Plum Organics introduces new Baby Bowls to spoon-feed babies

20 Oct 2017 --- Plum Organics, the organic baby food brand credited with the introduction of the spouted pouch, has launched Baby Bowls: culinary-inspired baby food blends in a spoon-friendly dish.

“Not only are Baby Bowls an entirely new format for Plum – there’s also nothing else like them in the jar segment,” Ben Mand, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Innovation at Plum Organics, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. “At Plum, we’ve always been innovators – we were the first brand to introduce the spouted pouch in 2009, which completely revolutionized the category.”

“With Baby Bowls, we’re bringing the culinary recipes and intuitive design we’re known for to the spoon-feeding occasion with thoughtful features like a resealable, stackable container that fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, on-pack freshness marker and spoon rest,” Mand adds. “We have also introduced new flavor combinations not previously found in the jar segment, featuring ingredients like turmeric, avocado, cauliflower, quinoa and beet.”

“Making the transition to solid foods is a major milestone for parents and babies. Babies eat with all of their senses, which makes spoon-feeding a great way to start introducing the vibrant hues, textures and complex flavors that are so important for nurturing palate development,” says Dr. Alan Greene, pediatric advisor and member of Plum's Wellness Advisory Panel.

“Baby Bowls celebrate interactivity between parent and child with a thoughtful design that showcases the beautiful colors of Plum's recipes,” Greene adds.

Plum Organics notes that each bowl features:

• Apple, spinach and avocado.

• Banana, raspberry and barley.

• Beet, apple, strawberry and chia.

• Mango & quinoa

• Pumpkin, banana, papaya and cardamom.

• Apple, blackberry and oat.

• Mango, carrot and turmeric.

• Pear and prune.

• Pear, cauliflower, cherry and raisin.

• Pear, sweet potato and red bell pepper.

Plum Organics notes that it is best known for its award-winning design and product innovation. It is credited with shaking up the previously dormant baby food category in 2009 by introducing the flexible pouch format that now makes up 28 percent of all baby food sold in the US market.

“While our baby food pouches are widely popular, we know many new parents are still starting baby food with jars, giving us an opportunity to innovate the stagnant jar segment,” says Mand. “With transparent packaging to showcase our colorful recipes and flavor combinations previously unseen in the format, Baby Bowls offers parents a premium, modern jar option.”

“It's crucial for us to meet parents where they are by providing a range of delicious organic options for different feeding occasions. As a brand by parents for parents, our goal is to have families' needs covered, whether they're at home or on the go,” Mand continues.

Baby Bowls are available in ten unique flavor combinations:

• Apple, spinach and avocado.

• Banana, raspberry and barley.

• Beet, apple, strawberry and chia.

• Mango & quinoa

• Pumpkin, banana, papaya and cardamom.

• Apple, blackberry and oat.

• Mango, carrot and turmeric.

• Pear and prune.

• Pear, cauliflower, cherry and raisin.

• Pear, sweet potato and red bell pepper.

Plum Organics says that Baby Bowls can be purchased at national retailers in the US including Amazon, Target, buybuy BABY, Wegmans, HEB and Kroger, and will continue to roll out at additional retailers in the coming months at a suggested retail price of US$1.29 per bowl.

Looking to the future, Mand says: “We continue to see a transformation in the retail environment, resulting in a shift to more digital shopping and delivery. Parents are busy. They want options that can be delivered to their door and fit their busy lifestyles.”

“While I can’t share specifics, our goal is to make sure we’re creating products that are actually useful for parents – that solve problems, make life easier, and deliver on our mission to nourish little ones,” Mand adds of plans for future products. “Even if a product is interesting and cool, we don’t want to create it if it doesn’t meet the needs of parents in their day-to-day lives.”

By Paul Creasy