Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Wild Zora will be available at Wal-Mart.
Dive Brief:
- Wild Zora, whose snack bars combine ground beef, lamb and other meats with spices and organic fruits and vegetables, is getting a trial run at Sam’s Club, according to Food Business News.
- Products from the company, which recently unveiled two new varieties made with all-natural pork, are currently available at 700 retailers nationwide, including Kroger, Safeway and Whole Foods Market.
- According to company president Josh Tabin, the bars perform very well at natural and organic retailers, but tend to be a tougher sell at conventional stores. Often, the company will have to run several in-store demos before the bars catch on.
Dive Insight:
Ten years ago, it would’ve been hard to imagine the world’s largest retailer stocking bars made from ground beef, kale and cayenne pepper. Growing interest in emerging brands and unique, flavor-forward ingredients, however, have incited a consumer craving for healthy snack products.
Despite its quirky appeal, Wild Zora’s snack bars touch on major nutrition claims impacting the food industry, including gluten-free, protein-rich, paleo-friendly, minimally processed and low glycemic index. The bars also tap into the popularity of the $3 billion meat snacks industry, but differentiate themselves with the inclusion of fruits and vegetables.
One would think this healthy resume would ensure bars fly off the shelves — and they do at natural and organic retailers like Whole Foods. But according to Tabin, Wild Zora struggles to gain customer trial at mainstream retail locations.
This hesitancy raises a pain point for mainstream retailers who want to harness the growth and excitement of emerging brands, but often don’t do enough to help them thrive. Slotting fees, distribution challenges, and simply getting on buyers’ radar are challenges for up-and-coming companies.
And brands are completely different than conventional products that do manage to get on the shelf —like Wild Zora — often need a nudge to get customers to try them. While more consumers are doing more snacking, they may be hesitant to try a snack with ingredients that sound like components of a dinner. Last year, Farmer's Pantry launched Meal Snacks, a similar product that was intended to be a meal replacement. Whether either of these products will be successful remains to be seen.