One billion live cultures: Tyson Foods' new snack line harnesses functional power of kombucha, collagen and turmeric

23 Sep 2019 --- Made with real fruits and nuts and infused with ingredients such as kombucha, matcha, collagen and turmeric, US-based Tyson Foods’ new line of refrigerated protein snacks is set to hit the market. The launch, under its new brand Pact, comes as consumer demand for functional foods and better-for-you options is growing, with the trends influencing the snacking sector as well. The expanding functional food market is projected to reach US$100 billion in the US by 2025, according to the company.

The usage of on-trend ingredients in NPD, such as matcha, kombucha, coconut, fennel and turmeric is growing. Innova Market Insights data shows that the digestive health market is undergoing an NPD boom. Fibers and prebiotics have enjoyed CAGR of 14 percent from 2012-2017, while probiotics are also strongly trending with growth of 20 percent over this period. 

“Consumers are looking for delicious, convenient foods to deliver essential protein and other functional benefits,” says Noelle O’Mara, Group President of Prepared Foods for Tyson Foods. 

Pact products offer a high amount of protein and include live probiotic cultures, prebiotic fiber and collagen protein. The snack line does not contain artificial flavors, and while they are refrigerated to maintain freshness and functionality, they can be consumed without refrigeration for up to a week. 

Pact Snack Bites are available in four varieties using an array of ingredient combinations created to deliver both flavor and function:

• Gut Instinct – Cranberry + Kombucha Probiotic Snack Bites – Made with green banana flour, cranberries and kombucha, including one billion live cultures, 3g prebiotics, 9g protein and 4g fiber.
• Gut Ahead – Turmeric + Ginger Prebiotic Snack Bites – Made with green banana flour, ginger and turmeric including one billion live cultures, 3g prebiotics, 8g protein and 4g fiber.
• Glow With It – Cocoa + Coconut Collagen Snack Bites – Made with coconut flakes, cocoa and collagen protein including 750mg omega 3, 950mg grape seed oil, 10g protein and 3g fiber.
• Vibe On – Mint Matcha + Blueberry Energizing Snack Bites – Made with wild blueberries, peppermint oil and matcha including 1000mg omega 3, 55mg magnesium, 9g protein and 3g fiber.

Pact Snack Bites are packed with protein and fiber, a growing trend in the snack space.Healthy snacking trend
Snacking is a part of daily life and always has been. What is changing, however, is the way that people think about snacking and what is considered to be a snack. Snacking is a central focus of innovation across all food and beverage categories, with a 10 percent average annual growth of global launches with a snacking claim over the past five years (CAGR, 2013-2017). Busy lifestyles have increased the demand for quick and convenient, yet healthy, solutions for busy lifestyles. It is creating opportunities for wholesome, satisfying, sustaining and nutritious snacks.

Furthermore, Innova Market Insights research suggests that health-focused Millennials are more likely to snack four times a day than any other generation. Targeting this demographic is now very well established and widely utilized as a marketing tool. 

Mai Nygaard, Marketing Director at FrieslandCampina DMV, explains that healthy, on-the-go snacking is indeed one of the main trends shaping 2019 with a strong move towards more natural products. “This speedy pace of product innovation will further increase as consumers look for the most attractive and convenient products that are fit to fuel their active lifestyle and personal goals,” Nygaard says.

“Healthy snacks and drinks that can be consumed on the go are in demand – and the hottest combination right now is ‘high in protein,’ ‘low in carbs’ and ‘clean-label,’ based on a short list of recognizable natural ingredients,” she adds. 

On-trend ingredients
The uniquely fizzy flavor – and touted gut-health boosting capabilities – of kombucha has proven popular, with an increase in the number of product launches over the past years. According to Innova Market Insights, over 8 percent of global iced tea launches in the 12 months to the end of June 2017 featured kombucha in a rising range of flavors and formats, up from just over 5 percent in the 12 months to the end of June 2016 and less than 1 percent five years previously. Numbers rose nearly 60 percent in the 12 months to the end of June 2017, although still from a relatively small base.

According to Innova Market Insights data, new product launches tracked featuring matcha also saw a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31 percent between 2013 and 2017. Its data notes that rising consumer interest in functional beverages and fermented products has moved out of the specialty sector and into the mainstream. The fermented, lightly effervescent black or green tea drinks contain multiple species of yeast and bacteria along with organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids and polyphenols produced by these microbes. It is positioned as a sustainable, well-being boosting alternative to artificial soft drinks. 

Industry has indeed been innovating with protein-based snack products focusing on gut health.

This month, Harmless Harvest launched a new plant-based protein and coconut drink made with a blend of pea, sunflower and pumpkin proteins and a combination of natural coconut fat and fiber. With the choice between chocolate, vanilla spice and toasted coconut, the organic beverages are designed as on-the-go snacks, bridging the gap between meals. 

Quest Nutrition also introduced Tortilla Style Protein Chips this year, a savory snack featuring at least nine times the protein of conventional chips and approximately 75 percent lower net carbs, according to the company.

Edited by Anni Schleicher