BarPro, Crunchies, and Practical Bioactives Rework Protein Snacking

22% of shoppers now change meals with snacks. Glanbia Nutritionals’ BarPro® proteins, Crunchie™ inclusions, and practical bioactives clear up the feel and style challenges which have plagued high-protein snacks for years.

After many years of unhealthy ultra-processed meals in all places in sight, the snacking panorama has essentially shifted, and for the higher. What as soon as served as easy between-meal treats now features as authentic high-protein meal replacements, with 22% of shoppers changing full meals with snacks, marking a dramatic leap from simply 8% in 2018.^[1] This “snack as staple” pattern creates large alternatives for manufacturers that may ship significant vitamin in handy, craveable codecs.

Enter Glanbia Nutritionals with a complete protein snacking platform that solves the business’s greatest challenges whereas assembly client calls for for better-for-you choices. Via their modern BarPro® protein collection, Crunchie™ semi-finished inclusions, and practical bioactives like KetoSure® MCT and Prolibra®. Glanbia has cracked the code on creating high-protein snacks that do not compromise on style, texture, or manufacturing effectivity.

From extruded cereals (talked about on Episode #174 of our Podcast with Rachel Schreck and Brent Petersen) to protein bars to ready-to-drink purposes, Glanbia’s Q3 marketing campaign showcases how superior protein science can rework snacking classes which have struggled with protein incorporation for many years. These aren’t simply ingredient enhancements, they’re enabling applied sciences that open fully new product potentialities.

4 key market drivers present optimistic momentum for protein-fortified snacks, from elevated wholesome snacking traits to taste-focused success components, with solely 42% class penetration indicating vital development potential.

Earlier than we dive into what the group’s been cooking up, join PricePlow’s Glanbia Nutritionals’ information alerts, as now we have some large stuff coming:

The Problem: Making Protein Work in Snack Purposes

For years, formulators have battled the identical protein incorporation challenges in snack manufacturing. Conventional protein powders create dense, chalky textures that buyers overwhelmingly reject. In extrusion purposes, commonplace proteins trigger gear issues like extruder clogging whereas producing snacks with glassy, powdery mouthfeel and off-flavors that require intensive masking.

A various array of protein-enriched extruded items showcasing Glanbia’s BarPro, BarFlex, BarHarvest, and Crunchie applied sciences designed to unravel texture and style challenges in snacking purposes.

The feel problem goes deeper than most notice. Wildly attention-grabbing analysis from meals scientists reveals that buyers fall into distinct “mouth habits teams”:

1. Crunchers
2. Chewers
3. Smooshers, and
4. Suckers

Every of those has particular texture preferences. As an illustration, crunchers want meals that fracture on biting and gravitate towards merchandise that “allow them to eat with their ears” by audible crunch. This represents a major client phase that protein snacks have historically did not fulfill.

Analysis confirms nice style ranks because the #1 most necessary attribute whereas excessive protein is available in #2, but 64% of shoppers cite style and texture as main boundaries to consuming protein merchandise.

The manufacturing facet presents equally advanced challenges. Commonplace proteins behave poorly in extrusion, creating processing complications that improve prices and restrict product potentialities. If you mix poor performance with unsatisfactory sensory experiences, it is no surprise that actually profitable high-protein snacks stay uncommon within the market.

Glanbia Nutritionals acknowledged these interconnected challenges and developed a scientific strategy to unravel them by superior protein engineering and semi-finished options that work from day one.

BarPro® Sequence: Revolutionizing Protein Extrusion

The BarPro® collection represents functionally optimized proteins designed particularly for extrusion purposes:

BarPro® Know-how Overview

In contrast to commonplace proteins that combat the extrusion course of, BarPro® proteins are engineered to ship distinctive starch-like textures with out requiring excessive portions of precise starch.^[2]

Glanbia’s BarPro milk proteins, BarFlex whey proteins, and BarHarvest plant proteins are functionally engineered to ship superior textures for inclusions, snacks, and cereals with out requiring taste masking.

The breakthrough facilities on protein chemistry modifications that permit higher growth throughout extrusion whereas eliminating the chalky, powdery, and glassy traits that plague commonplace protein purposes. This is not nearly including protein to present formulations, it is about creating fully new texture potentialities that buyers truly need to eat.

