Voyage Foods (a food innovation firm combining technology and upcycling in its product offerings) is joining Rudi’s Mountain Bakery to launch nut-free Sandos. The items will debut at Natural Products Expo West, March 13–16 in Anaheim, CA.
Rudi’s Rocky Mountain Bakery, known for organic and gluten-free breads and frozen innovations like Texas Toast and Breakfast Sandwiches, will provide its Signature Country Morning White Bread for the products, which also will use Voyage’s Roasted Seed Spread. The items will be offered nationally at Whole Foods Market beginning in May, and they will come in Grape and Strawberry versions.
“We’re pleased to announce our partnership with Voyage to create Rudi’s nut-free Sandos,” says Justin Gold, founder of Justin’s, and chief innovation and strategy officer at Rudi’s Mountain Bakery. “Voyage’s roasted seed blend is creamy and delicious, pairing perfectly with Rudi’s offering PB&J lovers a delicious, nut-free, and portable alternative that can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime.”
Last year, the portable peanut butter and jelly sandwich market reached almost $900 million in retail sales. A lack of allergen-friendly options within this skyrocketing food category led Rudi’s Mountain Bakery, and Gold, to develop Sandos with Voyage’s help: an on-the-go nut-free sandwich catered to the one in 10 adults and one in 13 children currently affected by peanut allergies. Offering 9 grams of protein, Sandos come with Rudi’s soft, fluffy bread, and Voyage’s roasted seed spread, suitable for lunch boxes, after-school snacks, and protein pick-me-ups.
“When Justin of Justin’s Nut Butter reached out to me after trying our nut-free spread, I knew we were about to redefine the sandwich category. With over 85 million American shoppers now avoiding purchasing foods with allergens, our team couldn’t be prouder that the Sandos bring delicious taste and health to this underserved community,” says Adam Maxwell, CEO and founder of Voyage Foods.
As an ingredient supplier, Voyage Foods provides industry manufacturers with supply chain and price stability that lead to significantly better margins. By using upcycled ingredients that are less expensive to source, widely available, and readily scalable, Voyage avoids at-risk commodity ingredients that are often vulnerable to price fluctuations. This results in B2B partners integrating Voyage Foods’ nut-free spreads, cocoa-free chocolate, and bean-free coffee into their products to provide a delicious experience at a fair price.
