Distribution Roundup: Allergy-Friendly Brands Partake, Blake’s Seed Based Expand in Retail

In the latest distribution news, allergen-free snack brand Partake and Blake’s Seed Based make retail gains, Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn launches in Whole Foods and keto snack mix maker Hilo Life makes its retail debut.

Partake Foods Lands Cookies in Kroger and Giant/Martin’s

Allergy-friendly cookie and baking brand Partake Foods has launched in Kroger and Giant/Martin’s this month, the company announced today. The brand’s Carrot Cake, Birthday Cake, Cookie Butter and Ginger Snap cookie flavors will now be available in 1,950 Kroger stores including Fred Meyer, Ralphs Grocery Company, King Soopers/City Market and Mariano’s, while three cookie SKUs will hit Giant/Martin’s chainwide.

The expansion comes as the brand looks to broaden its target market beyond food allergy sufferers, embracing a message of inclusivity and offering access to better-for-you food to all.

“Inclusivity and access are central to what we’re building at Partake,” CEO and founder Denise Woodard said in a statement to NOSH. “Being able to provide delicious, wholesome, and safe snack options to more customers works hand-in-hand with our efforts to eradicate food insecurities in the U.S.—most notably amongst those families that also live with food allergies.”

The distribution gain brings the brand’s door count to more than 5,500, with further expansion planned for the coming months, the company said. Woodard had previously told NOSH last month that the brand aimed to expand its retail footprint to 5,000 by year’s end.

The news comes after the close of a $4.8 million funding round the company announced last month to support retail expansion and new product innovation. Prior to the Kroger and Giant launch, the brand’s cookies could be found on the shelves at 3,500 retailers including Target, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Wegmans and the Fresh Market.

As the brand’s cookies gain traction in retail, it has also expanded into the baking mix category online with the launch of two new allergen-free mixes. Partake announced last week the launch of its gluten-free and vegan Brownie Mix, a sweet complement to its 5-in-1 Baking Mix which can be used as the base for pancakes, waffles, muffins or cakes. Currently, Partake’s baking mixes are only available direct-to-consumer as the brand is focusing on its cookie lines in brick and mortar, Woodard said last month.

“I know baking mixes are a really hard category with really low velocities,” Woodard said. “We’re a small team still and I want to make sure we’re keeping the bandwidth to support our cookies and to support our retail business and I don’t think we have the bandwidth to support baking mix well.”

Blake’s Seed Based Hits Shelves at Sprouts

Top 8 allergen-free snack maker Blake’s Seed Based has launched in Sprouts nationwide with three flavors of its vegan and gluten-free snack bars: Blueberry Lemon, Raspberry and S’mores.

Blake’s Seed Based Bars are currently sold in more than 1,000 retailers nationwide, including Walmart, 7-Eleven and Wegmans. The launch at Sprouts is its “biggest retail win to date,” according to the brand.

“Since we launched in September 2018, we have created a community that takes our products with them wherever they go,” CEO and founder Blake Sorensen said in a press release. “Launching into Sprouts has been a goal from the start, and we cannot wait to add their shoppers to our tribe.”

The brand also last month rolled out its newest product line, Rice Crispy Treats, a vegan, allergen-free take on the classic snack. The line is available in Chocolate Chip and Strawberry flavors, and is sold on the brand’s website for $17.99 for three 6-count boxes.

The new distribution and product launches come after the brand rolled out rebranded packaging that hit retailers last spring.

Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn Launches in Whole Foods

North Carolina-based gourmet popcorn maker Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn is now available in 46 Whole Foods locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. The retailer will carry the brand’s Salted Caramel, Poppy Mix, Pimento Cheese and Everything Bagel flavored popcorn.

“We’re thrilled to be launching at Whole Foods Market here in the Southeast,” founder Ginger Frank said in a press release. “From the beginning, we’ve chosen to use fresh ingredients that were as local as possible – real food ingredients that people can actually identify. So this is a natural fit for Poppy. We also appreciate Whole Foods’ commitment to carrying local artisan and North Carolina brands in their stores, and to giving back to the community through local nonprofits.”

Founded in 2014, Poppy sells locally sourced, non-GMO popcorn produced in Asheville, North Carolina. Its products are sold at more than 500 retailers nationwide, including a number of independent retailers, pharmacies and cafes.

Hilo Life Debuts in Retail

Keto-friendly snack mix brand Hilo Life made its debut in retail last month, hitting shelves at Sprouts, Hy-Vee and Woodman’s Market. This marks the brand’s first retail placements after launching on Amazon in 2019.

The brand, owned by PepsiCo subsidiary Inviting Foods, offers cheese and nut mixes in three flavors — Piece-a-Pizza, Super Cheesy and Really Ranchy — containing 4 grams of net carbs per serving and no added sugar. All three flavors have hit shelves at Hy-Vee, while Sprouts has picked up its Piece-a-Pizza and Super Cheesy flavors.

Amanda Cheung, brand director of Hilo Life, said in a press release that its products “fills an important gap in the low carb category.”

“Keto consumers told us they missed crunchy, flavorful foods, especially in the snack food aisle, so we saw an opportunity to innovate and fill that void,” she said.

Other distribution news includes:

• Denver, Colorado-based Teatulia Tea launched in 69 Walmart stores throughout the Rocky Mountain Region with its Chamomile, Lemongrass, Jasmine Green and Black varieties.
• Noma Lim partnered with Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce for its new Teriyaki Ramen Stir Fry Kit, launching in Noma Lim’s website and at select retailers in March for $7.99.