Ashley Bacchiarello, Glanbia’s Senior Director of Product Strategic Administration, explains the innovation: “Via our understanding of the intricacies concerned in protein chemistry, together with its distinctive processing parameters, we have been capable of develop a variety of proteins optimized to permit for higher growth throughout the extrusion course of.”^[2]

Aspect-by-side comparability exhibits Glanbia’s protein options obtain higher texture, improved taste, and enhanced chewdown traits in comparison with commonplace proteins, enabling larger protein ranges with out compromising high quality.

BarPro® Product Vary

The BarPro® portfolio addresses totally different software wants with particular protein options:

• BarPro® 100 targets small inclusions in merchandise like bars, cookies, and clusters, delivering the protein enhance with out disrupting present manufacturing processes. This milk protein focus offers clear taste that requires no masking, which is a crucial benefit for formulators coping with tight value constructions.
• BarPro® 120 steps as much as direct expanded snacks and cereals with bigger sizes, permitting decrease starch ranges whereas reaching larger protein content material with out compromising texture. This opens alternatives in historically starch-heavy classes like extruded cereals and puffed snacks.
• BarPro® 130 takes the idea additional by combining milk protein focus with soluble tapioca fiber, enabling high-protein, high-fiber formulations with diminished web carbs. This addresses a number of client traits concurrently whereas sustaining manufacturing feasibility.

Plant-based choices by BarHarvest pea proteins carry related extrusion benefits to vegan and plant-forward merchandise, increasing the expertise’s attain throughout dietary preferences.

Crunchie™ Semi-Completed Options: Prepared-to-Use Protein Inclusions

For the crunchers on the market, Glanbia Nutritionals additionally has your purposes lined:

Glanbia’s Crunchie line affords semi-finished extruded items in a number of shapes and protein sources, delivering distinctive starch-like textures with 40-85% protein content material and clear flavors requiring no masking.

Crunchie™ Know-how Platform

Constructing on BarPro® protein improvements, Glanbia developed Crunchie™ semi-finished extruded items that clear up the “final mile” problem for a lot of producers. Quite than requiring intensive R&D to optimize protein extrusion in-house, formulators can incorporate ready-made high-protein inclusions with assured efficiency traits.

Crunchie™ merchandise make the most of BarPro®, BarFlex, and BarHarvest protein options in managed extrusion processes that ship distinctive starch-like textures with out starch dependence.^[3] The result’s constant form, measurement, coloration, and most significantly, sustained crunch all through shelf life.

The clear taste profile requires no masking, addressing one of many greatest formulation complications in protein purposes. When style panels persistently reject protein-fortified merchandise on account of off-notes, having an inclusion that really tastes good turns into a aggressive benefit.

Crunchie™ Product Portfolio

The Crunchie™ vary addresses totally different measurement and software necessities:

Complete vary contains milk, whey, and pea protein choices throughout crisps (3-5mm), bites (10-12mm), loops, and flakes, with cocoa variants accessible and customized extrusions doable for particular purposes.

• Crunchie™ Crisps (3-5mm diameter) function perfect bar and snack inclusions, containing >70-85% high-quality milk protein, >70% whey protein, or 40-63% pea protein relying on the variant. The small measurement integrates seamlessly into present bar manufacturing whereas offering vital protein boosts.
• Crunchie™ Bites scale as much as bigger sizes good for direct snacking or cereal purposes. The satisfying crunch appeals to texture-focused shoppers whereas delivering distinctive protein content material that conventional snacks cannot match. Cocoa variants present taste selection with out synthetic components.
• Crunchie™ Loops and Curls develop form potentialities for visible curiosity and mouthfeel selection. The round and curved configurations create totally different consuming experiences whereas sustaining the core protein and texture advantages.

Glanbia’s in-house coating capabilities add one other layer of comfort. Formulators can specify customized seasonings or coatings and obtain completed inclusions prepared for incorporation and even direct packaging, eliminating a number of processing steps.

Glanbia helps each slurry coating and topical seasoning purposes for Crunchie items, with full course of circulate from protein and starch mixing by ultimate packaging in Gaylord totes.

