AMSTERDAM, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Beech-Nut Nutrition Company today announced the launch of its new line of 100 percent natural baby food that includes new flavors inspired by real moms who try simple and adventurous ingredient combinations at home. These jars contain just real fruits and vegetables (and sometimes ancient grains and beans), and nothing else: no excess water, artificial additives or preservatives.
The new line from Beech-Nut is the result of research that showed that moms are leaving the baby food aisle because their needs aren’t being met. Instead, many moms are increasingly making baby food at home, where they feel more confident that the ingredients used are simple, wholesome and real. Many experiment with unique flavor combinations and incorporate “superfoods” like pomegranates, chia and quinoa to boost nutrition.
Beech-Nut offers nutritious options like pomegranate, avocado and beets. Only the highest quality varieties of fruits and vegetables, like Honeycrisp apples, Bartlett pears, Marion blackberries, Hass avocados, Kent mangos and butternut squash are selected to go into the jars. Flavors include just sugar snap peas; just mango, apple & avocado; corn, black bean & amaranth; and beets, pear & pomegranate.
“This isn’t just a new line—this is the new Beech-Nut. We visited with moms and learned about how they were feeding their babies and how we could help. Moms don’t want to feed their children anything they wouldn’t eat themselves—and they shouldn’t have to. Our new line isn’t baby food. It’s real food for babies,” said Jeff Boutelle, President, Beech-Nut Nutrition.
The new line uses innovative technology inspired by homemade to create baby food that is more like what moms make in their own kitchens. Called just gentle cooking™, the method ensures the freshness of the fruits and vegetables, without adding excess water or preservatives, so that the food is never over-processed. When the food is cooked, Beech-Nut uses indirect heat similar to a double-boiler so that none of the flavors or nutrients get watered down. The result is food with texture, color and flavor that looks, tastes and feels just like homemade.
As part of the new line, Beech-Nut partnered with glass manufacturer Owens-Illinois (O-I) to design a completely new glass jar to further evoke the idea of homemade. It was important that the new line use glass jars, because glass protects the taste and integrity of the product. Glass won’t absorb food colors or smells, so the food inside keeps its natural taste, smell and appearance. It’s also environmentally friendly and 100 percent recyclable. In addition, Beech-Nut labels used on the jars also are clear, so that the true colors and textures of the food can easily be viewed by moms.
“This new line shows moms that baby food can be better. Beech-Nut is transforming the baby food category by doing the right thing and getting back to real food like moms make at home. If our jar says just carrots on the label, not only will moms see the bright orange and thicker consistency like the purees they make in their kitchens, the ingredient list verifies that the only ingredient is carrots,” said Boutelle.
The first shipments of the new Beech-Nut were sent on April 1, so the products will soon be on shelves of major retailers nationwide. The suggested retail price of a 4.25 ounce jar is $1.09. For more information about the flavors and to find the new Beech-Nut in stores, visit www.beechnut.com. The Classics line will still be available.
Along with the new Beech-Nut line, the company is introducing new branding and a new website. The new branding is a metaphor for Beech-Nut: always growing, focused on wholesome food and tied to a commitment to environmental sustainability and green living. The website (www.beechnut.com) will include new product and brand images, descriptions of the new products and ongoing blog updates for moms from Beech-Nut. The brand also can be found via the following social channels:
- Facebook: Facebook.com/BeechNut
- Twitter: @BeechNutFoods
About Beech-Nut
Producing baby food since 1931, Beech-Nut Nutrition Company has been built on a history of innovation and dedication to infant nutrition. Headquartered in Amsterdam, New York, Beech-Nut is the number two leading baby food brand in the United States and is committed to deliver more nutrition for parents and babies. As a subsidiary of Hero AG of Lenzburg, Switzerland, a global leader in consumer goods and infant feeding, Beech-Nut is able to combine global resources to continuously improve food and nutrition for infants.
About Hero AG
Hero, an international brand-focused consumer-foods group, was founded in 1886 in Lenzburg, Switzerland, and is committed to producing high-quality, nutritious products in its core product categories of Infant Nutrition and Fruit. Hero’s operations are based predominantly in Europe, North America and Middle East/Africa and Turkey/Central Asia. In 2009, the group generated revenues of 1.9 billion with over 4,000 employees. Dr. Arend Oetker is the majority shareholder.