VENDING INGREDIENTS Debbie King, director of commercial sales and marketing at Eat Real says: “The fast-


growing interest in health and wellbeing means that healthier eating is no longer a ‘nice to have’ option. Many of today’s consumers have health very firmly at the top of their agendas – they’re choosing to snack healthily at home and want to be able to enjoy the same options when they’re at work or out and about.” “Being free from all 14 declarable allergens, the snacks are totally safe to dispense with no risk of cross-allergy contamination if they’re then eaten in the workplace or in public spaces, – that’s good news for consumers and operators,” adds King. Three of Eat Real’s flavours in retail – Tomato & Basil Hummus Chips, Chilli & Lemon


Lentil Chips and Sour Cream & Chive Quinoa Chips – are now available in 22g-25g 120 calorie vending packs.


In terms of variety the sky’s the limit! Consumers looking for veggie crisps will be able to find flavours including sweet potato, carrot, beetroot, kale, sugar snap peas, edamame beans and that’s just to name a few.


• Just last month, Walkers expanded its oven baked sub-brand of healthier crisps with a vegetable-based range. Oven Baked with Veg comprises two variants – Beetroot & Sweet Chilli and Sweet Potato & Paprika – which claim to “pack a spicy punch”. They make a promise to contain 40 per cent less fat than regular vegetable crisps without compromising on taste, according to brand manager Helen Strachan.


FREEZE-DRIED PLEASES THE PALATE


Freeze drying of ingredients for vending is proving to be a successful way to meet the demands of sophisticated customers while also addressing a booming interest in healthier options. The demand for healthier products means


new proven technologies are having to be implemented in order to meet consumer expectations. This is leaving the market open to smaller, more unique food businesses to disrupt the norm with healthier, cost- effective products.


• Kettle Foods’ new Kettle & More range includes Kettle Chips with Apple Slices and Norfolk Pork Sausage seasoning; Kettle Chips with Sweet Potato Slices and Smoked Chipotle & Crème Fraiche seasoning and also Kettle Chips with Beetroot Slices and Goat’s Cheese & Caramelised Onion seasoning.


• Although described as neither a crisp nor a biscuit, Innate is hoping to revitalise snacking by offering a nutritious snack for vending in the form of its Innate Squares which combine varied vegetable ingredients, coconut and almond to produce air- dried savoury snacks.


Whilst the squares weren’t intended to be ‘free from’, by default, through the use of


natural healthy ingredients, they are gluten, dairy, grain, soy and refined sugar free, as well as paleo and vegan friendly, extending their appeal yet further. Look out for varieties of beetroot, butternut squash and spinach & coconut. Snack manufacturers are dangling a proverbial carrot to operators who see the benefits in offering healthy snacking options using a variety of ingredients. Invading the space traditionally monopolised by the potato and offering healthy benefits and flavours to tempt the modern palate – the veggie crisp is here to stay.


One such company is Mr Lees Pure Foods which offers a healthy, gourmet, gluten-free cup noodle that is simply vended with the addition of hot water. DEO Damien Lee says: “We’ve taken a food notoriously poor in health and innovated to instead create a product certified low in sugar, low in fat and low in calories, with two vegan options, whilst keeping taste and intensity of flavour at a level people love. “Our secret, if you like, is our use of freeze- dried ingredients. We use real, whole pieces of meat and vegetables, preserved through freeze-drying. This process locks in both the taste and the nutritional value of the ingredient, allowing a fresh, restaurant- calibre noodle experience, straight from the convenience of one of our advanced, modern vending machines.” “After growing substantially over the past couple of years, we have reformulated our recipes by further balancing their seasoning levels, introducing generous chunks of 100% chicken breast into two flavours alongside freeze-dried veggies and proteins. “Taste doesn’t have to come at the sacrifice


of healthfulness in food, and we are trying to prove that the convenience food sector. Our noodles are tasty and guilt-free using only the finest of ingredients.”


vendinginternational-online.com |


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