NACS: Dole Eyes Frozen Indulgence, Snack Brand Leverages Influencer Creds

Snack options in convenience stores are evolving with legacy brands finding inroads into the channel with better-for-you options, while former operators return to the category with the clout of a social media celebrity.

Legacy fruit company Dole and vlogger David Dobrik’s Wavers snack brand came to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) trade show last week to expand snack options in c-stores, taking two different approaches.

Dole Zeroes In On Opportunity For Better-For-You Indulgence

Seizing on increased consumer demand for healthier options in c-stores, tropical fruit purveyor Dole is attempting to make inroads in the convenience channel with options that span from frozen indulgence and grab-and-go nutrition to foodservice products like ready-to-blend cut fruit for smoothies.

One of the highlights of the Dole booth tucked at the back of the convention floor was its Dole Whip product. Whip, a dairy-free, frozen fruit puree, is not a new product for Dole, but is being presented for the first time in a retail-ready format after being available in foodservice for years.

“Dole Whip has been in Disney [amusement parks] for decades, and a lot of consumers are quite passionate about it since they have fond memories associated with eating it,” said Mike Secor, Dole Americas VP of Marketing. “What we are finding is that it is an unlock to connect with consumers in a new setting.”

The company was displaying its 3.6 oz. cups that can be sold individually in convenience store freezers with ice cream, popsicles and other frozen treats. Available in Mango, Pineapple and Tropical Guava varieties, Dole Whip cups come ready to enjoy with a plastic spoon included under the cap.

Dole is currently relying on its “large network of foodservice distributors,” which makes up 35% of the business, Secor reported, to bring the product into more retail doors along with its snacking fruit cups and canned juice options. Not only is Whip offered in single-serve cups and 14 oz. “pint” containers, but it is also available for foodservice in 3.5-gallon tubs.

While the company wouldn’t comment directly on other form factors for Whip (think popsicles or snackable bites), Secor noted that there are a variety of frozen novelty formats Dole is exploring with a pipeline of innovation coming in 2026.

“We’re finding that more consumers want a treat but want it to be healthier with not as many calories,” he said. “For healthy snacking, fruit is one of the easiest places to go.”

Wavers Pairs Industry Know-How With Influencer Clout

It’s helpful for a new snack brand to have the industry expertise of Veggie Straws co-founder Jerry Bello and veteran snack industry marketer Adam Cohen, but these days, having a high-visibility internet personality is also important.

Wavers is a crispy snack brand launched under Tastemaker Food Company and leveraging the reach of content creator David Dobrik, who has over 17.3 million YouTube channel subscribers and an L.A.-based restaurant, Doughbrik’s Pizza.

While Tastemaker owns the Wavers brand, it is utilizing the license of Doughbrik’s Pizza and, more importantly, the influence of Dobrik himself to build a new entrant in snacking. The puffed potato flour snack is available in four flavors – Late Night Pizza, Spicy Pickle, Hot Honey and Extra Cheesy.

“We have a snack legend [Jerry Bello] who redefined snacking with Veggie Straws, Brownie Brittle and Candy Pops, collaborating with the biggest content creator and influencer in snacking,” Cohen said.

Having launched in June, Wavers is already sold in It’s Sugar, select BevMo stores, on Gopuff, and is entering Albertsons later this month. The brand has already completed one Costco Roadshow in the Northeast and expects to do more as it tries to secure a rotation at the club retailer. Yet, the brand is also taking a global approach, securing distribution at all 728 Australian 7-Eleven locations.

Wavers is the latest in a slew of influencer-led brands – MrBeast’s Feastables, Logan Paul’s PRIME and Ryan Trahan’s Joyride, to name a few – but Cohen sees Wavers as the first iteration of the Doughbrik’s brand platforming into other parts of the store.

“We’re starting with snacking but maybe going into frozen or other parts of grocery with the Doughbrik’s brand,” he said. “It’s kind of his legacy as he matures and identifies himself in more of a business capacity.”