Distribution: Bon Bee Honey Buzzes Into Sprouts; Egglife Goes to Canada
Bon Bee Honey Buzzes Into Sprouts’ Innovation Center
Bon Bee Honey, formerly Honey Bunchies, has entered over 400 Sprouts Farmers Market locations, unveiling its new 4-packs as part of the grocery chain’s “New for You” innovation set through September. The Longmont, Colo.-based brand is hopeful that success in the retailer’s innovation set will lead to a permanent placement.
This isn’t Bon Bee’s first time partnering with Sprouts. According to CMO Kendra Bennett, the brand launched locally with the grocery chain in 2017, where it became the number-one-selling item in the nutrition bar category for two years. Bon Bee then grew nationally with Sprouts, but due to a rocky launch outside of its control and COVID-related challenges, the stint came to an end in 2021.
“With the introduction of our new Bon Bee Gourmet Honey Bar 4-packs, in addition to our single bars, we have been given the opportunity to prove ourselves once again and show why we were the No. 1 brand in the category in Colorado just a few years prior,” Bennett told Nosh.
Bon Bee has also partnered with McLane’s Emerging Brands Marketplace powered by Mable, which Bennett says gives the brand “unprecedented reach” to stores it may not have otherwise been able to service. Over the past several months, Bon Bee has dropshipped over 500 orders to convenience stores across the country and gained planogram placement for several chains.
Founded in 2010, Bon Bee produces a portfolio of gluten-, grain- and soy-free gourmet honey bars in Peanut Pecan and Coconut Almond flavors. Forty-two percent of every bar is pure honey, and the products are sold in approximately 3,500 doors nationwide including Hy-Vee, 7-Eleven, Whole Foods Market and Harmons, among others. According to Bennett, more expansion is coming soon with Whole Foods.
“As a self-funded company, our growth has been extremely calculated, and we never bite off more than we can chew,” said Bennett. “As our founder, my dad, likes to say, ‘Left foot, right foot.’”
Brazi Bites’ Waffles Go National With Whole Foods Market
Brazi Bites announced that all three flavors of its Gluten-Free Frozen Waffles – Cheesy, Homestyle and Blueberry – will now be sold at all Whole Foods Market locations across the country. Each two-waffle serving contains 5 to 9 grams of protein, depending on the variety.
“The consumer response to this innovation has been incredible, and this availability is about to propel this line to a new level. We are pumped and ready to execute. Very grateful for our longstanding partnership with Whole Foods, which was an early adopter of our Cheese Bread,” said Brazi Bites co-founder and CMO Junea Rocha in a LinkedIn post.
The Gluten-Free Frozen Waffles, launched in 2023, were inspired by the brand’s consumers who were posting social media videos pressing Brazi’s flagship cheese bread into waffle irons as part of the #WillItWaffle trend. The product line debuted exclusively in Sprouts before moving into other retailers.
In addition to Whole Foods, Brazi’s Gluten-Free Frozen Waffles recently landed in the Southeast Costco region, where they are sold in a bulk 24-pack for $12.99.
Egglife Goes to Canada
Chicago-based Egglife Foods has introduced its Egg White Wraps in Canada, marking the brand’s first international expansion. The move supports the brand’s mission of reaching health-conscious consumers seeking a smarter tortilla and brings its total door count to over 14,000.
Consumers can now purchase the brand’s Original Egg White Wraps and Everything Bagel Egg White Wraps at 130 Metro stores across Ontario. The brand’s latest savory flavor, Garden Salsa, is also available at select Metro locations.
“Canadian consumers have been asking for Egglife ever since our products debuted in 2019, and we’re excited to bring our unmatched nutritional profile to their shopping carts,” said Egglife CEO David Kroll in a press release. “This expansion is a testament to our team’s unwavering commitment to reimagining the future of food.”
In the U.S., Egglife’s products can be purchased at major retailers, including Aldi, Target, Stop & Shop, Whole Foods Market and ShopRite, among others.
Grady’s Garden Lands in Meijer
Beginning this month, Grady’s Garden’s two signature sauce varieties (Chunky and Marinara) will roll out to 11 Meijer Supercenter locations in the Grand Rapids area. In September, the brand’s three salsa varieties (Mild, Medium and Hot) will be available at 264 Meijer locations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.
“Partnering with one of the leading grocers in the Midwest allows us to offer delicious, healthy food options in a highly competitive market. This milestone significantly expands our reach within local communities,” said Mike Wheeler, co-founder of Grady’s Garden, in a statement.
According to the announcement, the Meijer launch will be accompanied by several in-store tasting demos and promotional events to introduce new customers to the products.
Earlier this year, Grady’s Garden products debuted at all nine Fresh Thyme Market locations across Michigan and the Mishawaka, Ind., location. The brand is also available at Capital City Market in Lansing, Woodward Corner and Rivertown Market locations in Detroit.
TiNDLE Brings Stuffed Chicken Line to the U.S. With GIANT, MARTIN’s
Alt-protein maker TiNDLE Foods has launched its new Stuffed Chicken line, previewed at Expo West 2024, in the U.S. with The GIANT Company. The new partnership introduces the brand’s chicken analogues to 160 GIANT and MARTIN’s stores across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
Available in two varieties – Parmigiana and Tikka Masala – the stuffed chicken pockets feature 10 grams of plant-based protein per serving and are cholesterol-free. GIANT and MARTIN’s stores will also carry TiNDLE’s best-selling Boneless Wings, Nuggets, Popcorn Chicken and Tenders.
“The GIANT Company understands the importance of quality, innovation and flavor to achieve success in the category, making them an ideal partner to introduce TiNDLE to a broader audience,” said JJ Kass, U.S. managing director and SVP of business development at TiNDLE, in a statement.
The retail-centric products aim to further accelerate the brand’s brick-and-mortar presence. Since making its retail debut last year, TiNDLE has landed distribution in Giant Eagle stores in the Midwest, independent retailers on the East and West Coasts like Berkeley Bowl and BESTIES Vegan Paradise, in regional Price Chopper supermarkets on the East Coast and online via grocery provider FreshDirect.
Fair & Square Makes Thrive Market Debut
Fair & Square, which produces a portfolio of gut-friendly, green banana flour-based crackers, is now available through online grocery delivery service Thrive Market. The online retailer will carry all four of the brand’s flavors (Cheeze, Sea Salt, Cinnamon Sugar and Honey) in 1 oz. bags and 4 oz. boxes.
In a LinkedIn post, Fair & Square founder and CEO Alex Duong, who previously served as head of procurement at Thrive Market, said, “It’s an awesome feeling to celebrate this full-circle moment, and we are humbled to be in good company among a thoughtful curation of brands.”