Purposes and Market Alternatives

Crunchie™ purposes lengthen far past conventional protein bars. The breakfast cereal market, battling flat development on account of competitors from protein-rich alternate options, features new alternatives by high-protein extruded items that preserve acquainted cereal experiences.

Detailed course of circulate exhibits six key levels from uncooked materials mixing by completed product packaging, together with extrusion, drying, and optionally available coating steps with specialised gear at every stage.

In actual fact, Glanbia Nutritionals has seen the #1 use of protein cereal for snacking. So the snacking purposes make sense: Quite than creating fully new manufacturing capabilities, snack corporations can incorporate Crunchie™ items into path mixes, create protein-forward snack blends, or use them as toppers for yogurt and dessert purposes.

Main extruded protein cereal manufacturers achieved +6% complete class development whereas common cereals declined -1.4%, now accounting for 1.9% of the ready-to-eat cereal market up from 0.31% in 2021.

The feel analysis displaying distinct client preferences for crunch aligns completely with Crunchie™’s worth proposition. For the numerous inhabitants of “Crunchers” preferring meals that fracture on biting, these inclusions fulfill textural wants whereas delivering practical vitamin advantages.

BarPro® 700: The Distinctive Texture Innovation

BarPro® 700 deserves particular consideration for its distinctive positioning. This milk protein focus with lactic acid creates a “brief, dense yogurt/cheesecake-like texture that enhances fruit flavors”. Whereas different BarPro® variants deal with impartial, starch-like textures, BarPro® 700 permits fully totally different sensory experiences that align with particular taste profiles.

In contrast to different BarPro proteins targeted on impartial textures, BarPro 700 creates an indulgent yogurt and cheesecake-like mouthfeel that enhances fruit flavors whereas sustaining superior shelf stability.

The fruit enhancement properties make BarPro® 700 notably beneficial for bars and snacks concentrating on dessert-like experiences with out the sugar load. The yogurt-reminiscent texture faucets into acquainted consolation meals associations whereas delivering superior protein content material.

This demonstrates Glanbia’s subtle strategy to protein performance: recognizing that totally different purposes profit from totally different textural traits fairly than pursuing one-size-fits-all options.

Accelerated storage testing exhibits BarPro 700 stays considerably softer over time in comparison with commonplace whey protein isolate and milk protein focus, fixing the frequent bar hardening drawback.

Practical Bioactives: Including Well being Advantages to Snacking

Decrease-carb dieters have some nice choices too, however shortly observe that the substances like MCT beneath aren’t simply for low-carb dieters.

Specialised substances together with ketogenic MCT, physique composition help, thermogenic compounds, and customized vitamin premixes that add focused well being advantages past fundamental protein vitamin.

• KetoSure MCT®: Ketogenic Snacking Assist

  KetoSure® addresses the intersection of low-carb weight-reduction plan and handy snacking by a singular mixture of coconut-based MCT-C8 and whey protein isolate. The ketogenic market has proven exceptional development, with MCT inclusion in sports activities vitamin and complement launches leaping from 11% in 2015 to 16% in 2019.^[4]

  The C8 fatty acid focus offers superior ketogenic potential in comparison with blended MCT oils, whereas the whey protein service permits straightforward incorporation into powder drink mixes, sizzling beverage powders, and crucially, bars and snacks. This clean-label strategy avoids components and carriers that complicate labeling and client acceptance.

  

  Technical specs for BarPro extrusion proteins and full Crunchie semi-finished items portfolio, displaying measurement ranges, protein content material, and software suggestions for every variant.

  KetoSure®’s speedy solubility and clear taste profile clear up conventional MCT incorporation challenges. Commonplace MCT oils create formulation difficulties in stable purposes and infrequently produce disagreeable sensory experiences. By combining C8 with functionally optimized whey protein, Glanbia created a ketogenic ingredient that really works in real-world purposes.

  The low-carb snacking market represents vital untapped potential. Most low-carb and keto dieters depend on entire meals like nuts and cheese for between-meal choices, however these aren’t protein-leveraged and shortly add an incredible variety of fats energy that persistently journey these dieters up. Manufactured snacks providing superior comfort and managed macronutrient profiles may seize substantial market share amongst dedicated keto shoppers.

