‘We’ve seen a lot of retailers pull back tremendously [from fresh baby food]’

According to Regina Lee Fechter, vice president of innovation and e-commerce at Happy Family Organics, which makes non-perishable products for pregnant mothers and babies to infants, toddlers and toddlers, the overall fresh baby food market has not performed as well as some retailers and gamers in the space may have waited.

“We’ve seen a lot of retailers back off hugely … they weren’t getting those incremental sales from the fridges, because they actually had to discontinue so much space.To [to make room for fresh baby food brands] and then people didn’t necessarily want to pay the premium price points. “Fechter told FoodNavigator-USA, referring to some retailers that tried and decided not to expand the pilots of aisle refrigerators designated for baby food.

Fresh Bellies decided to discontinue fresh baby food entirely and focus solely on children’s snacks, citing cost and logistical barriers. Tiny Human Foods, which still makes a number of fresh baby food products, has moved from retail to a 100% direct-to-consumer model, with founder Ashley Rossi noted: “I’ll be happy to visit retail again when they prioritize baby food the same way they do pet food. That level of commitment just doesn’t exist for stores. “To

When it comes to areas where retailers prioritize more space, organic baby food has become the biggest growth engine for many stores.

“The tremendous growth in organic has been enormous,” Said the fencer. “When you think about the overall MULO category, in 2016 it was 26% organic and now in 2021 it’s 37.6. Basically, we’ve seen a 10-point growth in organic, and we know that baby food is at the forefront of organic. food as a category “, she said

Storage stable vs. fresh: what has the nutritional advantage?

So does the reluctance of some retailers to carry fresh baby food mean that parents have fewer quality options in store? Not at all, argued Fechter, who clarified that non-perishable baby food products, such as the company’s jars, bags and jars, have a positive role to play in baby nutrition and in developing a taste for high-protein foods. nutrients.

“When we talk about fresh versus non-perishable. Of course, something that is refrigerated and has a short shelf life has a flavor benefit and other benefits, but when you really look at nutrition to nutrition, the non-perishable aisle is providing a massive amount of nutrition at a more affordable price “,Said the fencer.

When comparing Happy Family’s non-perishable mango bag to Once Upon a Farm’s refrigerated mango SKU, for example, the nutrition platform is nearly identical, Fechter said.

Fechter explained that Happy Family Organics uses a traditional hot fill process in which baby food is heated to over 180°F (exact temperature depends on product type, time, and pH) for a short period of time prior to packaging, resulting in a product with a 12-month shelf life and substantial nutritional profile.

Fechter noted how certain vitamins, such as vitamin C, begin to degrade at higher temperatures, but argued that “NorthTono one is low on vitamin C in the United States “,And clarified that the company includes vitamin C in its initial recipes that undergo hot filling to help balance the PH and extend the shelf life of its products.

‘We need the industry to rely only on vegetables’

Happy Family Organics is continually pushing the nutritional standards of its products with the introduction of more unsalted and sugar-free vegetarian options, such as its Savory Blends line, launched as part of the brand’s commitment to the Association for a Healthier America. ‘, featuring bag SKUs such as Purple Carrots and Cauliflower with Avocado Oil and Oregano and Broccoli and Carrots with Olive Oil and Garlic.

“People have always made fruit and vegetable mixes, but it’s still quite a bit of fruit, and we need the industry to rely only on vegetables.”Said the fencer.

And while a constant pain point for parents has been getting their children to voluntarily eat vegetables at least without strong resistance, Fechter shared that Happy Family Organics encourages parents to adopt an “every bite counts” mentality when feeding their children. .

“When you have a baby that’s six to 10 months old, that’s a window of opportunity because babies To[at least] taste everything Every nutritional bite matters “,she said

While Happy Family’s portfolio includes more than 100 products that address virtually every developmental nutritional need state of a child, Fechter added that the company continually explores other areas and segments, including more mealtime solutions and options. of snacks.