NEW SKUs

Better-for-You Snacking
America is a nation of grazers. To help them snack more sensibly, LesserEvil Brand Snack Co., Tuckahoe, N.Y., has rolled out a line of LesserEvil popcorn snacks. The all-natural line comes in five varieties—Black & White, MaplePecan, Peanut Butter & Choco, SinNamon, and KettleCorn. They are packed in a trapezoid-shaped paperboard carton with an inner, printed foil bag.

All varieties are sweetened with evaporated cane juice. MaplePecan contains added plant sterols and is air popped to keep fat levels low. ADM, Decatur, Ill., supplies the plant sterols.

Plant sterols are naturally present in many fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, and vegetables, but the typical diet provides only about 200–300 mg/day. "Studies have shown that 0.8 grams—the amount found in two servings of Maple Pecan Kettle Corn—consumed per day over a period of as little as four weeks can reduce LDL cholesterol by about 6%," said Felicia Stoler, a New York–based nutritionist and exercise physiologist. Each 3.65-oz package contains about 3.5 servings.

Cooking with Health & Beauty
One growing trend in home décor is having stylish products that decorate while reinforcing the brand image. ACH Food Companies, Memphis, Tenn., has latched onto this movement with its introduction of Mazola Pure cooking spray in a shaped aluminum container. CCL Container, Hermitage, Pa., supplies the package, which looks more at home in the health & beauty aisle than in the cooking oils section of the supermarket.

Many cooking oil sprays contain silicone or alcohol. Mazola Pure contains only oil and lecithin. "We were looking for a design that would reinforce the product message of pure aroma and taste and have a strong visual impact to break through the clutter on the retail shelf," said Kathryn Baker, New Products Brand Manager at ACH. "In a category that has a strong leader plus several competitive brands, we needed something that would capture consumers’ imagination. Many consumers said they would keep Mazola Pure on their countertops simply because it is attractive." Having this product in plain sight also helps to promote usage.

Organic Infant Formula with DHA & ARA
Available at Wal-Mart stores throughout the United States, Parent’s Choice organic infant formula is enriched with the lipids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA). PBM Nutritionals, Georgia, Vt., manufactures the product at the only ISO 9001:2000–certified infant formula facility in the U.S.

Each 100-kcal of the formula contains 17 mg of DHA and 34 mg of ARA. Martek Biosciences, Columbia, Md., supplies the DHA and ARA, which are derived from natural vegetarian sources. "Researchers have long recognized the far-reaching importance of DHA and ARA in infant development," said Barbara Levine, Associate Professor of Nutrition in Clinical Medicine, Cornell University. "These lipids are naturally supplied from mom to baby in breast milk, but in reality not all moms can breast-feed. If parents formula-feed and choose an organic infant formula, it is essential that they use an organic formula enriched with DHA and ARA, lipids that have been clinically shown to aid in babies’ mental and visual development."