• Prolibra®: Weight Administration Via Higher Physique Composition

  Prolibra® takes a classy strategy to weight administration by specializing in physique composition fairly than easy weight reduction. This whey protein fraction, excessive in leucine and bioactive peptides, demonstrated spectacular scientific ends in supporting wholesome physique composition adjustments.

  The analysis outcomes communicate for themselves: Prolibra delivered 5.8% physique fats discount versus 2.3% within the placebo group, with 79% of weight misplaced being fats in comparison with 51% within the management group.^[5] This represents the form of physique composition enchancment that weight administration shoppers truly need: dropping fats whereas sustaining lean muscle mass.

  

  Complete overview of Glanbia’s protein options spanning whey, milk, and plant-based choices, every optimized for particular texture traits from brief and dense to clean and chewy purposes.

  Unsurprisingly, the lively girls market exhibits curiosity in merchandise supporting physique composition targets. Sixty p.c of ladies aged 18-45 train thrice weekly or extra, and so they show larger consciousness of health-beneficial substances in comparison with much less lively girls.^[5]

  Prolibra’s inclusion in bars and snacks creates merchandise that align with lively life-style targets whereas becoming into busy schedules. Quite than requiring devoted complement regimens, shoppers can help their physique composition targets by handy snacking decisions that style good and supply satiety.

• Supporting Bioactives

  CapsiAtra® offers thermogenic advantages with out the pungency and negative effects related to conventional capsaicin dietary supplements. This artificial dihydrocapsiate helps weight administration and endurance with out elevating coronary heart fee or blood stress, making it appropriate for broader client populations than conventional thermogenic substances.

  Customized premix options spherical out the practical choices by offering complete vitamin and mineral fortification tailor-made to particular product wants. Quite than generic nutrient blends, these premixes optimize dietary profiles for goal demographics like lively girls, youngsters, or aged shoppers.

BevWise 1000: RTD Purposes

Lastly, BevWise 1000 extends Glanbia’s snacking innovation into ready-to-drink protein purposes by superior heat-stabilizing milk protein focus designed for impartial pH drinks. Whereas not historically thought-about snacking, RTD protein drinks more and more serve snack alternative features for busy shoppers.

Warmth-stable milk protein focus designed for impartial pH ready-to-drink purposes, providing superior solubility and emulsification for UHT processing and high-heat manufacturing necessities.

The important thing advantages of fine solubility, wonderful emulsification, wonderful dietary worth, and excessive warmth stability offered right here clear up persistent formulation challenges in high-protein RTDs. Comparability with market leaders exhibits BevWise 1000 delivering superior dietary profiles with cleaner ingredient statements.

Purposes span impartial pH RTD drinks, UHT drinks, and high-heat processing purposes, offering formulators with flexibility throughout totally different manufacturing and distribution necessities. The 30g protein supply in a 150-calorie, low-fat, zero-added-sugar format aligns with client calls for for environment friendly vitamin supply.

Aspect-by-side dietary comparability exhibits BevWise 1000 delivering aggressive macronutrient profiles with simplified ingredient statements, eliminating components like calcium caseinate present in main manufacturers.

BevWise 1000 connects to Glanbia’s broader beverage innovation platform, together with breakthrough substances like CreaBev for beverage-stable creatine and OptiATP for encapsulated ATP. This ready-to-drink strategy ensures that protein stays the inspiration whereas superior bioactives present practical differentiation.

Market Context and Shopper Developments

Shopper mapping exhibits protein-enhanced merchandise bridging the hole between indulgent and health-focused snacking, with protein additions shifting merchandise towards the “more healthy” finish of the notion scale.

The wholesome snacking market exhibits unimaginable momentum pushed by basic shifts in consuming patterns and well being consciousness. Shopper analysis reveals that 84% of respondents spend time researching manufacturers that supply merchandise appropriate for his or her wants earlier than buying premium meals and beverage merchandise.^[1]

Information exhibits shoppers give themselves permission to snack extra usually when merchandise are positioned as more healthy, with better-for-you indulgences seeing 67% day by day consumption in comparison with 46% for traditional candy snacks.

Protein emerges as a uniquely consumer-friendly macronutrient that individuals actively search on labels, in contrast to sugar which shoppers keep away from. This creates advertising benefits for protein-fortified snacks that reach past dietary advantages to buy motivation and model notion.

