[Gallery] On the shelf! A look at new consumer products

Peanut butter, chocolate, popcorn surprise
• Popcorn, Indiana, a New Jersey-based company, is launching its Chocolate Peanut Butter Drizzlecorn in Canada this fall. The product combines three snacks most people love: popcorn, chocolate and peanut butter. The company, having done its research, says almost every Canadian consumes peanut butter at least once per week. According to the Peanut Bureau of Canada (PBC), Canada is the largest single-market importer of peanut butter. A recent study by PBC found that 94 per cent of Canadian households consume peanut butter and 80 per cent of Canadians eat peanut butter once per week or more. Popcorn, Indiana’s popcorn is made in kettles and then flavours from savoury to spicy to sweet are added. Popcorn, Indiana Chocolate Peanut Butter Drizzlecorn will be available at major grocery and mass retailers at a suggested retail price of $3.99 to $4.99.

Go go Mojo
• Clif Bar & Company has launched the CLIF MOJO Fruit & Nut bar and CLIF MOJO Dark Chocolate bar into Canada. The California-based company says the bars are made with at least 70 per cent organic ingredients. Both bars are gluten-free and have zero grams trans fat and no partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavours or synthetic preservatives. Both bars are 200 calories or less, low glycemic and a good source of fibre. There are three flavours:
• Coconut Almond Peanut featuring rich and nutty organic peanuts and organic coconut
• Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt featuring big chunks of organic dark chocolate and organic almonds
• Dark Chocolate Cherry Almondfeaturing big chunks of organic dark chocolate and deep red organic cherries
The bars are available at major and select retailers across Canada with a suggested retail price of $1.99.

Add some Haskapa
• LaHave Forests of Nova Scotia has introduced Jalapeño Haskap Relish and Haskap Chutney. Haskap is a fresh-tasting berry that originally hails from Japan but LaHave grows it in Canada. The berries look like an elongated blueberry, have three time the antioxidants of high-bush blueberries and taste like a cross between blueberry, raspberry and blackberry. The product line now includes Haskap juice, Haskap Jam and Dried Haskap berries.

Lunch box snack
• Nature Valley will launch its new peanut-free granola bar line called Lunch Box at the end of June. The granola bars include eight grams of whole grains and 20 per cent daily value of fibre, and are low in sugar and calories and have zero trans fats. The company says the snacks were designed for moms and come in two flavours Berry and Chewy Chocolate Chip.

Snack solutions
• Mott’s Fruitsations has recently introduced new, innovative products as a solution for parents looking to provide their kids with tasty snacks but also making sure they get their fruits and veg. The Mott’s Fruitsations lineup now includes three new products, including +Veggies Mixed Berry Carrot, and Fruit Rockets Unsweetened Blueberry and +Veggies Peach Apple Carrot. Mott’s Fruitsations +Veggies has one serving of fruit and vegetables (2/3 fruit and 1/3 vegetables) in each cup. Mott’s Fruitsations Fruit Rockets offer the same great taste and fruit + veggie goodness in an on-the-go pouch. All the new products are unsweetened, made with real fruit, natural flavours and colours and contain no gluten or peanuts. And all are approved by the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s Health Check program and are certified Kosher.

Chocolates hopped into stores
• SweetWorks introduced new treats this spring just in time for Easter. The new products included a selection of individually wrapped Semi-Solid Milk Chocolate: Bunnies (1 oz), Eggs (1 oz), Chicks (.75 oz) and Hens (.75 oz). SweetWorks also introduced premium All-Natural Solid Milk Chocolate Eggs (3.5 oz bag) and an All-Natural Semi-Solid Milk Chocolate Rabbit (3 oz) – wrapped in detailed, high-quality gold foil. The company’s brand Niagara Chocolates includes all-natural solid and semi-solid creamy chocolate Easter creations shaped as bunnies, chicks, crosses, cars and dinosaur “surprise” eggs.

