THE SWEET SPOT
After a dip in sales early in the pandemic, a meringue maker is managing a rebound.
Two years after formulating a treat for people of all ages, especially those limiting sweets due to health concerns, the future looked bright for Santte Foods in 2020.
Tidbits Fun Bites, a low-calorie meringue cookie with natural ingredients, hit the shelves of H-E-B grocery stores in January. The company was a finalist in the grocer’s 2019 “Quest for Texas Best” contest to promote local products.
Made with egg whites, a sugar substitute, natural flavors and colors, salt and cream of tartar, Tidbits contains less than 2 calories apiece. There are also product lines tailored for diabetics and those following a ketogenic diet.
“It’s kind of like a little cloud,” said owner Luis Sayrols. “You put it in your mouth and it just dissolves.”
The year started out strong, and then COVID-19 disrupted distribution in March, Sayrols said. H-E-B prioritized stocking items such as staple foods, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies and toilet paper.
“The buying panic started,” Sayrols said. “The shelves were empty. They were aiming more toward the essential things that were being bought because of COVID.”
Sales at Santte Foods dropped to between 20 percent and 25 percent of the levels experienced in the first two months of the year, he said.
“March, April, May and June were very slow,” he said. “It really hit us very hard.”
Santte managed to keep its staff of 17 by reducing the schedule at its production facility in Oak Ridge North. After several recent deals, the company, which produces between 50,000 and 65,000 bags per month and has capacity for almost four times as much, may soon be hiring.
By May, Santte had cranked up production, adding Lite Delites for Buc-ee’s convenience stores while continuing to produce Sinless Sweets for H-E-B.
“By the end of May, we had the green light from Rite Aid, which put us from regional to a multi-state brand,” Sayrols said.
The gluten-free, lactose-free, soy-free, non-GMO meringues retail for $4.99 for a 40 piece bag. The 20-piece bags for Buccee’s sell for $2.99. They come in flavors such as cookies and cream, chocolate, cappuccino, mint chocolate and vanilla.
Last month, the company reached a deal to sell in T. J. Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods stores nationally.
Santte recently began selling in select Sam’s Club stores in the Houston market on a trial basis.
Because of the coronavirus, it’s not as easy to hand out samples in store or at expos like it did last year. Santte hopes to get the word out through “influencers” who can tell their followers about the product on social media platforms. That could be a figure who promotes healthy living or fitness.
“Not everybody knows what a meringue is,” Sayrols said. “But once you try it, it really changes your perception of the product.”
If sales go well with the recent deals, Santte could turn a profit by the first quarter of next year, he said.
“We have been blessed because the entire road we have covered in so little time, we have had so many great people who have helped us,” Sayrols said. “We have had a lot of small miracles throughout the journey.”