C AT E G O R Y I N S I G H T: B A R S
The bar’s tenacity BY LIZ GOO DWI N
For those looking for a quick and tasty bite to eat, the humble bar answers the call. A snack that can be devoured during carpool, between meetings or en route to the gym, perhaps no other food is up to snuff when it comes to palatable convenience. But when day-to-day errands and work obligations ground to a halt during lockdown, consumers found they had time for a more complex — and perhaps messier — snack. But bars were still a faithful friend to many who wanted nostalgic indulgence. As the pandemic landscape continues to morph, here’s what bar producers are seeing in terms of equipment needs and formulation challenges amid the rise of new ingredients and more.
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A bar’s recipe for a success requires equal parts good formulation and reliable equipment. Mark Lindsley, director of R&D at Downers Grove, IL-based Hearthside Food Solutions, said both elements are critical, especially when dealing with single extrusion, co-extrusion with fillings or even triple extrusion. Without a solid understanding of the base formula and how it performs in the oven and the right equipment, adding new flavors and ingredients becomes even more challenging. “It’s like a perfect marriage of equipment technology and formulation,” Lindsley said. “Formulating
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