From vegnews.com
By Charlotte Pointing
This week in vegan food: Ben & Jerry’s debuts a new non-dairy flavour, SmartSweets launches vegan foam candy, LÄRABAR adds protein bars, and more
Ben & Jerry’s just introduced a new non-dairy flavour in its Scoop Shops
Since 2017, Ben & Jerry’s has been serving vegans and dairy-free dessert lovers with an ever-growing line-up of non-dairy treats. Today, the brand offers no fewer than 16 non-dairy pint flavours, along with a variety of vegan options at its Scoop Shops. And now, there’s one more to add to the list.
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Just in time for summer, Ben & Jerry’s has launched Non-dairy Key Lime Pie at its Scoop Shops. The new frozen dessert features a sweet, citrusy oat milk base swirled with graham cracker pieces for a classic pie-inspired flavour. According to the brand, the ice cream is “tart, sweet, and totally unbeatable.”
SmartSweets launches vegan foam gummies
Whatever gummy candy you’re craving, chances are SmartSweets has a vegan alternative. Swedish Fish? Check. Peach rings? Check. Fluffy, chewy foam candy? Check. Yep, really.
That last option is the brand’s latest innovation. Available at retailers now, SmartSweets’ new Dream Puffs come in adorable cloud and rainbow shapes with the nostalgic soft, squishy texture of classic foam candy. And like all of the brand’s products, they’re not just plant-based, they’re significantly lower in sugar, too. In fact, Dream Puffs contain 91 percent less sugar than traditional foam candy.
We were intrigued by the innovation, so we asked Alexandra Thorne, the senior manager of marketing at SmartSweets, a few questions. Here’s what they had to say:
VegNews: What inspired SmartSweets to enter the foam candy category with Dream Puffs?
Alexandra Thorne: ”We are always listening to our consumers and paying attention to what they are eating, loving, and talking about! Right now, that is foam candy. Fuelled by our spirit of innovation, we set out to make a low-sugar, vegan foam candy that delivers on our promise of no artificial sweeteners, added sugars, sugar alcohols, or synthetic dyes. The distinct manufacturing process developed to create Dream Puffs is unlike anything we’ve done before, and the resulting mix of deliciously creamy Strawberry Foam and Peach Foam flavours with our softest, squishiest texture yet is really special.”
VegNews: Why was now the right time to expand beyond your existing candy formats?
Thorne: ”The Swedish Candy trend is directly fuelling demand for foam formats, and foam candy is growing significantly vs. year ago, dramatically outpacing total non-chocolate candy growth. The white space was clear: no low-sugar better-for-you competitor existed in the format, leaving SmartSweets as the only brand that serves the growing foam candy shopper with a better-for-you choice. This resulted in Dream Puffs, a soft and squishy foam candy with 91% less sugar than traditional foam candy and an entirely new candy texture category for SmartSweets, delivering craveable texture consumers want alongside smooth, perfectly balanced flavours - without all the sugar.”
VegNews: Could Dream Puffs lead to additional texture-forward or format-focused launches in the future?
Thorne: ”Absolutely! The early feedback has been amazing, and the excitement for Dream Puffs paired with our consumer data makes it clear that our shoppers are hungry for more. SmartSweets is in the business of reimagining candy as a category, not just optimizing a single format - we’ve built real credibility and scale in the gummy and chewy candy space. That track record gives us the retailer relationships and consumer trust to successfully introduce new formats, flavours, and textures.”
Lärabar debuts new plant-based protein bar line
Lärabar has long proven that great flavour doesn’t require a long ingredients list. Made with an emphasis on whole foods, its bars are known for delivering both taste and nutrition. But the brand decided to raise the bar even higher with its latest launch.
Its new protein bars are just as delicious as the originals, but they pack a much bigger protein punch, with 10 to 12 grams per bar. That’s a significant upgrade from the brand’s classic bars, which contain around four grams of protein each. The plant-based bars are available in three flavours: Peanut Butter Chocolate, Cinnamon Nut, and Lemon.
“We heard you. People want more protein, but they don’t want to compromise on taste or quality,” said Scott Baldwin, VP and Business Unit Director for Bars at General Mills. “So we challenged ourselves to make a protein bar that truly tastes like Lärabar, taking everything you love about the original and adding the protein you want.”
China is getting a one-of-a-kind high-fibre Oatly
Oatly is constantly rolling out innovative new products and flavours. The only catch? They don’t always make it to the US. Unfortunately, that’s the case with its latest launch: a high-fibre oat milk that recently debuted in China.
And when we say high fibre, we really do mean it. Each bottle contains 7.5 grams of the nutrient. It’s a marked shift in direction from the US market, which is currently obsessed with maximizing protein. But both Americans and Chinese don’t consume enough fibre. So the brand hopes the new product will help attract more Chinese consumers, where demand for functional foods is rising alongside increased use of GLP-1 medications. The launch comes at a key time for Oatly, as it looks to strengthen its performance in the Chinese market.
Could it come to the US next? Follow VegNews for the story.
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