Amara hits the market with no-added-sugar toddler snacks

  • 8 December 2020
  • Start-ups
A former chairman of Hershey’s, a PhD in nutrition who studied baby food for five years, and one of the largest online distributors of health and beauty are investors in the San Francisco-based company
New no-added-sugar toddle snack range from Amara

Organic baby food company Amara has expanded its range of toddler snacks with a line of no-added-sugar products. Based in San Francisco, California, Amara is a foodtech start-up known for its trailblazing proprietary technology that locks in the taste, texture and nutrients of fresh baby food meals in a convenient pouch.

The new product range hits the market nine months after the company raised $2 million in seed funding from key investors, including a former chairman of Hershey’s, a PhD in nutrition who studied baby food for five years, and one of the largest online distributors of health and beauty.

Amara’s new range Organic Smoothie Melts is another first for the baby food industry – it claims the range is the only melt-in-mouth snacks for babies and toddlers without any added sugar.

“Parents tell us we’re the only packaged baby food they trust to give their babies,” said Jessica Sturzenegger, Amara’s founder and chief executive. “We’re thrilled to continue to grow with our customers to give them better alternatives for their babies and toddlers when they’re on-the-go.”

Sturzenegger said she started Amara under the vision of providing families with fresh, healthy, convenient, and affordable baby food. “We’ll continue to do that as their babies grow up.”

Product development

The range Organic Smoothie Melts was created to keep little tummies full and little hands busy. The product formulation leverages the nourishing essentials of fruits and vegetables without using any added sugar or unnecessary ingredients – while competitors in the category list sugar as the second or third ingredient.

The melt-in-mouth snacks are available in plant-based and yoghurt-based varieties including Beets n’ Berries, Carrot Raspberry, and Mango Carrots.

Amara argued the snacks are shaped to encourage skills such as grasping and chewing. Packaged in a resealable bag, they are ready-to-eat and shelf-stable for up to two years.

Organic Smoothie Melts are recommended for young eaters from 8 months to 4 years of age.

A category-maker

Amara first disrupted the baby food market in 2017, supporting the demand from parents for fresh, nutrient-rich, low-sugar baby food that was minimally-processed and shelf-stable.

Like its new snack range, the 100% organic whole fruit and vegetable blend baby meals use the natural properties available in the raw ingredients without additives and concentrated sugars.

The baby blend line is designed to mix with breast milk, formula, or water for a gentle transition from boob to spoon.

Amara’s new Organic Smoothie Melts are available on the company website, on Amazon, and select grocery retailers as of December. From January, the range will roll out across the US to other retailers.