NEW SKUs

Toddler Foods Up Kid-Appeal
Getting fussy babies and toddlers to eat their veggies, whole grain snacks, and meals may be a little bit easier thanks to Beech-Nut Nutrition Corp., Amsterdam, N.Y. The baby food marketer has partnered with Disney Consumer Products, Glendale, Calif., to launch a line of co-branded toddler foods featuring Disney’s Winnie the Pooh characters. The new line is made with natural ingredients and contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. It is fortified with vitamins and minerals and contains fiber, whole grains, fruit, yogurt, vegetables, and protein. The line features meals, side dishes, snacks, and juices including Steamies meals with a home-style taste and texture that cook via a unique steam-cooking process, Goodies Banana Bites and Goodies Mixed Fruit Nibbles, and Juicies 100% juice beverages.

In addition, Beech-Nut has teamed up with General Mills, Minneapolis, Minn., to introduce a line of baby foods with the Green Giants brand. Items in the line include Homestyle Sweet Peas, Homestyle Sweet Potatoes, and Homestyle Carrots & Barley.

Yogurt Doubles Calcium Content
General Mills, Minneapolis, Minn., is making it easier for women to get their daily recommended amounts of calcium with the launch of its reformulated Yoplait Original Yogurt, which now has two times the calcium of the leading yogurt and 50% of the Daily Value in every cup (500 mg). The product, which comes in 25 varieties, also contains 50% of the Daily Value of vitamin D. It carries a suggested retail price of $0.79 per 6-oz cup.

“Your bones can begin to change as early as your 30s, and over time you can begin to experience bone loss. That’s why it’s so important to get enough calcium in your diet, as it helps to maintain strong bones,” said Katherine Brooking, M.S., R.D., registered dietitian. “Along with calcium, vitamin D is also important to women’s health as it helps the body absorb calcium. Yoplait is the only leading yogurt with calcium and vitamin D in every single serving.” 

Drinkable Fruit Snacks
Tropicana Products, Inc., Chicago, Ill., has introduced Tropicana Tropolis—a line of drinkable fruit snacks for kids in a 3.17-oz flexible pouch. The products contain real squeezable fruit, are a good source of fiber (10% DV), deliver 80 calories per serving, and offer 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. They do not contain added sugars, artificial sweeteners,high fructose corn syrup, or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Varieties in the line include CherryWorld, GrapeWorld, and AppleWorld. During product development, Tropicana tapped kids to identify the best flavors and taste profiles. The package is designed to fit in lunchboxes and can be squeezed by small hands. A tear-off top enables on-the-go consumption. The products are available in the United States in select Target and Kroger stores, and they carry a suggested retail price of $2.49–$3.49 per four pack.