Reviews: Cadence Raises the Bar; Plus, BEEUP, Breyer’s Campfire Collection

In this reviews roundup, we nosh on sports performance brand Cadence’s expansion into nutrition bars, David Beckham’s family-focused BEEUP fruit snack line, and Breyer’s s’mores-inspired ice cream sandwiches.

Cadence Fuel Bars

Sports performance brand Cadence – launched last year by Daring Foods co-founder Ross Mackay — has expanded beyond hydration into the bar category. The 2-SKU line of Core Fuel Bars (Chocolate and PB&J) offers the same electrolyte blend found in Cadence’s drink options but is formulated into a rice crispy treat-like format.

Things that stand out:

• The brand’s nutritionals stand out, delivering a heavy dose of potassium, magnesium and sodium with 180 calories, 1 gram of fat and 5 grams of added sugar.
• The Fuel Bars are intended for pre-, during and post-training. They are especially nice to bring on a jog or bike ride because they are lightweight and not overly sweet or chalky.
• Both flavors are good, but PB&J is slightly sweeter and more satiating during exercise.

Things to consider:

• The puffed rice format is a nice change from traditional protein bar, but it can be a little stiff. The formulation could be adjusted to make the bars softer and easier to chew.
• The minimal amount of protein (1 grams per serving) could be increased to capture an active lifestyle consumer looking to replenish electrolytes and get protein at the same time.
• While the minimalist branding gives a premium feel, the packaging gives little information to a consumer who might pick it up at a grocery store or supplement retailer. Bolder copy and one or two callouts to the value proposition would be helpful.

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BEEUP Fruit Flavored Snacks

Honey is the hero ingredient in a new children’s snack brand co-founded by former professional soccer player David Beckham and serial entrepreneur Shaun Neff. BEEUP offers fruit-flavored snacks geared toward youth sports, a market the founders say has been largely overlooked in the snack aisle. The lineup includes Very Berry, a mix of strawberry, raspberry and blueberry flavors; Tropical Mix, featuring pineapple, mango, passion fruit and papaya; and Sour Watermelon.

Things that stand out:

• The products are gluten-free and non-GMO with no artificial colors, appealing to millennial parents who are more likely to scrutinize labels on children’s snacks.
• The concept was spun out of Beckham’s beekeeping hobby, a personal passion that has since evolved into a broader vision to showcase honey as a “natural, cleaner source of energy” in a broad range of snacks. True to the theme, the brand partners with organizations advancing pollinator conservation research and education.
• Positioning around an underserved market of active families with a global sports icon is a smart play.

Things to consider:

• Honey is the first ingredient but not the only sweetener. The products also contain tapioca syrup and sugar, adding up to 11 grams of total sugars per pouch. (A serving contains 3 more grams of added sugar than a serving of Welch’s fruit snacks).

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Breyers Campfire Collection Sandwich

Breyers has transported a classic summertime treat from the campfire pit to the freezer aisle with the release of its Campfire Collection S’Mores Sandwich. The frozen novelty features a toasted marshmallow filling infused with Hershey milk chocolate swirls sandwiched between two graham cracker wafers.

Things that stand out:

• The packaging is sleek and effective, featuring large product imagery that draws consumers in as well as a prominent callout highlighting that it’s made with Hershey’s milk chocolate.
• The price point aligns with category norms.

Things to consider:

• The flavor profile was severely lacking, with not even a hint of marshmallow or graham cracker. Rather, the whole treat tasted overwhelmingly like Hershey’s syrup straight from the bottle.
• The texture also left much to be desired, as the not-so-frozen ice cream had a mouthfeel more reminiscent of Cool Whip, and the graham cracker wafers were far too soft.
• Though ice cream cookie sandwiches are typically circular, this product may benefit from a square shape, as it’s more likely to evoke the nostalgia associated with the classic s’more.

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