Packaged Foods Rivals Unveil 2017 Product Plans

Jan. 10 was a busy day for packaged food rivals The Kellogg Co. and General Mills as both unveiled their product portfolio plans for the new year. New products, new varieties and new takes on old favorites featured heavily in both companies’ portfolios, as did an emphasis on snacking.

General Mills‘ upcoming product rollouts span several of the company’s brands and include Annie’s organic popcorn, Yoplait Custard, Nature Valley Granola Cups. The full line includes:

• Very Berry Cheerios – All the wholesome goodness of gluten free Cheerios, plus the delicious taste of real fruit – strawberry, raspberry and blueberry – in every bite. No colors from artificial sources. No artificial flavors. No high fructose corn syrup.
• Yoplait Custard – Back by popular demand, Yoplait Custard makes its return after a 10-year hiatus. The silky smooth custard-style yogurt is made from whole milk and available in six flavors including Vanilla, Strawberry, Blueberry, Banana, Lemon, and Caramel. No colors or flavors from artificial sources. No high fructose corn syrup. Made with dairy free of rBGH/rBST growth hormones.
• Nature Valley Granola Cups – For people demanding more from their snacks, Nature Valley Granola Cups combine flavors like Peanut Butter Chocolate and Almond Butter with harder-working, wholesome ingredients like oats. No colors from artificial sources. No artificial flavors. No artificial sweeteners.
• Nature Valley XL Bars – Supersized for maximum hunger, these Sweet & Salty XL bars from Nature Valley come in Pretzel, Peanut & Chocolate; Peanut; Chocolate Nut & Seed varieties. Made with satisfying ingredients like almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pretzels and chocolate chunks.
• Fiber One Layered Chewy Bars – Fiber can taste good with these sweet layer bars from Fiber One. Each bar combines layers of crisped grains, drizzled caramel, crunchy almond toppings and chocolate. Available in Double Chocolate Almond and Salted Caramel & Dark Chocolate flavors. Free from artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners. Each bar delivers 28 percent of your daily value of fiber at 7 grams per one bar serving.
• Annie’s Popcorn – A scrumptious snack that’s best enjoyed by the handful, new Annie’s Popcorn is available in Organic Butter & Sea Salt and Organic White Cheddar varieties. Free from artificial flavors, synthetic colors and preservatives. Naturally gluten free.
• Häagen-Dazs “Fruit and flowers” ice cream (China only) – A brand new line of “fruit and flowers” flavors – such as Rose, Raspberry & Lychee, and Elderflower & Blackcurrant – deliver an aromatic experience as beautiful as the packaging.
• LÄRABAR Fruit and Greens bar – Each bar has 1/4 cup of kale or spinach plus delicious fruits and nuts. Available in Strawberry Spinach Cashew; Pineapple Kale Cashew and Mango Spinach Cashew varieties.
• Liberté Yogurt new flavors – Earlier this year, Liberté transitioned all of its yogurts to USDA certified organic. In January, look for new Indonesian Vanilla Bean, and a limited batch flavor of Nicaraguan Coffee Bean made with organic direct trade Intelligentsia coffee.
• Old El Paso Stand ‘N’ Stuff Minis (Europe, Australia) – Known as Mini Taco Boats in the U.S., Old El Paso mini taco shells are making a big splash into Europe. An innovative departure from the traditional tortilla, these easy-to-hold creations are perfect for kids and appetizers.
• Wanchai Ferry Kids (China only) – Launching in time for the Chinese New Year, these dumplings come in colorful wrappers, are a smaller size for kids, and have nutritional ingredients like pork, salmon and shrimp that appeal to moms.
• Yoplait Dippers – Rich creamy non-fat Yoplait Greek yogurt is paired with crunchy snacks made for dipping. Available in six combinations from sweet to savory: Chocolate Raspberry Chunk Yogurt with Chocolate Pretzels, Caramelized Banana Yogurt with Chocolate Pretzels, Vanilla Bean Yogurt with Honey Oat Bites, Toasted Coconut Yogurt with Honey Oat Bites, Chipotle Ranch Yogurt with Tortilla Chips, or Coffee Chocolate Chunk Yogurt with Cinnamon Crisps. No artificial colors/flavors. No high fructose corn syrup.
• Yoplait Whole Milk yogurt (Canada only) – Yogurt the entire family can enjoy with all the goodness of whole milk along with a deliciously thick and creamy texture.

