Yumami's Go-Dip Snack Packs Offer Healthy, Convenient, On-Trend Flavors

With convenience and snacking more-and-more becoming buzzwords in the fresh food industry, and consumers moving toward increasingly health-conscious diets, Yumami’s Go-Dip snack packs are primed to take advantage of the confluence of two big food trends.

The company’s refrigerated, 3.5 oz packs feature savory bean-based dips and popped nori rice chips for a nutritious on-the-go snack that doesn’t sacrifice flavor or texture.

“We wanted to offer something fun and delicious that also happened to be nutritious,” said Karsten Ch’ien, Co-Founder, noting that the snack packs were originally inspired by one of Betty Crocker’s ubiquitous children’s snack. “The initial thought was, let’s create a healthy, adult Dunkaroo!”

Far from the frosting-and-cookie prepackaged snacks that inspired the company, though, Yumami’s Go-Dip packs are elegantly-designed and packed with plant-based protein, while still maintaining that fun, almost-festive snacking sensation.

“We wrap the snack pack in a paper sleeve to show consumers that the contents of this package are special,” Karsten noted. “But we didn’t want to be too precious and overwhelm the functionality and convenience of the snack. You can see the high-low mishmash we have going on when you contrast the elegant watercolor ingredients with the very casual, matter-of-fact ‘Go-Dip.’”

And while bean dips may be a staple of deli departments, few can match Yumami’s on-trend selection of flavors, including:

• Red Adzuki Bean – With a bold and tangy ginger kick that punctuates the sweet, nutty bean.
• Edamame – Crisp and fresh, with a kid-friendly note of wasabi.
• Lentil – Fulsome umami is bolstered by savory and earthy roasted onion and shiitake, the closest to a traditional hummus.
• Black Bean – with a pleasant yuzu citrus, smooth texture, and layered spicy finish.

And the company’s signature Nori Chips provide a toothsome vehicle for each variety.

“The Popped Nori Chips came out of a long search for a chip that would pair perfectly with our dips,” Karsten said. “We needed a chip that had enough of its own—but subtle—flavor, featured good nutritional integrity, and was evocative of Asian cuisine. We set out to create a better rice chip, eliminating the blandness that people are accustomed to from typical popped rice cakes. Nori seaweed gives them an umami-rich flavor with minimal use of sea salt.”

The company launched its Go-Dip line as a Whole Foods exclusive throughout the Northeast in late-January, and plans are already in the works to expand into stand-alone dips and Popped Nori Chip packages. In fact, Karsten told me, in the next few months the company plans to roll out larger offerings of both, “Same great flavors, but made for more social—or hungrier—occasions."

For more on these and other unique products in the dairy, deli, and bakery industries, stay tuned to Deli Market News.