New breakfast and snack options
• Kellogg Canada has launched several new products. Kellogg’s To Go Breakfast Shakes, which come in chocolate and vanilla flavours, include 22 essential nutrients, 10 grams of protein and five grams of fibre per serving. Special K Chocolatey Red Berries cereal is a twist on an old favourite. The cereal includes tangy strawberries, crisp multi-grain flakes and dark chocolatey chunks. There’s also Special K Protein Morning Shakes, which now come in Mocha and Café Latte flavours. The shakes have 10 grams of protein, 12 essential nutrients and 190 calories per serving. For a 3 p.m. fix there’s Special K Pastry Crisps in Chocolatey Caramel and Cookies & Cream flavours. These have only 100 calories per serving. For snackers, there’s Special K Cracker Chips Salt & Vinegar flavour with just 80 calories for 18 chips. Finally, there are Nutri-Grain Fruit Crunch bars in Strawberry and Apple Crisp flavours. These are made with 17 grams of whole grain and real fruit.

100% pure Agave
• Island Abbey Foods, the creator of the Honibe – Pure Honey Joy brand of honey products, has launched a line of 100 per cent of pure drive Agave products called PurAgave. The new PurAgave solid Agave products include PurAgave Agave Delights, which are a 100 per cent pure dried candy and sweetener; PurAgave Agave Lozenges, which contain 100 per cent dried Agave with a small amount of naturally derived menthol and eucalyptus and no artificial ingredients. PurAgave Delights and Lozenges have 10 calories per 2.5 gram piece.

Premium meat products
• A new line of premium meats, called Co-op Perfect, is now available at all 24 Calgary Co-op food stores. The company is offering Co-op Perfect Pork, which is made with Alberta pork, doesn’t contain hormones, is open pen raised, 100 per cent vegetable grain fed and aged 14 days. Co-op Perfect Beef is made with 100 per cent Alberta angus beef, it doesn’t contain antibiotics or hormones, and is range fed, AA grade or better, aged 14 days and halal approved. Co-op Perfect Goat is made with Alberta spring goat, doesn’t contain antibiotics or hormones, is free range, and grass and grain fed.

Greek yogurt
• Activia by Danone has launched a new Greek yogurt to celebrate its 10^th anniversary. Activia’s Greek yogurt has a unique texture, is offered in zero per cent M.F. and has two times more protein than the company’s regular yogurt per 100 grams. Activia Greek also contains the patented strain of B.L. Regularis, and comes in six flavours: lime, cherry, orchard fruits, raspberry & lemon, mango and vanilla.

Gluten-free pasta
• Barilla Canada has introduced Barilla Gluten Free Pasta. The pasta is made with a proprietary blend of white and yellow corn and rice produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility. The corn and rice are non-GMO. The pastas include spaghetti, penne, rotini and elbows, and come 340-gram boxes, which offer four servings. Each variety has specific al dente cooking instructions and should be cooked in the same way as traditional pasta. The pastas are available at Sobey’s Metro, The Real Canadian Super Store, Super C, IGA, Provigo, Loblaws, Food Basics, Zehrs, Fortinos and Safeway stores across Canada.

High Liner Foods’ new foodservice dishes
• High Liner Foods Inc. in Massachusetts has launched a new line of seafood products for the U.S. foodservice market. The line is produced with Guinness stout and is High Liner’s first collaboration with Diageo, the producer of Guinness. The Guinness Distinctive Seafood line blends High Liner’s seafood cuts under the Icelandic Brand, such as cod, salmon, tilapia and shrimp with the popular stout. Dishes are available in battered, Panko-breaded, flame-seared barbecue-glazed and flame-seared herb-glazed varieties.
High Liner Foods of Massachusetts has also launched the American Pride Seafood brand scallop line for foodservice. The brand features all-natural domestic scallops harvested in the North Atlantic and landed in New Bedford. There are 36 different scallop options, including processed scallops, Hokkaido sea scallops, bay scallops and specialty bacon-wrapped scallops.

Smooth brew takes a u-turn
• Muskoka Brewery has a brand new brew called Detour India Pale Ale. Detour has fine tropical fruit aromas and a fresh finish. The difference with Detour is a complex and distinctive hopping process; one that achieves a full-bodied flavour within a simply delicate drink. The company says the brew is made with only three ingredients – water, malted barley and hops – Eldorado, Citra and Sorachi – and 4.3 per cent alcohol content. Detour is all-natural and unfiltered. Its bold aroma and pleasant flavour come from the combination of its unique hopping process, plus dry hopping. This process involves adding hops to the beer after fermentation, leaving a fresh, appealing scent. Then, unlike most typical sessionable beers, Detour takes a u-turn away from filtration, resulting in delicious, palatable flavours and a clean, smooth finish with pineapple-mango tasting notes.