Bars are a real consumer favorite as a between-meal snack. Health-conscious consumers value products with fruity fillings because they carry with them fruit's positive image and they are seen as a healthy alternative to sugary chocolate bars. Baked goods manufacturers can now take even greater advantage of this trend: starting now, bars with 50 percent fruit content are available.

According to data from Euromonitor, Europeans consumed a total of 150,000 tons of snack bars in 2008, including breakfast, energy, granola, and fruit bars. The largest market for snack bars is Great Britain at over 50,000 tons or about one third of the European market. According to studies, the snack bar market in Europe is far from saturated, with the end nowhere in sight.

As much fruit as possible
Consumer demand for quality and taste in bars has risen considerably. Due to a heightened awareness of healthy nutrition, consumers want products with a higher fruit content. In the past, the standard fruit content in bars was targeted at 10 percent, but now WILD is offering the baked goods industry the highest fruit content technology will allow, with 50 percent fruit from juice concentrate in the end product. The high fruit content can be touted on the packaging, ensuring premium-product positioning.