Expert Panelist Deborah Cassell of Candy Industry Nominates Products for MMNPL Survey

Several new and delicious candies and snacks were introduced this year. From innovative sweet and salty combinations, to revamped classics, to healthy snacks – the food industry delivered a wealth of tasty temptations. Food and candy expert, Deborah Cassell, executive editor of Candy Industry and Retail Confectioner magazines at BNP Media, gives us her picks on which 2010 treats were the most memorable* (product selections from Deborah, summaries compiled by MMNPL staff).

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Yogi Granola Crisps

Using ingredients to support the mind, body and spirit, Yogi blended its new Granola Crisps with its signature “ancient” grains. Launched in December 2009, these crunchy, bite-sized flakes offer intrigue and the perfect amount of sweetness in three flavors: baked cinnamon raisin, fresh strawberry crunch, and mountain blueberry flax.

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FunkyChunky’s Chip-Zel-Pop

A new addition to the FunkyChunky family in July 2010, Chip-Zel-Pop is a unique blend of sweet and salty that will leave you begging for more. This tantalizing treat features FunkyChunky’s fresh, buttery caramel corn, salty pretzels and crunchy potato chips, drizzled with rich caramel and dark, milk and white chocolates. Yumeliciousness for sure.

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Popcorners by Medora Snacks

In August 2010, all-natural Popcorners changed the shape of popcorn. A delicious snack with the snap of a chip and the wholesome goodness of popcorn, Popcorners are popped with real corn and the finest all natural ingredients. With butter, kettle, sea salt and white cheddar flavors, you can satisfy your cravings and snack smartly.

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Newman’s Own Organics Licorice Twists

Newman’s Own introduced the first licorice twist made from organic products in August 2010. This candy is great for health-conscious consumers, as it is low in fat and sodium and contains no trans-fats or cholesterol. A healthier alternative, Newman’s Own Organics Licorice Twists come in great tasting strawberry, pomegranate, tangerine and original flavors.

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Nestle Butterfinger Snackerz

The newest creation from Butterfinger is the Butterfinger Snackerz. Launched in September 2010, these bite-sized treats have a smooth, Butterfinger flavored center, topped with a peanut butter drizzle. As always, Butterfinger satisfies your taste buds with its crispy, crunchy, buttery flavor.

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*Not all products chosen by the MMNPL expert panelists are guaranteed to be included in the MMNPL survey due to our rigorous criteria for selecting new products.

For more information on Deborah Cassell, please visit our expert panel page.

For more information on the upcoming MMNPL survey, check back regularly and follow us on twitter, @MMNPL.

Kellogg’s Special K® – Setting the (Cereal) Bar Higher

Once upon a time, the cereal category was simple, but over the last decade, food manufacturers have created a host of innovative new entrants to the category – and no brand has done it better than the Kellogg Company with their Special K line. In 2006, BusinessWeek.com writer and marketing pundit, David Kiley, predicted that “Kellogg will run up against what every ambitious consumer marketer eventually faces: a case of brand extension greed.” But four years later, that prediction hasn’t materialized. Kellogg has sustained healthy success, generating nearly $13 billion in 2009 sales, by continuing to introduce low calorie cereal and snack options. Most of the products in the Special K line build on the famous “Special K diet” and provide versatile weight management solutions that are marketed toward a largely female consumer segment. Special K has even crossed aisles to energy/performance foods and frozen meals. But the two most recent launches, Special K Low-Fat Granola Cereal and Special K Fruit Crisps, seek to continue the trend of cereal category dominance.

For the new launch, Special K used a heavy dose of social media outreach. In addition to leveraging a huge Facebook fan base of over 34,000, free samples of the Fruit Crisps were provided to ‘mommy bloggers’ to create awareness, generate buzz, promote product trial and engage consumers. They also posted coupons for Facebook fans to try the new product. In addition, during January, the all important New Year’s Resolution month, Kellogg reached out to thousands of Special K lovers and brand advocates, and positioned the Low-Fat Granola Cereal as a New Year’s resolution tip on their Web site and Facebook page. Complementing the social media strategy, Kellogg issued a press release (New Year, New Food: Kellogg® Introduces Two New Ways to Recharge Your Resolution With Special K®), followed by television commercials.

The Kellogg Company seems to find creative ways to align their brand with the lifestyles and everyday challenges of their target customers. The Victory Project includes a Web site tracking the journey of 12 women in three U.S. cities who shared the common goal of losing weight before one of the biggest moments in their lives, such as 29 year-old Rebecca’s fitness test for her police exam. The Victory Project Web site offers tools, tips, articles, discussions, and video profiles of these women succeeding at implementing a new, healthy lifestyle.

There’s no question that Kellogg has set the cereal bar higher by establishing new products at regular intervals under the Special K weight management brand. Now, they have created a new innovation with the flatter and flakier Fruit Crisps. It will be interesting to track the success of these ‘newbies’ in Kellogg’s arsenal of products: Will the Fruit Crisps cannibalize existing cereal bar sales? Will the low fat granola do likewise? More importantly, how long can Kellogg’s Special K brand continue to grow before competitors steal market share or the category becomes saturated? I guess we’ll just wait and see while we watch our weight with Special K.