Baby Gourmet targets older kids
Calgary firm introduces new products
Keeping healthy options front and centre was becoming more challenging JENNIFER CARLSON
Now that it’s made its mark with infants and toddlers, Calgary-based Baby Gourmet is setting its sights on older kids.
The company, known for its convenient baby food packages, launched on Monday its new Kids Gourmet brand, which will be sold through Superstore and Walmart stores across Canada.
Kids Gourmet, featuring a snack dubbed Squoosh, will be geared to school-aged children,
“Kids Gourmet seemed like a natural progression from Baby Gourmet,” said Jennifer Carlson, president and co-founder of Baby Gourmet.
“We built a ... successful brand with Baby Gourmet and had reached a number of moms and babies and I thought it just seemed ... natural ... to take the product on to children.”
Carlson said the target market is school-age children between five and 13 years old. “There’s such a large opportunity to reach children and provide healthy, convenient foods for kids beyond babies.”
The new product is a portable, organic fruit and vegetable snack with the texture similar to applesauce but in a gourmet style with a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Jay de Nance, an Alberta-based retail specialist with Fairfield Commercial Real Estate Inc., in Calgary, said healthy living is a common discussion topic for Canadian families.
“Calgary is a young familyoriented city with health top of mind and I expect these products will be well received,” de Nance said.
Squoosh promises a full serving of fruit and vegetables in every pouch.
Although it was available on a limited basis at Halloween, the product line is launching in more than 250 locations nationwide this month.
“Moms have been asking us what we had in mind for older children who outgrew Baby Gourmet, because they wanted to stay with our brand,” said Carlson.
“Moms find that as their children moved ... to snacking at school, keeping healthy options front and centre was becoming more challenging.”
Carlson said Squoosh was created to give older kids a snack that’s packaged in a way that appeals to them, with flavours that include Orangobango, Squabbleberry, Beetberry and Banango.
“Baby Gourmet was founded by two moms who wanted great tasting, nutritious food for their children and two years later, they still taste every batch. As a parent, this is the type of company I support and wanted to be a part of,” said new chief executive Michael Watt, who came to the company from Mars/Wrigley Inc.
The product is manufactured in California. Baby Gourmet has 17 employees plus the contractors working in California.
Former WestJet chief executive Sean Durfy served as interim chief executive until Watt’s appointment. Durfy remains as executive chairman of the company.