GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Responding to consumers' preference for healthy, filling, on-the-go snack options, Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life Services, has partnered with Rich's Products to offer fresh baked protein energy bars and cookies in Sodexo operated cafes and retail shops across the country.
"Snackification" – the preference for snacking more than eating distinct meals, is a popular, current food trend among consumers. However, traditional snacks like candy bars and bags of chips are not answering the call. Add in the busy lives and health consciousness of today's consumers, and there is a high demand for healthier and more nutritious snacks.
Snackification opened up a large market for protein energy bars, but recent studies have shown that many of the leading consumer brands have the same amount of calories, sugar and carbohydrates as a candy bar. With three flavor varieties – Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter, Berry Cinnamon Cashew and Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond, O'Goodness Mindful Fresh Baked Protein Energy Bars taste more like an indulgence, but still deliver the healthy, on-the-go snack option consumers want. Each 2 oz. bar is packed with protein and made with wholesome oats, honey, crunchy nuts, real fruit or dark chocolate. At only 190 calories, the bars are a good source of protein and fiber for long-lasting energy and digestive health.
The O'Goodness Mindful Cookies help consumers satisfy their taste buds without any of the guilt. They come in two varieties – Oatmeal Raisin Cranberry Dark Chocolate and Quinoa Pecan Dark Chocolate Chunk, and are made with rich dark chocolate, crunchy pecans or plump fruit, heart-healthy flax seed and organic sprouted quinoa. The better-for-you cookies are trans-fat free, low in sodium and cholesterol and under 100 calories per cookie.
"Not only have the O'Goodness Mindful Bars and Cookies been a hit on campus, but our team recently shared them with participants at the Capital Region Heart Walk in Albany, NY and they were a huge hit!" Said Kimberly Mayer, RDN, Registered Dietician Nutritionist for Sodexo at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. "The participants loved our cookies because they tasted like an indulgent treat with none of the guilt. They also appreciated the fact that these cookies were heart healthy and still tasted delicious!"
O'Goodness Mindful Fresh Baked Protein Energy Bars and Cookies have no artificial additives, sweeteners or flavors, and offer a real, healthier alternative to traditional vending machine snack fare.
The bars and cookies are part of the Mindful by Sodexo product offering – an award winning menu approach used in Sodexo cafes across North America. Mindful serves Sodexo's commitment to creating healthy environments for customers by providing nutritious and satisfying big plate, full flavor meals, as well as sides, soups and snacks.
When consumers see the Mindful logo in a Sodexo café, they can be assured they are making a healthier choice. By readily sharing the ingredients and nutritional information of Mindful meals and snacks, Sodexo is hoping to better educate consumers about which foods are part of a healthier choice so that soon making those choices becomes second nature – whether at work, at home or at play.
Sodexo delivers more than 100 services across North America that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life. The Fortune Global 500 company is a leader in delivering sustainable, integrated facilities management and foodservice operations.
Learn more at the company's corporate blog, Sodexo Insights.
Source: Sodexo
