Sweets & Snacks Expo Names Most Innovative Products

By Robin Mather

Nearly 270 products vied for most innovative product at the Sweets & Snack Expo, held in May at McCormick Place, Chicago. Winners were judged on four criteria, including taste, packaging, innovation andmarket feasibility, Expo organizers said.

Hostess Brands’ Bakery Petites won the show’s “best in show” award. Judges said the brand’s new Double Chocolate Bakery Petites “offer permissible indulgence in bite-sized cakes, and a first-ever resealable pouch in the category.” Bakery Petites have a suggested retail of $3.69 for the 7.9-ounce pouch.

ParmCrisps won the Gourmet/Premium award for its Trios shelf-stable blend of dried fruit, nuts and Parm Crisps. Each package offers 13 grams of protein and has a suggested retail price of $3.99 for a 1.8-ounce package.

Ferrero USA Inc. took the Gum and Mints category with its new Tic Tac Gum. A hard shell coating gives way to a tropical fruit mix-flavored gum. Suggested retail price is $1.39 for a 56-piece 0.95-ounce pack.

Ferrero USA Inc. also won in the Seasonal category for its Ferrero Rocher Golden Heart, a milk chocolate and hazelnut shell with two Ferrero Rocher chocolates inside. The heart is packaged in classic gold foil. Suggested retail is $6.79 for 4.4 ounces.

Hershey’s new Hershey’s Gold Standard Bar, with inclusions of peanuts and pretzels for extra crunch, won the Chocolate category. Its suggested retail price is 99 cents for a 1.4-ounce bar.

Nerds won the Non-Chocolate category with its new Big Chewy Nerds, featuring a crunchy shell surrounding a chewy center, and some fun, goofy package graphics. The candy is made with no artificial flavors. Suggested retail is $1.99 for a six-ounce package.

In the Savory Snacks category, Alli & Rose’s Trail Mix Crackers took top honors. Each cracker includes seeds, nuts and fruit, and the crackers are baked, not fried. The individually wrapped crackers have only 60 calories. The crackers are sold in a 2.5-ounce resealable pouch, with a suggested retail price of $4.99.

Sahale Snacks won in the Salty Snacks category for its Tangerine Vanilla Cashew-Macadamia Glazed mix. The company said the flavors were inspired by an orange-vanilla Popsicle. Suggested retail is $4.29 for a 4-ounce package.

Justin’s Organic White Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter Cups won the Sweet Snacks category. The bite-sized confection offers consumers another option in the sweet snack category. Suggested retail is $5.99 for a 4.07-ounce package.

In the Novelty/Licensed category, Impact Confections, Inc. won with its Warheads Dippin’ Ring. Kids and adults can create their own sour experience with extreme sour products, fruit flavors and a colorful package. Suggested retail is $1.49 for a 0.88-ounce package.