Free-from snacking brand Crave has unveiled plans to expand into new categories next year after winning listings in Aldi.
Last week, it was revealed as the winner of the Store Cupboard episode of Channel 4 TV show ‘Aldi’s Next Big Thing’, which saw startups compete for a listing in the discounter’s SpecialBuys aisle.
Its Pickled Onion Monster Feet and Smokey Bacon Streakers snacks have rolled into Aldi stores (rsp: £1.29/80g).
Speaking to The Grocer, Crave founder Rob Brice said he hadn’t “stopped for the past week” since the episode aired on 17 November.
“That evening of the show we had a couple of reach-outs from retailers we’ve been chatting with about NPD for next year and moving things along there.
“Social’s taken off… sales are going super well with Aldi and we’re in discussions for another SpecialBuy in February.”
Brice, a former chef and food consultant, launched Crave in 2020, in a bid to create tasty allergen-free foods. He debuted a duo of free-from chocolate bars before developing the crisps, which launched in December 2021.
“[I could] see there were products out there that customer really wanted, craved, but they couldn’t get just normal everyday products,” Brice said. “There’s a blatant belief that vegan and free-from have to be super healthy when actually a lot of people just want normal food. That’s what we’re aiming to do.”
Brice told The Grocer he was planning to expand Crave’s offering into non-snacking categories. These innovations, like the crisps, would be based on “classic mainstream products” but with a vegan and free-from twist, he said.
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