Meanwhile, the Kellogg Co. will launch more than 50 new products in 2017. The products include Special K Nourish granola, Pop-Tarts coffee-inspired toaster pastries, Cheez-it Duoz Bacon & Cheddar crackers and Eggo waffles and breakfast sandwiches made without artificial flavors and colors. The full line up includes:

Morning Foods

• Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Crunch Apple Strawberry cereal is bringing delicious excitement to the cereal bowl by putting a sweet spin on heart-healthy bran.
• Kellogg’s Special K Nourish is putting a new spin on granola as it debuts two new, light and crispy flavors with an abundance of wholesome ingredients. Available in Dark Chocolate Coconut and Very Berry with strawberries, blueberries and cranberries.
• Kellogg’s Cinnamon Frosted Flakes cereal debuts in response to requests from Frosted Flakes fans. To ensure the new cereal meets expectations, more than 100 recipes were considered before Kellogg’s settled on the final sweet combination.
• Pop-Tarts and Dunkin’ Donuts have teamed up to introduce the first indulgent coffee-flavored toaster pastries – New Frosted Chocolate Mocha and Frosted Vanilla Latte.
• Kellogg’s Despicable Me cereal features a delicious brown sugar vanilla flavor with large pieces of marshmallows that represent the Minions and their love of bananas.
• Kellogg’s Disney Princess cereal comes in a collectable series of four sparkling packages, each featuring a different Disney princess. Its delicious strawberry flavor comes in large pieces that make it ideal for on-the-go munching.
• Kellogg’s Disney Moana cerealfeatures swirl-shaped cereal pieces with a delicious mixed berry flavor and island-inspired marshmallow shapes.
• Keebler Cookie cereal includes real miniature chocolate chip cookies mixed with cookie dough flavored pieces.

Snacks

• Pringles LOUD is an all-new line that delivers adventurous, bold flavor with an epic crunch – created from combinations of flavorful, complex seasonings on top of corn or multi-grain & veggie crisps. Varieties include: Super Cheesy Italian, Spicy Queso, Salsa Fiesta, Mighty Margherita, and Fiery Chili Lime.
• Town House Crackers and Hummus provides a delicious, portable, single-serving snack option. It combines Pita or Flatbread crackers and a serving of all-natural humus. No refrigeration needed.
• Special K Nourish Bites are poppable snack bites with premium ingredients including dark chocolate, pistachios, almonds and blueberries. They are free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.
• Special K Protein Bites provide 9 grams of protein per serving and come in two varieties: Peanut Butter Chocolate and Caramel Nut.
• Nutri-Grain Bakery Delights deliver a delicious cake texture, a fresh-baked taste, 8 grams of whole grain and no artificial flavors, preservatives and colors.
• Special K Nourish bars debut two new delicious and satisfying flavors: Caramel Almond Sea Salt and Chocolate Coconut Cashew.
• Cheez-It Duoz crackers bring new variety and intensity to the snack aisle by adding two bold new flavor combinations – cheddar & bacon and jalapeño & cheddar jack.
• Keebler Club Bites sandwich crackers provide the buttery taste of Club crackers and real cheese or peanut butter. They are free from high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors.

Frozen

• There’s delicious news from Eggo. The entire line – including waffles and breakfast sandwiches – is now made with flavors and colors from natural sources.
• MorningStar Farms Veggie Bowls are true veggie cuisine with flavors that include Chik’n Pot Pie, Moroccan Medley, Chik’n Tikka Masala, Italian Veggie Bake, and Japanese Soba Noodles.