The relationship between mood and eating played out big time during the pandemic, especially when it comes to snacking and treating ourselves, reports The NPD Group. With many people spending more time at home during the pandemic, snack foods and treats, both better-for-you and indulgent, help to fill voids created by sadness, boredom, stress, and other moods.

Hormel Foods, Austin, Minn., expanded its Hormel Gatherings line with a new Hormel pretzel bites and cheese tray, sold in the grocer’s refrigerated deli section.

PeaTos®, appointed snack food industry veteran Dave Johnson to the newly created role of chief growth officer (CGO). Johnson brings more than two decades of experience to the job, including 19 years at PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay business unit.

The innovation follows the release of two other products in the SNICKERS brownie line-up: SNICKERS Peanut Brownie, which features a chewy peanut-brownie filling, a layer of caramel and a classic SNICKERS chocolate coating, and SNICKERS Peanut Brownie Ice Cream.

Blue Diamond Growers introduced a line of Blue Diamond XTREMES™ almonds. Available in three hot flavors: Cayenne Pepper (hot), Ghost Pepper (hotter) and Carolina Reaper (hottest), the new almonds are made with real peppers and have a spicy flavor rush.

Times of uncertainty can have a significant impact on consumer behaviors, and the global pandemic has been a major change agent throughout the past year. The ways people snack are highly vulnerable to lifestyle shifts, more so than mealtime habits. 

Pretzels, Inc., a manufacturer of pretzels and other snack products, announced it has expanded its product line to offer almond butter filled pretzels. This addition complements Pretzels’ other snack offerings, which fulfill consumer demand for pretzel-based snacks that are tasty, satiating, and healthy.

Hilo Life launched a keto-friendly, almond flour-based chip. This innovation delivers a crunchy texture and bold flavor with 3g net carbs and 9g protein per serving1. Available in three snack flavor profiles, Nacho Cheese, Ranch and Spicy Salsa, the tortilla style chips were developed for carb-conscious snackers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a disaster for so many industries, but snack food products actually prospered during the chaos that defined 2020.

Wilde Brands recently introduced a line of Pork Chips, made from 100% premium pork meat. The new chip features a thin, crispy texture, 10g of protein per serving and is available in Golden Mustard BBQ, Sweet Chipotle, Black Pepper Bacon and Chili Lime Verde.