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UK snack manufacturer Proper has launched a new flavour in its lentil chip range, House Hot Sauce Lentil Chips, as demand for spicy snacks continues to surge.

The in-house developed hot sauce flavour is designed to deliver 'controlled heat and a tangy finish,' the company said, reflecting a broader trend in the UK CSN (crisps, snacks and nuts) market.

Spicy flavours now account for £528 million in UK sales and are growing 3% year-on-year, outpacing the overall category by more than four times.

Proper’s lentil chips are marketed as a healthier, alternative snack, gluten-free and under 100 kcal per serving. The House Hot Sauce variant ware now available in Tesco stores, and will be followed by wider distribution across retailers including Nisa, Costcutter, Spar and Dhamecha from February.

The new flavour builds on Proper’s track record of flavour-led innovation. The brand’s previous launches, including All the Cheese Lentil Chips and Prawn Cocktail Lentil Chips, generated over £3.2 million in retail sales value, with Prawn Cocktail driving 54% incremental sales in the CSN category.

Proper Chips has grown +21% year-on-year and delivered more than £30 million in retail sales value over the past five years, making it the most successful snack launch in that period.

Sandie Dilger, Proper’s chief marketing officer, said: “Our Chips range keeps going from strength to strength as more people look for non-potato alternatives to traditional crisps. We jumped at the chance to create our very own House Hot Sauce, and then translate that unique flavour kick onto a chip.”

Proper Snacks, which also owns Eat Real, is now ranked among the UK’s top five snack manufacturers. Nielsen data cited by the company show that more than one in five households purchase a Proper product each year, with six packs sold every second. The business has been B Corp certified since 2018.

Proper House Hot Sauce Lentil Chips – Sharing bag (85g) £2.25, Price Marked Pack (50g) £1.25.