Plant power: Nestlé launches protein snack bars with nuts and peas

27 Jul 2020 --- Nestlé is launching a new range of its YES! snack bars, with each bar containing 10 g of plant protein from a natural combination of nuts and peas. Recent Nestlé research has revealed that most consumers buying protein bars are looking for natural protein sources with no additives. The bars will be available from September in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, Nestlé Pure Life Purified Water has launched a fruity water beverage for children, highlighting the importance of water-based versus sugar-sweetened beverage options for kids.

Like other YES! bars, the protein bars are made of wholesome ingredients, are high in fiber, use no artificial colors or preservatives, are gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians, says Nestlé.

“We know that people live healthy, active lifestyles and are looking for the right fuel that is good for them and the environment. YES! plant protein bars use the power of nature to deliver a great wholesome product on the go and are wrapped in paper packaging that is easy to recycle and avoids plastic waste,” explains Alexander von Maillot, Global Head of Confectionery at Nestlé.

Pea power
According to Louise Barrett, Head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Centre in York, UK, pea protein is a crucial focus area because it has a high protein content and is one of the most environmentally friendly sources of plant protein. “When developing the latest YES! bars, we chose pea and nut protein to stand out from many other bars on the market. At the same time, we made sure that taste was our top priority,” adds Barrett.

The new YES! protein bar is tapping into an emerging trend towards pea protein.Unlike most other protein bars, the new YES! protein bar is tapping into an emerging trend toward pea protein. This opens a new choice to those consumers looking for more innovative plant protein alternatives. And the new bars achieve this without any compromise between “healthy” and “tasty.”

Innova Market Insights pegs the “The Plant-Based Revolution” as the second most significant trend expected to influence NPD this year, fueled by growing consumer awareness of the impact of meat consumption on personal and planetary health.

New launches with vegan claims have seen a substantial rise and are barreling toward the mainstream. Innova Market Insights notes a 23 percent annual growth of food and beverage launches tracked with vegan claims (Global, 2015 to 2019). Moreover, vegan food is becoming more significant, with more than one in four global consumers saying vegan alternative food launches are most sustainable (Innova Market Insights Survey Global, 2019).

The new bars from Nestlé come in two flavors: Almond, Peanut and Double Dark Chocolate, and Cashew, Blueberry and Dark Chocolate. Nuts are the number one ingredient of the bars, and they are drizzled with real dark chocolate made with sustainable cocoa certified by the Rainforest Alliance.

As with the existing YES! range, the bars are packaged in recyclable paper. The paper is from sustainable sources, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification.

Fruity water for children
Nestlé Pure Life Purified Water is aiming to make water more fun for parents and their kids with the introduction of Nestlé Pure Life Fruity Water, a flavored water collection. Fruity Water is 100 percent pure quality water with a touch of natural fruit flavors and electrolytes. Fruity Water has zero sugar, sweeteners, preservatives or artificial colors. 

Fruity Water is packaged in the first Tetra Pak carton with a paper straw in the US and sold in packs of eight, 24, and 32. The packaging is vibrantly colored and features sassy fruit characters. The product comes in three flavor varieties; Apple, Watermelon and Tropical Twist.Fruity Water is packaged in the first Tetra Pak carton with a paper straw in the US and sold in packs of eight, 24, and 32. The product comes in three flavor varieties; Apple, Watermelon and Tropical Twist.

“Teaching kids to love drinking water can be a challenge. Many children gravitate toward high calorie, sugar-sweetened beverages,” says Yumi Clevenger-Lee, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer of Nestlé Waters North America. “Parents want their kids to be healthy, but they also want them to be happy, which is why we're excited to introduce a new flavored water designed specifically for kids.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teaching children  not only to consume less sugar but also to drink more water is critical to fighting obesity, which affects about 13.7 million US children and adolescents aged two to 19. Fruity Water makes water the ideal choice for every on-the-go occasion, from the classroom to field trips, backyard cookouts and family road trips.

“We are always listening to consumers and developing products to meet their needs for health and convenience,” adds Clevenger-Lee. “One specific need parents shared with us was for a healthy drink that would fit in kids’ lunchboxes, which is why we are launching Nestlé Pure Life Fruity Water in a Tetra Pak.”

The beverage will be rolled out in the US and e-commerce sites such as Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and retail stores such as Walmart and various supermarkets. 

Edited by Elizabeth Green