General Mills has unveiled a host of new products rolling out this month as the Minneapolis-based food company aims to tap into ‘a range of modern snacking trends’.
The line-up includes new versions of Yoplait yogurt made with a higher protein content as well as whole milk; additions to its Nature Valley, Fiber One and Lärabar brands of snack bars; plus new moves in handheld and pots of ice cream.
Yogurt brand Yoplait will also mark the return of its custard yogurt after a ten-year absence from retail shelves as part of its new year launches.
All of the products are designed to capitalise on increasing demand and changing consumer habits in the snacking category, with General Mills saying that wholesome snacks is the fastest-growing sub-category with growth outperforming that of the whole food and beverage market.
General Mills chairman and chief executive officer Ken Powell said: “Snacking presents a tremendous growth opportunity for General Mills. Our products are in 97% of US consumer households and about one-third of our global sales are international. This gives us a great ability to listen and deliver what consumers want. And while preferences are changing faster than ever, what hasn’t changed is the desire for food that tastes great, is convenient, and affordable. Our scale allows us to easily transfer great ideas into great products around the world.”
Of the 22 new products announced by the company, over a quarter are destined exclusively for markets beyond the US – including China, Europe and Canada.
The company will launch new flavours of its Häagen-Dazs taste, developed specifically for Chinese palates, with flavour combinations like rose, raspberry and lychee.
And while ‘protein-rich’ and ‘natural flavour’ claims continue to be popular, the biggest shift in consumer habits was in the area of weight management.
General Mills vice president of global consumer insights Jeanine Bassett said: “Controlling weight used to be about counting calories, now it’s about calories that count. Today it’s more about satiety, which is why you see increased interest in protein.”
The company has launched new yogurts and snack bars – both fortified with protein – to address demand.
And according to Bassett, the provenance of ingredients and the opportunity for indulgent snacks to carve themselves a niche amid healthier products are still at the centre of General Mills’ new product development.
“Products like Liberté yogurt are providing transparency around the ingredients they use,” she continued. “For example, they aren’t just using vanilla beans, but vanilla beans from Indonesia.
“Oftentimes consumers talk about eating healthy as a presentation of their best selves and their aspirations, but in reality, they simply want something that tastes good.”
General Mills’ new products in full:
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