Keto snack company Hilo Life partners with Sprouts, Hy-Vee

Low-carb snacks now in stores for shoppers feeling 'noshtalgia'

Company: Hilo Life

Introduced: January 2021

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail Price: $1.99-$2.49

Product Snapshot: The demand for keto products continues to grow, with Instacart reporting a 72 percent increase across grocery partners in year-over-year sales of products with "keto" in the name. To feed the growing market, Hilo Life, a new keto brand on a mission to provide low carb snacks with bold flavors and a satisfying crunch, expands into grocery stores this month with Sprouts Farmers Market, Hy-Vee, Inc. and Woodman’s Markets.

Hilo Life is one of the first keto-friendly cheese and nut snacks available in the grocery store. After launching exclusively on e-commerce in late 2019, the brand quickly found loyal customers on Amazon, amassing more than 1,000 five-star reviews and ranking #1 in the snack mix subcategory on Amazon sales rankings. Hilo Life’s online success has resulted in exciting new brick-and-mortar partnerships with Sprouts Farmers Market and Hy-Vee, Inc., leading grocers in natural foods, health and wellness.

“Hilo Life fills an important gap in the low carb category. Keto consumers told us they missed crunchy, flavorful foods, especially in the snack food aisle, so we saw an opportunity to innovate and fill that void—we call it ‘Noshtalgia.’ It’s about missing the little things when you’re eating low carb, from the crinkle of opening a chip bag to the feel of a satisfying crunch and even licking the cheese dust off your fingers,” said Amanda Cheung, brand director for Hilo Life. “We create keto-friendly snacks where there is nothing to miss—you can have it all.”

Hilo Life nut and cheese snack mixes have only 4g net carbs (or less), at least 9g protein and 0g added sugar. Available in three flavors, Piece-A-Pizza, Really Ranchy and Super Cheesy, the grab and go snacks satisfy comfort food cravings. The snacks are now available at all 364 Sprouts Farmers Markets across 23 states, throughout the Midwest in select Hy-Vee stores and at all Woodman’s Markets. SRPs range from $1.99 (Sprouts) to $2.49 (Hy-Vee and Woodman's).

This webinar will examine variables factoring into nutritionally improved candy sales, including ingredients, label claims, and alternative sugars. Better-for-you options remain top of mind for consumers who are searching for indulgences, but in a healthier format.