Protein bars are becoming more like candy bars as consumers demand products that deliver decadent flavors, satisfying textures and nutrition in a convenient bite, and BUILT Sour Puff sets itself apart on two counts—it has an irresistibly soft center and a sweet-tart coating. Flavor is important, and BUILT Sour Puff delivers deliciously different varieties like Blue Razz Blast Charge, juicy Sweet Peach Punch, and crisp Green Apple Crush.
Light, protein-rich BUILT PUFF with a marshmallowy middle now sports a fresh new look that focuses on flavor and candy bar-like indulgence. “We have consumers who have referred to our product as ‘purse candy,’ and so we had to have a package design that lived up to that promise,” said Megan Crossland, chief commercial officer at BUILT.
What's Driving This Trend
- Indulgent Functional Snacks
- Consumers seeking treats that combine decadent candy-like flavors with meaningful protein content create space for products that blur the line between dessert and nutrition.
- Texture-forward Protein Formats
- A focus on marshmallowy centers and contrasting coatings highlights consumer desire for multi-textured bites that elevate eating satisfaction beyond basic macros.
- Candy-inspired Nutritional Design
- Bright, flavor-forward varieties and playful naming conventions signal a shift toward nutritionally positioned items that adopt candy aesthetics to drive trial and emotional appeal.
Who This Affects Most
- Packaged Food & Snacks
- Reformulation and novel confection-like formats present opportunities for brands to capture indulgence-oriented shoppers within the larger snack aisle.
- Sports Nutrition
- Athlete-focused and everyday active consumers showing preference for tasty, convenient protein treats indicate a premiumization path for performance-oriented products.
- Retail & Packaging Design
- Shelf impact and 'purse candy' portability point to packaging innovations that drive impulse purchase and premium perception in both digital and brick-and-mortar channels.
