Packing the school lunch box becomes a little bit easier and a lot more interesting from today, with the launch of Choc Honey by Capilano, Hive + Wellness Australia's flagship brand. Capilano has launched the “game-changing” product, an all-natural nut-free spread made from only two ingredients, just as thousands of families around the country get back into the routine of on-campus schooling.
Research conducted across 450 Aussie families shows parents were crying out for help when it came to school lunches, with 70% saying they were always looking for new ideas, and over a third (37%) admitting they “dreaded” the lunch-packing routine.
Ryan d’Almeida, CEO of Hive + Wellness, the company behind the Capilano brand, said: “The research shows that many parents struggle to find lunchbox items that are tasty, natural, nut-free and travel well. Close to one third of parents say their kids’ packed sandwich often return uneaten – that’s a lot of wasted time and energy, while the kids themselves may then be learning on an empty stomach.”
“We are really excited to be launching Capilano Choc Honey, which we believe will be a game-changer for busy families.”
Mr d’Almeida said the unique product combined the delicious taste of 100% Australian honey with a chocolatey boost to create a lunchbox option everyone would love, while meeting school nut-free policies.
And unlike many hazelnut spreads on the market, Capilano Choc Honey does not contain palm oil. Generating its fudge-like choc honey taste entirely from pure Australian honey and sustainably-sourced cocoa, the natural product is free from preservatives and artificial additives, and contains no added sugar.
“We are expecting strong demand for Choc Honey,” Mr d’Almeida said. “Not only is it great on sandwiches, it is also delicious in milkshakes and smoothies, as icing on baked goods, or even as a snack straight off the spoon.”
The research showed Australian parents are committed to giving their children natural products, with only one in five saying this “rarely” or “never” affected their choices – yet close to half of parents said they struggled to find natural food options their child enjoyed.
Other findings included:
nearly half of parents get told the lunch they pack is boring (sometimes, often or always)two-thirds of parents admit their child says friends have nicer lunchesa key driver of lunch items was their ability to travel well, with 71% of parents citing this as a factor “often” or “always”, and a further 22% saying this was sometimes true.85% of parents said they considered whether their child would eat everything in the lunch box when packing their lunchmore than half (54%) said they were influenced by the need to avoid nuts.Mr d’Almeida said Choc Honey would be rolled out in Woolworths supermarkets over the next two weeks, and was expected to attract new consumers to the choc spreads category who had perhaps previously been wary of nuts or other ingredients.
“Capilano is always looking at ways to innovate our range and grow consumer interest in Australian honey. We will also be sharing some tailor-made recipes to help shoppers discover the full potential of this product.”