its fourth generation recipe — which boasts ingredients like avocado oil instead of canola and red lentil and faba beans — in an effort to attract more health conscious consumers. The crumbles contain 12 grams of protein per serving with less than 1 gram of saturated fat and no cholesterol — nutritional attributes that make it a heart-healthy food.

“We continue to innovate across our product lines to deliver delicious taste and health benefits alike. For consumers who love the taste and versatility of beef, but want to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol in their diet,” said CEO Ethan Brown in a statement. 

The new Beyond IV products, which will launch at grocery stores across the U.S. this spring and throughout the summer are the culmination of a multi-year research effort, including work with nutrition experts to meet the standards of health organizations.

When it comes to the recipe development process, “getting the taste right took longer than the health aspect,” said Shira Zackai during Food Dive’s exclusive visit to the headquarters last month. 

“When we came up with this, it wasn’t us in a conference room together, our CEO was talking with health organizations to figure out the direction of the new products,” she said. 

— Elizabeth Flood

 

Yasso hopes new fruity flavors will pop off shelves

Spring has sprung, and with warmer temperatures on the horizon, a better-for-you desserts maker is hoping its latest offerings will provide a refreshing treat.

Frozen yogurt maker Yasso has debuted three new popsicles made with real fruit: Strawberry Chocolate Crunch — with a coat of milk chocolate and quinoa crisps, with 140 calories per bar — along with Strawberries & Cream and Creamy Mango bars, both of which contain 80 calories in each bar. Each popsicle also contains 4 grams of protein.

“We’re excited to continue challenging industry norms by providing better-for-you snacking options in the freezer aisle with our new real fruit platform,” said Yasso cofounders Amanda Klane and Drew Harrington, in the press release. “Yasso’s first ever items were fruit flavors, so it’s exciting to return to our roots in a way, with superior product that meets the needs of today’s consumer.

Yasso is benefiting from heightened demand for dessert offerings with a more nutritious profile as they seek healthier ways to indulge. The brand, founded in 2011, was acquired by Unilever last year for an undisclosed amount, joining the CPG giant’s household name ice cream brands like Ben & Jerry’s and Breyers.

— Chris Casey