Minions Heinz Fruitz

Minions Heinz Fruitz is rolling out now to Tesco

Kraft Heinz is extending its snack pouches beyond babies for the first time, adding a range for older children.

Aimed at ages three to eight, Minions Heinz Fruitz enters the little-tapped market of fruit pouch snacks for nursery and primary schoolchildren, taking on smaller brands including Clearspring and Nom Nom Kids.

Research suggested nine out of 10 children are falling short of their 5 a day, according to Heinz. Most were “unwilling to try an assortment of fruit choices, limiting their intake to only an apple or banana”, Heinz claimed, meaning 83% of parents were actively looking for fruit-based snacking alternatives and wanted “a fun product that makes increased fruit intake simple”.

Launched as a tie-in with this summer’s Despicable Me 3 movie, Minions Heinz Fruitz contains 100% fruit. It is rolling out now to Tesco in an ambient multipack format in three variants: Strawberry & Banana, Peach & Apricot and Passion Fruit & Mango (rsp: £2.99/4x100g).

With further listings expected later this year, the NPD will be supported by social media and in store via PoS and back to school events.

The new range - joining the kids fruit snacking category that last year generated £35m in value sales [Nielsen 52 w/e 10 September 2016] - created “a fantastic opportunity for Kraft Heinz to offer a convenient smoothie that will encourage kids to eat a variety of fruit as part of their required 5 a day,” said the supplier’s Meena Patel, infant brand manager.