Dive Brief:
- Hershey is taking another step forward into the snack and healthy products businesses with the upcoming regional launch of itsSoFit brand, which includes fruit and protein squeezes, snack squares, and nut and seed packets. Consumers can already find SoFit products on Amazon.
- SoFit joins Hershey's other efforts in these arenas, including therecentlydebutedBrookside fruit-and-nut bar line as part of the Brookside chocolate brand, and Krave jerky, which Hersheyboughtlast year.
- Hershey plans to allow SoFit to start small with its regional rollout and operate as a standalone entity, Business Insider reported.
Dive Insight:
"With the company planning to acquire and develop more in-house snack brands, Hershey's venture into the healthy-snack market has just begun," according to Business Insider.
Hershey isn't the only company joining in on the expansion of healthy product lines. Mondelez is alsocommitted通用电气nerating half of revenue from snacks perceived as healthier, as compared to one-third of revenue right now, and is dedicating70% of new product development efforts to healthier productsover the next five years.
Many major manufacturers, fromGeneral MillsandKelloggtoCampbellandNestle, are focused onclean labelsand removing artificial ingredients. Hershey made its own similarannouncementin February andintroducedHershey's Kisses and milk chocolate bars without artificial flavors in time for the 2015 holiday season.
These moves don't mean Hershey is moving away from confections altogether, as consumers still regard candy as an indulgence, even when they're focused on healthier foods. Mars Chocolate North America president Tracey Masseytold Fortunein July, "We’re a treat. We’re not a food. We’re not a meal. We’re a treat and consumers like to treat themselves."
