Freeze-dried packaged fruit snacks are viable snacks for consumers – they're not meant to be an alternative to fresh produce but an addition to it. Retailers note that packaged fruit and vegetables sell better when they’re in the produce department.
Crispy Green has year-round supply in order to create its freeze-dried fruits, which are available in seven flavors. "It’s another great option; it’s very convenient," says Cherie Boldt. Crispy Green recently expanded its consumer website to expand the brand further into the lifestyle category. The strategy was to create the SmartLifebites consumer website, provide information and tips, travel hacks and other issues people are interested in or concerned about when they’re trying to live a healthy lifestyle. "The whole notion of healthy lifestyle is across the board – not just millennials," she says. It’s not too hard to work towards consuming the required daily intake of vitamins and minerals from fruit when what you’re eating snacks like a chip but is essentially a sliced up mango or Asian pear.
During the quick freeze, 98% of the moisture is removed but nothing is added. "The end product retains over 90% of the full nutritional profile of fresh fruit, which is healthier than other traditional drying methods," says Boldt. "We source from carefully selected, certified growers. Our supply has been pretty steady, being able to keep up with our growing demand."
There may still be a few folks who think freeze-dried fruit is a novelty or more like ‘astronaut food’. But at the rate this category is growing (and predicted to grow at almost 7% over the next few years) Boldt says it’s definitely created a solid foothold in the grab-n-go healthy snacking category. "Our website contains a great deal of information about the freeze-drying process, and we also address the benefits of freeze-dried fruit on our Smart Lifebites healthy lifestyle website."
A professional chef and The Creative Kitchen were also brought onboard to contribute to SmartLifebites to convey the message that kids deserve and should have healthy, nutritious and delicious food options like Crispy Green’s Crispy Fruit.
Cherie Boldt
Crispy Green