The past 12 months certainly threw a significant number of challenges at snack and bakery producers. However, people in the field faced these obstacles with innovation and perseverance and have made it through another tough year. Along the way, Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery helped keep these resilient professionals informed by sharing the latest trends, technologies, and new products with them.
Here are the top 15 most-viewed items published on the SF&WB website in 2022.
1. Netflix's 'Snack Vs. Chef' winner and runner-up launches snack company
Coming out on top in the streaming service’s Snack vs. Chef reality cooking competition provided Lauryn Bodden and Sandy Dee Hall the start they needed to get their S’noods snack brand off the ground. The crunchy snack noodles focus on international flavors and sustainability.
2. The Top 50 Snack & Bakery Companies of 2021
Professionals in every industry typically are keenly interested in who the big players are, in addition to the up-and-comers. The snack and bakery field is no exception, which is why Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery’s annual rundown is a popular article each year.
3. Limited-edition Dolly Parton Baking Collection, from Duncan Hines
Who doesn’t love Dolly Parton, America’s longtime country sweetheart? The prolific singer-songwriter has added baking mix purveyor to her list of accomplishments, enabling home bakers to whip up some of Parton’s favorite sweet treats in their own kitchens.
4. Revolutionary Hero Bread expands nationally in Subway restaurants
The consumer’s low-carb craving continues, and the nationwide sandwich chain this year fueled the hunger by bringing Hero Bread’s specialty bread products into its locations. Each 6-inch serving size has 0g sugar, 1g net carb, 100 calories, and 12g protein.
5. Jack in the Box relaunches Spicy Chicken Strips, French Toast Sticks
Restaurant chains frequently bring back menu items for an encore performance. In this case, Jack in the Box resurrected these two treats for a limited time, enlisting the help of noted actor Mark Hamill (a former Jack in the Box employee) to spread the news.
6. Little Debbie Zebra Mini Donuts
The McKee Foods brand’s Zebra Cakes (yellow cakes decorated with white icing and chocolate icing stripes) have been a popular sweet snack for years. The company recently launched tiny doughnuts that evoke the longtime favorite, decorated in a similar striped motif.
7. Magic Spoon limited-edition Cereal Bars
Following the success of its low-carb versions of nostalgic cereals, the brand introduced bar versions of its breakfast foods. Each bar contains 10g of protein, 1g of sugar, 4g of net carbs, and are free of gluten and grains.
8. Dunkin' releases Cookie Butter Donut, Pancake Wake-Up Wrap for holidays
The hustle and bustle of holiday preparation and parties makes grab-and-go baked goods appealing to many consumers. This year’s holiday menu at Dunkin’ featured a number of new and returning goods, including these two edible items.
9. Lay's Original Flamin' Hot chips rereleased due to fans' wishes
Sometimes a snack item resonates with consumers to the point where they just can’t let it go. With these high-heat potato chips, the public clamored so loudly for a return performance that the brand owner obliged and brought them back to shelves.
10. Lay's introduces Layers chips
While most chips are relatively flat in form, these new snack products are more three-dimensional. The shapely snacks were launched in two varieties: Three Cheese, a blend of cheddar, parmesan, and gouda; and Sour Cream & Onion, which mixes the two popular snack flavors.
11. Goldfish introduces 'Tiny Hands' campaign with NBA stars
The snack brand enlisted the help of NBA giants Boban Marjanović (currently the tallest active player at 7’4”) and Tobias Harris to tout the upsized version of its crackers. The promo spots feature the two athletes enjoying the snacks and goofing around with tiny little toy hands.
12. State of the Industry 2022: Bakery faces formidable challenges
The past couple of years have not been an easy ride for anyone; bakery industry professionals are not alone in that. This article talks about the obstacles faced, the road ahead, and how companies managed to weather the storm despite the challenges.
13. 2022's biggest food and beverage flavor trends, from flavor expert T. Hasegawa USA
When developing new snack and bakery products, it helps to know what flavors consumers are likely going to be hungering for in the coming months. Each year, the supplier releases a report detailing consumer tastes and predicting how consumer preferences might shift.
14. Tim Hortons releases Maple Waffle Breakfast Sandwich
Many consumers enjoy a combination of sweet and savory flavors in their breakfast foods. This year, Tim Hortons delivered an item landing squarely in that intersection, with this item combining the consumer’s choice of bacon or sausage, and a sweet maple waffle.
15. Lay’s Golden Grounds NFL-inspired chips
Sports fans love snacking during games almost as much as they love their favorite teams. These limited-edition chips enable fans to celebrate their respective teams by munching on chips made from potatoes grown in soil culled from the ground near pro stadiums.
