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2024 WINNER: RETAIL FOOD

Think you’ve run out of ideas for your legacy brand? One of the year’s most compelling new product stories involves a R&D team—and related departments—that extended a 62-year-old brand through innovative applied technologies, texture and, of course, taste.

Prepared Foods’ 2023-24 Spirit of Innovation Retail Food honoree is Campbell’s Goldfish Crisps, a three-item line that debuted nationwide in January 2024. Interestingly, the popular Goldfish cracker tracks its history to 1958 and a Swiss cookie manufacturer. Pepperidge Farm Founder Margaret Rudkin discovered the product while on a European trip, struck a deal to bring Goldfish to the United States and subsequently launched her first product in 1962. Today, the line spans more than 20 varieties.

“Goldfish is a brand that continues to appeal to consumers of all ages. With Goldfish Crisps, our mash-up of crackers and potato chips, we saw an opportunity to offer families a new and crave-worthy snacking experience in a way that only Goldfish can,” says George Vindiola, Campbell’s senior vice president, Research & Development for Snacks. “Goldfish Crisps are the first ever potato-based offering in the Goldfish brand's history and are slightly larger than a traditional Goldfish cracker, bringing a completely new and crave-worthy snacking experience to consumers that is unlike anything else out there. Additionally, the consumer demand for snacking over the past year solidified our decision to perfect and release Crisps when we did.”

To Vindiola’s point, Campbell’s knows a thing or two about consumer snacking. Its powerhouse Snacks division now accounts for nearly half of all company sales and includes Pepperidge Farm cookies, crackers, fresh bakery and frozen products; Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels, Lance sandwich crackers, Cape Cod potato chips, Kettle Brand potato chips, Late July snacks, Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps, and other US snacks brands (such as Stella D’Oro, Jay’s, and Tom’s products).

Not surprisingly, new Goldfish Crisps debuted in three popular chip-inspired flavors: Sour Cream & Onion, Cheddar, and Salt & Vinegar. The “Light & Airy” individual Crisps are larger than the traditional Goldfish cracker and come in a larger, grazing-friendly 6.25oz bag at a suggested retail price of $4.79.

So how did Campbell’s actually execute this new offering? Vindiola shares a small look behind the scenes at the project, which also involved operations.

“While not necessarily a hurdle, our R&D team went through a rigorous prototype process before nailing the right Crisps recipe. During this process, we found that a lighter and airier product was going to help make the flavor more prominent,” says Vindiola. “We even invested in new equipment to ensure that Crisps came out perfectly and consistently coated with seasoning to meet the elevated flavor experience. This recipe was crafted to create a true ‘surround sound’ snacking experience that delivers bold flavor and a unique, light and airy texture.”