Individuals devour savory snacks 6.1 instances weekly and candy snacks 6.4 instances weekly, whereas 58% actively attempt growing protein consumption and over 70% report consuming extra protein-enriched choices than a yr in the past.

Customers Know Extra: Deal with Them As Such!

The shift towards “knowledge-based consumption” signifies that shoppers more and more perceive and worth practical substances that present measurable advantages. Quite than generic “higher for you” positioning, merchandise with particular practical substances like Prolibra or KetoSure® MCT can talk focused advantages that resonate with knowledgeable shoppers.

Cross-generational analysis exhibits protein helps the highest causes folks snack, from fulfilling cravings (59%) to treating oneself (58%), with constant enchantment throughout age teams for practical vitamin advantages.

Cross-category innovation alternatives abound as conventional class boundaries blur. Cereal corporations can create snackable merchandise, bar producers can develop breakfast alternate options, and beverage manufacturers can introduce meal alternative choices. Glanbia’s complete ingredient portfolio helps this class fluidity by offering practical options throughout codecs.

The high-protein extruded class grew 30% yearly from $198M to $257M, representing simply 2.1% of the overall US potato chip and extruded snacks market, indicating substantial growth potential.

Connecting to Glanbia’s Broader Innovation Platform

These snacking improvements do not exist in isolation however hook up with Glanbia’s complete power platform that is reworking practical vitamin throughout classes. The latest launch of CreaBev and OptiATP applied sciences demonstrates how beverage-stable variations of historically problematic substances can unlock fully new product potentialities.

Shopper utilization patterns reveal 39% of lively adults devour protein bars, candy snacks, or cereals, with vital overlap displaying alternatives for manufacturers to seize shoppers throughout a number of protein-fortified classes.

FitAid RX’s profitable integration of CreaBev expertise proves that Glanbia’s improvements translate into real-world industrial success. When established manufacturers like LifeAID select Glanbia’s superior substances for flagship product launches, it validates each the technical efficiency and market potential of those improvements.

Market alternative exists on the intersection of elevated snacking incidence, rising protein demand, and client want for higher texture and style experiences in practical meals.

In the meantime, the partnership strategy with corporations like Primary Dietary supplements showcases how transparency round ingredient sourcing creates aggressive benefits. By disclosing Glanbia-sourced proteins and highlighting the standard benefits, manufacturers can differentiate in crowded markets whereas constructing client belief.

Shopper analysis reveals 58% of world shoppers actively search extra protein, whereas 52% of snacking events now serve leisure wants past conventional fitness center use, with style remaining the highest precedence.

This full-ecosystem strategy — combining foundational proteins, superior bioactives, and application-specific options — permits formulators to create complete dietary profiles fairly than single-ingredient additions. The synergies between substances usually produce higher outcomes than particular person elements alone.

The Way forward for Practical Protein Snacking

Glanbia Nutritionals’ complete snacking portfolio represents greater than ingredient innovation… it is an enablement platform that permits manufacturers to compete within the quickly evolving better-for-you snacking market. Via BarPro® extrusion proteins, Crunchie™ ready-to-use inclusions, and practical bioactives like KetoSure® and Prolibra, formulators achieve entry to options that clear up each technical challenges and client calls for.

The feel science behind merchandise like Crunchie™ immediately addresses client preferences whereas the practical bioactives present measurable advantages that knowledgeable shoppers more and more anticipate. BevWise 1000 extends these benefits into RTD codecs, guaranteeing complete protection throughout snacking events and preferences.

Because the “snack as staple” pattern continues evolving, manufacturers with entry to superior protein applied sciences will seize disproportionate market share. Glanbia’s Q3 marketing campaign highlights how many years of protein experience translate into sensible options that work in actual manufacturing environments whereas delivering the style, texture, and vitamin shoppers demand.

The convergence of client well being consciousness, handy consuming patterns, and superior ingredient expertise creates unprecedented alternatives for practical protein snacking. Glanbia Nutritionals offers the inspiration for manufacturers able to capitalize on this intersection of traits.

To be taught extra about incorporating these modern protein and bioactive options into your subsequent better-for-you snacking product, contact Glanbia Nutritionals and uncover how their complete ingredient ecosystem can rework your formulation potentialities.