Baking & Snack - February 2022 - 49

Producers of savory bars aim to carve out a space in a sweetdominated
category.
Eat Undressed
benefits, " Mr. Sorensen said. " There are a lot of benefits
with seeds as far as the protein amount and antioxidants.
Being allergen-friendly is a huge component to a lot of
people. Even if they don't have a food allergy, they may
be trying to remove ingredients like gluten or milk.
We're gaining a lot of trial and traction there. "
Focusing on digestive health
Ingredients like gluten and milk are known to cause digestive
issues, and bars that emphasize digestive health
are another burgeoning trend in the category.
" When we look at sales, we see pre- and probiotics
having healthy growth, " Ms. Lyons Wyatt said. " Digestive
claims have done quite well also. "
Digestive issues are far more common than people
realize, said Katie Wilson, co-founder of BelliWelli, Los
Angeles, but they often aren't talked about due to embarrassment
or perceived stigma around the topic.
" One in five people have irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS), and 70% of Americans have daily gut issues, " Ms.
Wilson said. " It's time to reclaim this and destigmatize
this. "
Inspired by this belief and her own digestive struggles,
Ms. Wilson launched BelliWelli, a bar made for the millions
of Americans with IBS or gut issues. BelliWelli bars
are made with probiotics, which aid gut health, and are
also low-FODMAP, meaning they're low in short chain
carbohydrates that are difficult to digest.
While many consumers may assume they don't have
IBS or digestive issues, Ms. Wilson said their introduction
to BelliWelli can often be a big " a-ha " moment.
" We've got people who see our brand and say, 'You know,
now that you say that, my stomach is never really great,' "
Ms. Wilson said. " They have this realization that 'Yes, that's
so me. I don't feel amazing every time I eat that.' "
Other bars promoting digestive health include
Waltham, Mass.-based Truth Bar's gut health bar made
with prebiotics and probiotics, as well as FODY Food's
low-FODMAP bars. Ms. Wilson said this trend will only
grow in the coming years.
" Heads are swiveled toward the space; people understand
that this is huge, " she said. " We have a new chief
operating officer, and each day that he spends more time
in the space, he cannot believe how huge it is; he cannot
believe how many people are impacted. "
Savory bars emerge
Snack bars have historically leaned on the sweet side
with flavors like chocolate and peanut butter. These are
the top two flavors for cereal and energy bar launches
BAR PRODUCERS USE
NEW STRATEGIES
TO BOOST ONLINE SALES
The pandemic dramatically impacted shopping behaviors,
with stay-at-home orders and social distancing protocols
pushing some consumers away from traditional brick-andmortar
shopping. As a result, e-commerce has seen significant
growth, and online bar sales are no exception.
" Online has been a growth driver for bars; it's continuing
to be a double-digit growth driver whether you're looking
at dollar sales or unit sales, " said Sally Lyons Wyatt,
executive vice president for client insights, IRI.
The growth in e-commerce has also led bar brands to
employ new strategies to reach consumers.
" The online channel of distribution has impacted how
brands approach new product development with considerations
around ingredients and temperature tolerance, shelf
life, integrity of product throughout the shipping process,
and packaging, " said Bart Child, chief commercial officer,
Nellson, Anaheim, Calif.
Eat Undressed Founder Anne Klassman, whose
Undressed Bars are sold on Amazon and eatundressed.com
in addition to select Whole Foods markets, said bar companies
need to pivot toward the e-commerce space if they
haven't and meet consumers where they are.
" I think consumers will continue to shop for necessities
online in many cases, " Ms. Klassman said. " I think there's
been a shift, and consumers have realized the benefits and
ease of shopping online. "
While online bar sales have risen, bar manufacturers
and retailers need to find the right balance between online
and in-store sales to maximize growth. Specifically, bar
makers need to make sure online sales aren't eating up
in-person sales, or vice versa.
" A lot of what's available online is exactly the same mix
that's offered in store, " Ms. Lyons Wyatt said. " We need to
work as an industry to make sure that potentially you can
serve some different occasions, whether you're shopping
online or in-store so that you get incremental sales, so that
we're driving incremental sales across the category, not
cannibalizing one way of purchasing versus another. "
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