Wholesale Report

 

There's no easy way to say this, so here it is: Wholesale snack prices are going up. Master foods USA (which used to be M&M/Mars), Hershey, Kraft and Nestlé are raising snack prices. The raise will vary among products and manufacturers; Hershey, for instance, announced a 3% increase over their entire product line. You may have to adjust your prices to compensate; you might want to post a notice that "Due to the recent wholesale price increase..." to calm your customers. The manufacturers stress that this is the first price increase in seven years; let's hope it's at least seven years before they make another one!

There are a couple of new products from Frito-Lay for your chip eaters. Doritos has new Salsa tortilla chips, and Lay's "Taste of America" line added Wisconsin Cheddar Flavored Potato Chips.

Also in chip news, new Wise Crispy Rounds Tortilla Chips are made with 100% stone ground yellow corn meal.

You say you want authentic chips? El Sarrosa has 'em! Guacachip guacamole chips are made with real avocados. Salsitas tortilla rounds are made with real tomatoes and avocados. Finish your meal with Crispas, churro chips made from tortilla strips and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

Nature Valley Granola Bars from General Mills have added Banana Nut Crunchy Granola Bar, and Chewy Granola, dipped in a "yogurty strawberry coating".

Quaker has a delicious new goodie, Crisp'ums Cinnamon Sugar Baked Crisps. They're good enough to be a dessert! Also from Quaker is Quaker Fruit & Oatmeal Bites, in Strawberry and Apple Crisp flavors.

Snyder's of Hanover has created Coney Island Hot Dog with Mustard Potato Chips-almost as good as a ride on the roller coaster!

Grandma's has added to her delicious bite-sized Vanilla Mini Cookies with new Peanut Butter Mini Cookies. And of course, Grandma uses real peanut butter!

If you vend pastries, check out Entenmann's : Cinnamon Roll, Bear Claw, Glazed Donut, Glazed Honey Bun, and Iced Honey Bun, all in 3 oz. bags.

Incredible! Another new Snickers! M&M/Mars (which is now, technically, Masterfoods USA) has introduced a new Snickers Almond Bar. It's actually a "reformulated" Mars Bar-so if your customers miss the old bar, they'll love the new one!

Two issues ago, we mentioned some new product extensions; now Nestlé has combined their long-time favorite Nestlé Crunch with a gooey caramel center, so of course, it's called Nestlé Crunch with Caramel!

Canadian distributors, if you have OCS, check out DureFoods ' Durelicious Hot Chocolate. It comes in mylar pouches in English Toffee, French Vanilla, Hazelnut, Irish Cream, Swiss Mocha, and Original (they also have Iced Hot Chocolate and Chai Tea).

Just Born , makers of the popular "Mike and Ike", Hot Tamales, and Zours, has two new Mike and Ike flavors: Cherry Cola, and Buttered Popcorn (really!).

McKee Foods' Little Debbie line continues to expand into vending with Swiss Cake Rolls and Fudge Brownie vend packs.

Promotion in Motion , has expanded its line, which now includes Welch's Fruit Snacks (five flavors), Creamsicle Candy Twists (two flavors), Sour Jacks, Lemon-Head, Cherry-Head, Boston Baked Beans, Sun-Maid Milk Chocolate Raisins, Fisher Milk Chocolate Covered Peanuts, Monster Malts Malted Milk Balls, and two flavors of Toggi European Chocolate Wafers.