The popular taste combination of sweet and salty continues to inspire food manufacturers to satisfy customers’ cravings, particularly when it comes to gluten-free products.
Perhaps the most hotly anticipated gluten-free candy of the year is the Best in Show award winner at the 2016 Sweets & Snacks Expo: Hershey’s Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cup. This delightful confection combines the legendary peanut butter cup with miniature Reese’s Pieces.
Capitalizing on the gluten-free trend, Hershey’s Brookside line has introduced Yogurt Flavored Fruit & Nut Bars made with fruit, nuts and seeds atop a yogurt-flavored cream. The bars come in three varieties: Cranberry Blueberry with Citrus, Vanilla Fig and Mango Pineapple.
For candy lovers who prefer another popular brand of chocolate, Dove offers its new bite-sized Chocolate Fruit & Nut snacks, available in Strawberry & Cocoa Almond, Blueberry & Vanilla Cashew and Raspberry & Honey Roasted Almond.
General Mills, long a proponent of foods for the gluten-free community, has launched Larabar Bites. The truffle-like bites, sold in the nutrition bar aisle, are made with six ingredients or less, including dates, fair-trade chocolate chips, almonds and coconut flour. Varieties include Chocolate Macaroon, Mint Chocolate Truffle, Double Chocolate Brownie and Cherry Chocolate Chip.
-Michael Savett
