Urban Fruit Coconut Chips

Two bagged snack brands have unveiled coconut NPD, with Urban Fruit about to roll out Coconut Chips and Ape Snacks preparing to launch Crunchy Coconut Bites.

Urban Fruit’s new line-up is the brand’s first savoury offering: triple-toasted coconut chips in two variants, Straight Up and Sriracha Chilli. Set to be available in Tesco from this month, each 25g pack (rsp: £1) offers between 118 and 122 calories.

The NPD taps demand from shoppers who spend more than £100m a year on coconut products, said Emma Howgego, marketing director at the brand’s owner, Urban Fresh Foods.

“Watching the momentum build behind Urban Fruit this past 12 months has been so exciting,” she added. “Our commitment to offering delicious, simple snacks has really resonated with retailers, who are increasingly searching for solutions that consumers will love and feel good about eating.”

Following in November will be Ape Snacks’ latest product. It comprises ‘£1 coin-sized clusters of coconut with no added sugar’.

Made with small coconut pieces mixed with tapioca and then dried, the range is available in three flavours: Natural, Chia Seed and Sesame Seed. Each 30g pouch promises under 150 calories, with ‘anti-microbial and anti-viral properties’ (rsp: £1.49-£1.68).

The line-up follows the brand’s Coconut Curls, which launched last year and won The Grocer’s New Product Awards 2016 Coconut Based category for its Lightly Salted variant.

“Compared to similarly shaped products, we seriously win on mouthfeel and health benefits,” claimed Zack Nathan, founder of Ape Snacks.