Lately, more and more consumers are interested in what they eat, how the products are made and where the ingredients come from. But at the end of the day, taste is what motivates any consumer to make the purchasing decision. This is the opinion of Jules Klerken, product manager Snex®, a range of products belonging to the Scelta portfolio.
What do you base the introduction of new ranges in your portfolio on?
Mushrooms are brilliant to work with. There is so much more we can get out of mushrooms than we already do. We are constantly working on potential new developments with partners, on new taste sensations, sustainable solutions and healthy products, because “winnovation” is the foundation of our business. All new products are being developed around the key values of taste, health and sustainability.
An example is the Snex® range. In the year that Japanese football star Keisuke Honda was still playing for the local football club VVV-Venlo, many Japanese customers visited Venlo. After matches, we regularly got served ‘bitterballen’ (miniature meat croquettes) and other indeterminable snacks. The Japanese guests were flabbergasted when they saw everyone crave for these greasy snacks. This led to the idea to develop a healthier and tastier alternative; to make vegetables sexy. Sexy snacks…Snex®!
The Scelta development chefs learned the tricks of the trade at various Michelin star-restaurants and started in November 2009 with the development of a tasty, healthier and vegetarian alternative for the traditional snacks. At the first tasting, 26 different balls with exciting flavors were presented to a taste panel of children, food experts and athletes. More sessions with children, chefs and experts followed in order to shape the project values of taste, health, vegetables and natural ingredients into actual products. This resulted in the definitive introduction range of mushroom, mushroom with broccoli, mushroom with spinach, sauerkraut and ratatouille Snex®.
How was the Snex® range perceived by consumers?
Everyone likes a tasty snack every now and then. However, we set ourselves the goal to create a healthier snack alternative, in which taste and health are better balanced. Snex® balls are 100% meat-free and full of freshly frozen vegetables: 1 portion (5 balls – 100 grams) provides 25% of the recommended daily amount of vegetables, with clearly identifiable ingredients and no added artificial colorings or flavorings. You see what you eat and you taste what you see! They can be prepared in the oven or deep-fryer.
With Snex® every guest at the party can enjoy a tasty snack – not excluding the vegetarian, kosher and halal consumer. Suitable for every occasion: use it as a snack, fingerfood, tasty and quick appetizer or meal component. The feedback we receive from people tasting them is very positive. It already won various prizes, such as the award for best international innovation at the Alimentaria 2014 fair, and was selected in two categories in the SIAL innovation Selection 2014.
What are your expectations regarding fingerfood?
Snacking is evolving. As consumers change their eating habits by eating smaller meals, the lines between snacks and meals are starting to blur. Snacks serve more and more as a meal substitute in daily eating. Healthy snacks and vegetarian snacks are gaining interest. Simultaneously, consumers are becoming more and more adventurous in trying new taste experiences, therefore, we expect the range of fingerfoods to become wider and wider.
Is the Snex® brand sold in other countries?
Snex® is a global snack. They are already being sold in for example China, Switzerland, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. We are active worldwide and expect the rest of the world to follow rapidly.
What are the company’s expectations for 2015?
This varies per country and per product. We have an ever expanding range of mushroom products and our global presence is growing every year, which will be no different in 2015.
For Snex®, we are already working on the next step: many more mouth-watering flavors and new shapes will follow – ball, croquette or nugget, Italian, Indian or Mexican, but the options are endless. From the recently built state-of-the-art production facility Scelta Products in Zeeland, a whole range of vegetable Snex® is shipped all over the world.