CaPao Quinoa Squares

Company: Mondelēz International

Introduced: October 2021

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail Price: $23.99 (12-pack)

Product Snapshot: CaPao, a mission-based brand created by Mondelēz International's SnackFutures innovation and venture hub, has announced the launch of its new Quinoa Squares, which is also one of the first products on the market to carry the Upcycled Food Association's (UFA) Upcycled Certified mark on its packaging.

The new addition to the CaPao portfolio combines upcycled cacaofruit with oats and puffed quinoa into portable snack squares that are zesty and sweet, crispy yet chewy, and come in three flavors: Coconut Oat, Ginger Berry and Almond Orange.

"CaPao's mission is to upcycle as much cacaofruit as we can, and it's been really exciting to create new products like Quinoa Squares that use the pulp in different ways to deliver satisfying snacks with unique flavors to consumers while also doing good for the planet, and improving the livelihoods of cacaofruit farmers," said Shannon Neumann, associate director of SnackFutures innovation. "Being able to communicate the mark on-pack is important to us because it's an opportunity to continue educating people on what upcycled means, why it matters, and how they can be part of reducing food waste and creating a snacking world that is good for people, kind to the planet and deliciously fun."

In fact, according to the UFA, 60 percent of people want to buy more upcycled food products, and that's because 95 percent of us want to do our part to reduce food waste. Additionally, more than 50 percent of consumers had increased intent to buy Upcycled Certified foods when the mark was on packaging (Source: Mattson), already ranking better than other product certifications on the market. The Mark puts the power in the consumer's hands to reduce global food loss.

"It's really exciting to be at the forefront of creating mindful snacks that consumers are increasingly looking for," said Neumann. "We are fortunate to have partners such as Cabosse Naturals that provide us with the cacaofruit pulp and the Upcycled Food Association that is committed to advancing the mission of consumer-centric solutions to food waste."

For more information on CaPao visit www.capaofruit.com and to learn more about the UFA's certification visit www.upcycledfood.org.

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