With 85% of the UK population trying to improve their health, and concerns surrounding obesity mounting, Trek is encouraging independents to concentrate on widening their healthy snacks bay.

Currently in the UK, the top healthier cereal brands in convenience in terms of value in order are: Eat Natural, Nakd, Nature Valley and Trek – with the brand growing at 26% year on year and worth £4m in the channel.

Paul Samways, the company’s trade marketing manager, says smaller brands are leading the way in healthier snacking. However, this is currently underrepresented in the convenience channel.

“In convenience, there is only 31% frequency of purchase, driven by 25-to-34-year-olds. Retailers should utilise marketing material available to them to improve this figure, as 30% of cereal bar shoppers learn about new products through in-store PoS,” he said.

Driving the growth in healthier snacks, said Ben Knop, brand manager at Trek, was innovation, so the brand has launched new Protein Nut Bars, available in Coconut & Raspberry, Dark Chocolate & Orange, Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt, and Blueberry & Pumpkin Seed flavours.

“We’ve refreshed the packaging for all Trek products to have more mainstream appeal and have highlighted the protein content in the new packs to recruit more shoppers,” he said.