Fmcg veteran Mark Simester has launched a healthier kids’ snacking brand, in a bid to shake up what he describes as a “fundamentally broken” category.
Called Jungle Squad, the challenger brand has rolled HFSS-compliant cake bars in strawberry and lemon into 654 Tesco stores (rsp: £1.90/5x24g).
The treats contain 13.4g of sugar per 100g, compared with Cadbury Mini Rolls, Mr Kipling Angel Slices and Soreen Lunchbox Loaves, which contain 43g, 36.8g and 17g of sugar per 100g respectively.
The bars, which are made without “added syrups or artificial sweeteners”, also contain fewer than 90 calories. This made them a “more balanced option” for lunchboxes and everyday snacking, according to the brand.
Before creating Jungle Squad, Simester spent more than 30 years in fmcg, including two years as head of chocolate at Nestlé and nearly four years as marketing director at Warburtons. He helped launch innovations from a slew of household brands including Kit Kat Chunky, Sandwich Thins and Warburtons Giant Crumpets.
He left his role as MD at Soreen after nine years last summer to launch his own venture, Imaginakery.
Jungle Squad marks the company’s first innovation, created in response to a children’s snacking category that Simester said had “failed to evolve beyond high-sugar formulations”.
“The children’s snacking category is broken, and the cake aisle hasn’t really changed for 40 years,” Simester told The Grocer. “There’s been hardly any major innovation, and it’s the only aisle in the supermarket with no health section.
“Too many products are still high in sugar, and too many healthier options feel like a compromise. Jungle Squad is about closing that gap, creating something that works for parents, but is driven by what children actually want.”
Switching from leading confectionery‑style cake bars to Jungle Squad could cut a child’s sugar intake by “up to 3kg a year”, the former Warburtons marketing director claimed.
“This isn’t about removing treats, it’s about making better everyday choices easier,” he said. “If small swaps can reduce sugar intake over time, the impact for families can be tremendous.”
Healthier choices often failed to capture children’s interest, Simester said. “The moment you tell kids ‘eat this, it’s healthy’, they run off. That’s why Jungle Squad was built to be the most engaging snacking brand possible.”
Each pack includes collectible trading cards and links to wider entertainment, including a free augmented reality app and a dedicated YouTube series.
The entertainment element was designed to encourage children to “actively request the product rather than see it as a compromise”, the brand said.
Simester added: “It’s so much more than a snacking brand. There’s plenty to entertain the kids, and parents can feel reassured knowing it’s made with the right ingredients and contains less sugar than anything else on the market.”
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