KIND Reinvents Reduced Portion Snack Category With National Roll-Out Of KIND® Minis

Today KIND Healthy Snacks (KIND) announces the national introduction of KIND® Minis and in the process redefines the small portion snack category that has been comprised of empty calorie options for decades. To date, most food manufacturers have failed to make reduced portion snacks that effectively balance health and taste. The 100-calorie or less KIND Minis aim to fill a need for people seeking on-the-go snacks that not only taste good but also offer balanced nutrition.

"For years, 100-calorie snacks have enjoyed a health halo due to their smaller pack sizes and lower calorie count, but in reality they provide little nutritional value," says Daniel Lubetzky, Founder & CEO of KIND. "With KIND Minis, we aim to turn the industry's approach to small portion single-serve snacks upside down. In so doing, we hope to shift the conversation so that it focuses less on quantity of calories and more on quality of ingredients."

When compared to bestselling lower calorie snacks on the market – from cookies and crackers to salty snacks1 – KIND Minis have more nutrient dense ingredients and provide a greater amount of positive nutrients, like protein and fiber, while containing less refined carbohydrates. Like all KIND snacks, KIND Minis have a nutrient-dense first ingredient. Three bars lead with almonds; two lead with peanuts and one leads with cashews. Select bars also contain fruits, such as cranberries and cherries. Flavors include bestsellers such as Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt; Caramel Almond & Sea Salt; Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate; Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew; Salted Caramel & Dark Chocolate Nut; and Dark Chocolate Almond & Coconut.  

"Many leading miniature snacks are just smaller versions of their nutrient-deficient full-size counterparts. We opted to create a snack with a minimally processed, nutrient dense first ingredient like nuts versus enriched flour or refined sugar," says Stephanie Perruzza, Registered Dietitian and Health and Wellness Expert at KIND.

"It is not surprising that the food industry has leaned on flours, sugars and corn as first ingredients because they are so cheap. For example, corn flour costs $0.23/pound, unbleached enriched flour costs $0.25/pound, and refined sugar costs $0.37/pound. In comparison, almonds cost roughly $2.85/pound and cashews cost $4.25/pound," explains Lubetzky. "The choice to use low cost, highly processed ingredients comes at a significant cost to consumers' health, and can increase the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes."

Research illustrates the market opportunity for bridge snacks like KIND Minis, as snacks now represent half of all eating occasions, and 9 out of 10 consumers say they snack multiple times a day.2 While people snack for many reasons, a majority (63%) say they eat snacks for nutrition3 and more than 1/3 state they are replacing indulgent snacks with healthy ones.4

Perruzza continues, "People are increasingly seeking options that are nutritious and delicious. We're excited to bring our nutrition credentials and desirable flavor combinations to an uninspired category and redefine it in a way that meets consumers' needs."

Dr. Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, an independent portion-size expert and author of Finally Full, Finally Slim: 30 Days to Permanent Weight Loss One Portion at a Time, is an advocate for choosing healthy portions of snacks. However, she stresses the importance of checking nutritionals before enjoying miniature snacks. She says, "Consumers are surrounded by various portion sizes, including smaller snack packs that feature 100 calories but are lacking on nutrition. It's important to focus on both the quality and quantity of calories when making the most informed choices."

The KIND Minis introduction is consistent with KIND's heritage. In 2004, the company created a new healthy snack category when it unveiled a line of bars made with whole nuts and encased in a transparent wrapper. Since then, the company has rolled out more than 70 different snacks.

The full Minis lineup will be available online and at retailers nationwide. To learn more, visit KindSnacks.com.

About KIND

Since its founding in 2004, KIND has been on a mission to make the world a little kinder one snack and one act at a time. KIND was born out of its founder's desire to create a snack that was healthy and tasty, wholesome and convenient. What began as a line of premium Fruit & Nut bars sparked the creation of an entirely new healthier snacking category. Today, KIND has a family of more than 70 snacks that offer solutions for a variety of different occasions.  

Its recipes use nutrient-dense, premium ingredients like nuts, seeds, whole grains and fruit, which are recommended for a healthy diet. All snacks are gluten free, do not contain genetically engineered ingredients and are not sweetened with sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners.

Since day one, kindness has been at the core of its business. KIND was founded with a social mission, called the KIND Movement, which celebrates and inspires kindness through acts big and small. Today, the Movement is brought to life through both the brand and The KIND Foundation. To learn more about KIND and to join our Movement, visit KindSnacks.com.

1 IRI Total US - Multi Outlet + Conv, Latest 52 Weeks Ending 10-07-18; Categories include Salty Snacks; Cookies & Crackers. 2 Hartman Group: https://www.hartman-group.com/hartbeat/638/as-snackification-in-food-culture-becomes-more-routine-traditional-mealtimes-get-redefined3 Nielsen: https://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsenglobal/kr/docs/global-report/2014/Nielsen%20Global%20Snacking%20Report%20September%202014.pdf4 Mintel Purchase Intelligence, Snack Bites, December 2017