Hazelnut Growers of Oregon releases seven new chocolate-covered hazelnut flavors

Company: Hazelnut Growers of Oregon

Introduced: April 2022

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail Price: $4.99

Product Snapshot: Hazelnut Growers of Oregon (HGO) is expanding its Oregon Orchard snack & candy lineup with convenient 4-oz. packages and seven new chocolate flavors.

The convenient new 4-oz., stand-up gusseted pouches will launch in April 2022 for the existing chocolate and seasoned hazelnut flavors (nine items), along with the debut of seven exciting new chocolate-covered hazelnuts. The new flavors will encourage and inspire pairing ideas with other products in the grocery store, such as wine, coffee, cheese, meats, and fruits. The new chocolate flavors are Salted Caramel, Butterscotch, Pinot Noir, Maple Bacon, Dark Cherry, Mocha, and Blackberry. All of these items are gluten-free, Kosher-certified, and do not contain any artificial flavors or ingredients, a requirement for most natural grocery sets in specialty and conventional store chains.

Along with the new flavors, the packaging has received a new look. Dan Herndon, HGO's vice president of sales and marketing, explains, "We wanted to leverage some of the design elements of our original baking and seasoned packaging into this new candy line, while highlighting the benefits and features of our premium chocolate products. This, coupled with a desire to meet market expectations for convenience and offer an affordable price were the reasons behind this new look and size." The new lineup will start shipping in mid April for a suggested retail price of $4.99 at Wilco Farm Stores in the Pacific Northwest, www.farmstore.com, www.oregonorchard.com, and on Amazon.

Hazelnuts are a good source of vitamins B6 and E and are Keto-friendly. All Oregon Orchard snacks are produced with HGO members' hazelnuts, which are steam pasteurized in small batches at the Safe Quality Food Level 3 Certified processing facility in Aurora.

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.