We had a record number of entries for this year's FOOD FOR KIDS Trailblazers Challenge, spanning everything from chickpea butter and lentil-based meat crumbles to bubbly probiotic water and veggie-infused ketchup. Here are some of the innovations that caught our eye.
This year's winners - who will present their wares to industry veterans Mark Rampolla, Brad Barnhorn, and Jon Sebastiani on November 11 as the centerpiece of our FOOD FOR KIDS virtual series - are Mission MightyMe (peanut puffs for early allergen introduction); CHUM Fruit Bites (clean-label fruit snacks); and Good Feeding/Go Well (DTC babyfood underpinned by proprietary technology that preserves colors, flavors, textures and nutrition).
The brainchild of San Diego-based Kaylee McLaughlin, Kaylee's Culture is a bubbly water for kids infused with natural flavors and probiotics, with no sugar.
The brand - which has just launched - will be doing a market test in the Los Angeles area in the coming weeks.
So Cool organic flavored water drinks for children have zero sugar and are packaged in paperboard cartons with paper straws - a category first. The brand has focused on direct to consumer sales in 2020 and has an aggressive plan for a nationwide US and international launch in January 2021.
Developed by Hippeas founder Livio Bisterzo and run by former General Mills exec Christian Quie, Mavericks is a new “authentically kid-first” lifestyle brand aimed at children aged 4-11. The first products – which debuted in Whole Foods in April 2020 - are whole grain cookies and crackers with less sugar that meet the USDA’s ‘smart snacks’ requirements.
Developed by That's It, Crunchables are crunchy snacks featuring only one ingredient, organic apple, with no added sugar and no artificial colors or flavors in a category founder Lior Lewensztain claims is dominated by "gummy snacks and fruit roll ups comprising purees, concentrates, juices and laden with sugar and artificial colors/flavors."
If you combine roasted chickpeas and sunflower seeds with olive oil and a dash of coconut sugar and sea salt, the net result (‘chickpea butter’) is remarkably similar to peanut butter, minus the nuts, says Field Trip Snacks: "For kids that want to bring peanut butter & jelly sandwiches to school but they can’t, they now have an alternative."
"Initial trial has come through online customers and the response has been overwhelmingly positive," says Field Trip co-founder Tom Donigan.
Speaking to FoodNavigator-USA at the Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy Food Show, Levey said chickpea butter was a logical adjacency for Field Trip (best known for its jerky), which is appealing to shoppers looking for portable protein via simple, nutritious foods.
“It’s not a hummus, and it’s not sticky in any way, it tastes just like a peanut butter."
Favalicious whole roasted fava bean snacks from Nuttee Bean Co contain 14g plant protein and 16g fiber per bag with no added sugars, no trans fats, no preservatives, low sodium, says managing partner Frank Guido.
"We are debuting our first single serve size in a simple lightly salted flavor, developed for picky eaters in a size that fits in a lunchbox or backpack, and covers a good amount of the daily nutritional needs.
"We lightly roast the best favas in expeller pressed high oleic sunflower oil and add natural flavors. All in a dedicated fava bean only facility."
Growth Spurt toddler formula is made with full cream goat milk, lactoferrin, 2'-FL HMO (human milk oligasaccharide), prebiotics, probiotics, DHA and ARA with 20+ vitamins and other nutrients, says founder Kacey Witte. “Unlike cow’s milk, goat’s milk rarely causes intolerance. One of the greatest benefits of goat milk formula lies in its similarity to breast milk in its digestibility and nutritional profile.”
Inland Empire Foods collaborated with Deepa Deshmukh RD to develop Ground Pro, patent-pending shelf stable seasoned lentil crumbles that can be credited as meat or meat alternates in the National School Lunch Program.
To taste test and pilot the product, says Deshmukh, “We launched in November 2019 and in March we had 12 schools ordering the product to be used on menus in winter and spring. Though the onset of COVID has temporary disrupted the momentum, the foodservice directors are planning to use the products once schools go back to the onsite dinning practices.
“We are also working with a large international food service company who is planning to use the product not only in schools but also in hospitals and universities.”
Developed by Sue Kakuk, two-times Pillsbury Bake Off finalist, Kakookies plant-based are certified gluten-free, vegan, dairy free, egg free, and soy free, and made with whole grain oats.
