Baking & Snack - June 2015 - 14

Turning perception into reality

Editorial

EDITORIAL STAFF
Editorial Director
Dan Malovany
dmalovany@sosland.com
Executive Editor
Laurie Gorton
lgorton@sosland.com
Editor/Managing Editor
Joanie Spencer
jspencer@sosland.com
Senior Editor

Instead of highlighting their products' low-sodium, reduced-fat or even gluten-free attributes, many baking and snack companies are leveraging the healthy halo of ingredients
they use and downplaying claims.
Certainly, front-of-packaging labeling and declaring a product as trans-fat-free are still
effective. Additionally, companies such as Mondelez International are taking information
from the Nutrition Facts Panel - such as the number of calories and the amount of sodium, saturated fat and sugars per serving - and putting it right on the front.
That's one of the ways to differentiate a line of crackers as a healthier alternative in the
ever-growing snack market.
However, a much more subtle and better approach may be to "shout out" the wholesome goodness of what's in a product. Inventure Foods is leading the way with Boulder
Canyon brand chips. Yes, potato chips, and Inventure is leveraging the oil it uses to create
a product image that is indulgent, fun, clean and simple.
The company's Boulder Canyon, Canyon Cut Avocado Oil potato chips have just three
ingredients - avocado oil, potatoes and sea salt. Most recently, the Phoenix-based company rolled out potato chips fried in coconut oil.
When introduced at a regional natural foods retailer this spring, the first delivery of those
chips disappeared off the shelves almost immediately. A pleasantly surprised Steve Sklar,
senior vice-president, general manager, snack division, said Inventure Foods is ramping up
production and quickly developing new flavors to extend the line. Time is of the essence, he
said. "It has simply gotten a great response," Mr. Sklar observed. "Coconut is everywhere. It
fits into our strategy to innovate and then extend the line to the next level."
Why coconut? Like avocado and canola, its perception - and perception is the key word
- is that of a more wholesome oil because of its antioxidants and other "natural" attributes.
As Tom Vierhile, innovations insights director for Datamonitor Consumer, recently
noted, "Avocado is supposedly one of those vegetables or fruits that's high in healthy fats.
As far as if it's real, who knows? But it sounds good. Coconut is also being perceived as a
healthier alternative not only for cooking but also as a skin-care ingredient. There is a real
halo around coconut."
Recently, a burgeoning number of companies have reformulated their snacks and
baked goods in response to consumer trends and as a part of broader cleaner
label initiatives. That's often no easy task, as contributing editor Theresa
Cogswell observes in her column on Page 99.
However, as Laurie Gorton, our magazine's executive editor,
often reminds me, "Clean label is not a consumer term. It's an
industry term. Consumers don't know what 'clean label' is," although millennials are becoming familiar with it. Check out
our cover story on Page 25 for more information.
In the end, perception - even if it's only a halo - can be
just as important as reality when it comes to buying your
products ... or not.
- Dan Malovany, editorial director
dmalovany@sosland.com

14 Baking & Snack June 2015 / www.bakingandsnack.com

Charlotte Atchley
catchley@sosland.com

Assistant Editor

Ryan Atkinson
ratkinson@sosland.com
Contributing Editors:
Donna Berry
donnaberry@dairy-food.com
Theresa Cogswell
bakercogs@sbcglobal.net
Jim Kline
jkline@theensolgroup.com
Joe Stout
joe.stout@cf-san.com
DESIGN STAFF
Design Services Manager Sadowna Conarroe
Designer
Brian Peterman
Manager of Advertising Design Becky White
Classified Ad Layout
Nick Martens
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Melanie Hepperly
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Marj Potts
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Director of Online
Advertising & Promotions Carrie Fluegge
Promotions Manager
Lon Davis
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Baking & Snack - June 2015

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