Retailers, manufacturers reimagine midday meal for schoolkids

When they return to classes this fall, many kids will be taking “Wild Kratts” with them.

The popular animated PBS Kids show, which follows the adventures of real-life brothers Chris and Martin Kratt as they encounter a range of wild animals, is the inspiration for a line of products exclusively available at Whole Foods Market during the back-to-school (BTS) season.

“Our back-to-school shoppers are definitely looking for convenience and products that will help them get back into a routine,” says Brianna Blanton, senior brand manager for private label products at Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods, which at press time was being acquired by ecommerce giant Amazon. “They’re also at Whole Foods Market because they want cleaner ingredients and more organic choices. Snack sizes and items that fit easily in a lunchbox are big with shoppers because they make packing lunches or grabbing a snack on the go easier.”

Blanton noted that the food retailer was also “providing more organic options and products that are higher in fiber and higher in whole grain content.”

Among the lunchbox-ready products in the line are 8-pack juice boxes; white cheddar gluten-free puffed-corn Scuba Snacks, and whole grain Creature Crackers.

Lunchtime noshing is also a high priority for General Mills, which has some new items coming out in response to this ever-more-popular eating pattern, as well as to the big question on parents’ minds when packing foods for their kids to take to school, according to Kelley Walhof, who handles marketing communications for the Minneapolis-based manufacturer: “What can I add to the lunchbox that is fast and easy, and also something my kids will actually like?”

General Mills provides several new options. “In the salty snacks aisle, we are seeing a growing trend in multipack offerings – it’s growing at 24 percent,” observes Walhof. “This year, we’ll be introducing a new Gardetto’s Multipack with 10 on-the-go bags inside. We previously introduced this same concept for Chex Mix, and it has seen great momentum. Another new offering we are excited about for back-to-school lunchboxes is a Classic Mix Variety Pack that includes 18 grab-and-go pouches from Chex Mix, Gardetto’s, Bugles and Muddy Buddies.” On the sweeter side, the company has rolled out “new flavors of our Larabar Bites product, which come in a resealable bag, making it a good option for lunchboxes or after-school snacking,” she notes.

On the subject of future product innovation, Walhof says, “We’ll continue to grow our natural and organic offerings, as we know families are looking for more clean and simple snack options.”

As for promotions, General Mills continues to rely on its long-running Box Tops for Education initiative, which, Walhof asserts, “our consumers and retail partners love to get behind. … Through this program, families can earn cash for their schools when they clip the box tops on packages. This year, we’ll be adding an IRC on packages with a bonus box top across most of our snack brands, including Chex Mix, Fruit Snacks, Nature Valley and more. We’ll also be promoting our Mott’s Medley’s Fruit Snacks in-store and doing a back-to-school FSI supporting the Fruit Snacks portfolio.”

Free-from Foods

Along with better-for-you and natural/organic products, a growing focus in BTS is free-from fare.

“Many school settings now specify to parents what can and cannot be brought into school cafeterias due to food allergies,” points out Jill Motew, founder of Highland Park, Ill.-based Zemas Madhouse Foods. “As kids head back to school, it's important for all families to be aware of allergy issues and to understand the rules at their specific school. To ensure parents feel safe and kids are protected, Zemas products are Top 8 Allergen-Free, Non-GMO Project Verified, GFCO and Vegan-certified, kosher and made without refined sugar.”

This September, the company will launch its line of snack-pack/single-serve cookies. “To gain trial, we will be featuring them at discounted pricing,” notes Motew. “The display will be a floor shipper for the box cookies, which will include a 60-count assorted unit with 15 units of each flavor: Double Chocolate, Sweet Potato Spice, Oatmeal Cranberry and Chocolate Chip.”

Going forward, she predicts, “Product displays will be important, and smaller companies that produce better-for-you snacks and treats will need to work closely with grocery stores to get product featured in a display that will attract attention to this growing class of items.”

Mary Schulman, founder of and VP of strategy for Boulder, Colo.-based based Snikiddy, whose all-natural veggie-based snacks are non-GMO and gluten- and wheat-free, agrees that displays can make the difference for free-from BTS items. “Our display activity in retailers is generally the key driver in making sure that our products are the first ones in the carts when parents shop for back to school,” says Schulman. “We’re also planning an FSI for back to school.” Snikiddy has relaunched its Cheese Puffs, which are now USDA Certified Organic, and revamped its Baked Fries to include 70 percent organic ingredients.

“Building on our strength in innovation, we are … launching a new platform that we call Ready When You Are,” notes Michael J. Mendes, CEO of Just Desserts, a San Francisco-based maker of coffee cake bites, brownie bites and other bite flavors in 8-count packaging, as well as a variety of individually packaged cupcakes. “The line includes seven SKUs of organic and vegan cupcakes and mini cake bites. These desserts and sweet snacks provide families the convenience of smaller-portioned organic, non-GMO or vegan alternatives that can be stored frozen in order to maintain their freshness, which make them ideal for the busy back-to-school season.”

In response to findings from McLean, Va.-based Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) that food allergies appear to be on the rise, with one in 13 U.S. children affected, the company became a nut-free bakery in June.

According to Mendes, Just Desserts’ product innovations, which he describes as “perfectly suited for the back-to-school season,” include a new Sprouted grain bite featuring hard red wheat, purple corn, sorghum, quinoa, and amaranth, as well as seeds such as sunflower, pumpkin and sesame to add texture and nutrition. The company also uses fruit and honey to help sweeten the Sprouted product, significantly reducing the use of added sugar.

Totally Nuts

For kids who can have nuts, San Diego-based NuttZo, a maker of organic nut butters also containing nutritious seeds and dark chocolate, provides a convenient shelf-stable item.

“Our handy NuttZo 2Go packets are perfect for back to school,” asserts founder and CEO Danielle Dietz-LiVolsi. “We work with our awesome retailers to not only promote these in the nut butter sets, but to also give us space near the bananas and apples for special back-to-school ideas. Kids love to squeeze the 2Gos on bananas, apples, yogurt, oatmeal, crackers, carrots and rice cakes.” The company is interested in “compatible brands/foods merchandised together to help the consumer make a quick choice, such as NuttZo 2Gos with the apples or oatmeal cups,” she adds.

Further, echoing Whole Foods’ Blanton, Dietz-LiVolsi sees single-serve items as a trend that’s here to stay, since “everyone wants the convenience of grabbing one serving size and running out the door.”