CHICAGO — Cheese is highly craveable. And retailers can use cheese to grab consumer attention with novelty foods or to create indulgent limited-time offers, according to a recent Technomic Flavor Consumer Trend Report.
Convenience-store retailers have many choices when it comes to what cheese snacks to stock—and carrying the snacks has been paying off. Dollar sales of cheese snacks went up 12.4% for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 1, 2019, according to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm. Unit sales went up 4.4% in that same period.
Here are four new cheese snacks that c-store retailers can add to their sets …
Borden Cheese launched its Crisps n’ Cubes in January. Each package contains oven-baked cheese crisps and cheese cubes.
The snack comes in three flavor combinations: Sharp Cheddar Crisps and Colby Jack Cubes; Jalapeno Crisps and Mild Cheddar Cubes; and Cheddar Crisps and White Cheddar Cubes. Each tray has 150 calories, 9 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of carbohydrates.
Borden Cheese and Butter is a licensed brand of Kansas City, Kan.-based Dairy Farmers of America and is a separate entity from Borden Dairy.
Hiland Dairy, Springfield, Mo., has released seven new 5-ounce packages of cottage cheese products. The on-the-go snacks are available in Zesty Fiesta, Garden Veggie, Peach, Strawberry and Pineapple. Each has 12 to 14 grams of protein.
Each package has a suggested retail price of $1.29 to 1.39.
Hiland Dairy also offers two plain cottage cheese options: small curt with 4% fat and 2% low-fat.
Cheetos' new ready-to-eat Cheetos Popcorn is available in Cheddar and Flamin’ Hot.
Seven-ounce Cheddar bags and 6.5-ounce Flamin’ Hot bags have an SRP of $3.99. The snack will also be available in 2-ounce bags for an SRP of $1.89. Cheetos is one of Frito-Lay North America's brands.
Moon Cheese, Ferndale, Wash., has made some changes.
The cheese snack brand has new packaging, new names for existing varieties and two new varieties: Garlickin’ Parmesan and Cheddar Bacon Me Crazy.
Renamed snacks include Cheddar Believe It, Oh My Gouda and Get Pepper Jacked.
The crunchy cheese snacks have more than 10 grams of protein, no sugar and less than 2 grams of carbohydrates per 1-ounce serving. The snacks are shelf-stable and come in resealable bags.
Two-ounce bags have an SRP of $3.99. One-ounce pouches and 10-ounce bags are also available on Amazon and the company's website.
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