Soft-baked, chickpea-fueled gluten-free brownies and bites from Rule Breaker Snacks are “wholesome, nut-free for school, beloved by kids and worry-free for moms,” says founder Nancy Kalish. “Our primary target is the allergy-concerned consumer, especially moms.
“Then there’s the mom looking for less sugar and clean ingredients that she can feel good about giving her family—and that her kids will love.”
lil’gourmets fresh organic meals for kids feature 70-95% veggies and beans, coconut milk and olive oil, and a variety of spice blends, reflecting research that shows a high correlation between first foods and future eating habits, says founder Shibani Baluja.
“lil’gourmets strives to cultivate lil’ones’ curiosity by exposing them to unique tastes, textures, and cuisines from an early age to help them fall in love with vegetables and diverse, culturally-rich foods for life. We enjoy a best-in-class repeat rate of 50% at lilgourmets.com, and recently launched in select Meijer & Target stores.”
Littlemore Organics puffs, which will be featured in a DTC snack delivery box for kids later this year, are made from whole grain sorghum instead of corn or rice with no added sugar or salt, says founder Joana Fraser, a pediatrician and clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School, who says there’s clear white space in the kids’ food category: “There are too many pouches, most snacks are based on corn or rice, everything tastes like fruit and there is too much sugar and/or salt. My kid learns to like a cartoon character (on packaging) rather than a food.
“Despite being pre-launch Littlemore has orders from several Boston area coffee shops and natural and organic grocery chains, and a high interest from local parent groups and organizations who want to provide Littlemore snacks to their members.”
Meal2Grow from Sneakz Organic is a whole food organic plant-based nutrition powder for children with a full serving of vegetables, 10g of plant protein, probiotics, and 20 essential vitamins and minerals including Lutein, Vitamin K2, and Omega 3s.
Founded in 2015 by tech executives, Steve Minisini and Jennifer Chow, the Nurture Life DTC kids meal subscription service provides freshly prepared, ready-to-enjoy meals for all kids from babies to toddlers to teens.
Due to launch in 2021, Sandbox Snack Co.'s first product will be a 'bake at home' protein bar for kids with fruits and veggies, a "great way to get kids involved in the kitchen," says founder Adam Hoette. "Creating these bars at home is easy: simply combine one package of our dry mix with a couple of simple ingredients, pop in the oven, and voila!"
SOS Pediatric Hydration – an oral electrolyte solution for kids (used to manage fluid loss due to diarrhea and vomiting) - is the latest innovation from SOS Hydration. Co-founder James Mayo explains: “My wife and I have two young kids and one got norovirus when she was 18 months. We used the normal SOS on her and it was a game changer in recovery but the taste for kids and the formula needed to be improved and so did the packaging. This was the impetus to make a kids version [with less sugar, kid-friendly flavors, and new packaging].
“Imagine a better for you product that tastes great, is proven to rehydrate faster than current options and is at a price point that is competitive.”
Kinderlyte an oral electrolyte solution for kids from Kinderfarms launched in 2019, “is setting a new industry standard by offering products that are more effective than conventional options without containing artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors,” says founder Jeremy Adams.
“Kinderlyte products have gone from being available in 1,300 locations to 18,000 locations during 2020. Consumers vote with their dollar, and they voted for Kinderlyte in 2020, driving 25x revenue growth.
“When Kinderlyte entered the Oral Electrolyte Solution (OES) category at one of its first major retailers, it was 100% incremental to existing products. By finally providing an option for those looking for an effective natural alternative, Kinderlyte brought new people in and grew total OES category sales by 28% in its first 12 weeks, thus benefiting consumers and retailers alike.”
A multi-award-winning chilled baby food business based in Ireland with plans to expand into other markets including the US in 2021, Pipin Pear products are found in the dairy aisle. Each contains up to 2 of a child’s five a day fruit & veg portions, with no added salt, sugar or additives.
Impressed by the innovation in this gallery? Register here to watch the three winning trailblazers - Mission MightyMe, CHUM Fruit Bites, and Good Feeding (Go Well) - chew the fat with industry veterans Jon Sebastiani, Brad Barnhorn and Mark Rampolla in the third installment of our FOOD FOR KIDS series on November 11.
