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protein products value-added marketing Fresh Pairings Are Cut Above
Companies come to market with new wave of mixes that combine produce, protein and grains. BY CAROL BAREUTHER
Pairing produce and protein turns a simple bite into a satisfying snack or mini-meal salad.That’s because dietary fiber found in fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, combined
with protein found in meat, poultry, nuts and seeds, is a winning combination when it comes to producing a feeling of fullness.
What’s more, protein is on-trend. Consider that meat and poultry are forecast to continue as consumer favorites, with retail sales projected to reach nearly $100 billion by 2021, according to Meat & Poultry: U.S. Retail Market Trends & Opportunities, published by Packaged Facts in May 2017.
Additionally, grains such as high-protein quinoa are growing in demand. Case ship- ments of quinoa by broadline distributors to U.S. foodservice outlets are up 18.5 percent, according to the NPD group’s SupplyTrack data, as reported in January 2018.
“As consumers look at health more holisti- cally, they want convenient food to be delicious, filling and healthy,” says Priscila Stanton, vice president of marketing at Ready Pac Foods
“For fresh, value-added produce, consumers want to have options that include animal and plant-based proteins as well as a variety of fresh vegetables.”
— Priscila Stanton, Ready Pac Foods
in Irwindale, CA. “Functionality from food continues to be important, so consumers look to claims like ‘excellent source of protein’ as
well as how many servings of fruits and vegetables they consume. For fresh, value- added produce, consumers want to have options that include animal and plant- based proteins as well as a variety of fresh vegetables.”
NATURIPE FARMS
Naturipe Snacks
Naples, FL
Health and convenience are two big trend boxes checked off by consumers in this six-item line of fruit and protein snacks. Flavor profiles offered in these 5.5-ounce single-serve snacks range from sweet to savory and spice and are ideal for everything from fueling up after a workout to eating on a road trip. Combinations are: Rich & Savory (strawberries, pistachios and Gouda cheese), Sweet & Crunchy (strawberries, blueberries, cinnamon almonds, white Cheddar
cheese), Smooth & Smokey (strawber- ries, blueberries, Smokey almonds, Monterey Jack cheese), Sweet & Zesty (strawberries, cracked black pepper cashews, aged Swiss cheese), Classic & Sharp (grapes, blueberries, roasted sea salt almonds, sharp Cheddar cheese), and Bold & Spicy (grapes, chili mango cashews and Pepper
Jack cheese).
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