The brownie sector is enjoying an upswing, as snacking and eating on-the-go have become a huge area of opportunity as consumers’ schedules continue to be flexible.

Expectations of gluten-free options have become the norm, according to Rich Products, which is why the company touts that its fully finished gluten-free fudge brownies will become an instant favorite for your consumers.

“We’ve seen an increase in the selection of grab-and-go options in the industry, including better-for-you and higher quality offerings,” explains Alyssa Barrett, customer marketing manager - convenience, Rich Products, Buffalo, New York. “We continue to innovate and introduce new grab-and-go options for consumers focusing on on-trend options like globally inspired options, new twists on old favorites and fully finished, ready-to-serve classics.”

A wide number of innovators are bringing new brownie options to the table.

Killer Brownies feature high-quality ingredients like hormone-free butter, unbleached flour, and sustainably sourced cocoa. New products include dessert options for special dietary needs. For example, Killer Brownies now features the Plant Based Salted Fudge, a rich and fudgy plant-based brownie, made with creamy oat milk, that's finished with semi-sweet chocolate chips and a hint of sea salt.

Killer Brownie best sellers include the following:

Cookie Dough Killer Brownie: Golden chocolate chip Killer Cookie™ dough and rich chocolate brownie are baked together with a layer of creamy caramel and extra chocolate chips.

Kitchen Sink: Rich blonde brownie—mixed with rainbow sprinkles and topped with M&M's® and mini chocolate chips—is baked atop a decadent fudge brownie.

Confetti Killer Brownie: Layers of rich vanilla blonde brownie, mixed with a custom blend of rainbow sprinkles, are nestled with creamy caramel and white chocolate chips in the center.

Girl Scouts special

Golden Dough Foods, a manufacturer of baked goods, has announced a new licensing partnership and nationwide launch with Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). This collaboration features the iconic flavor of the beloved Thin Mints cookies in an on-the-go brownie format which began rolling out in early December at Sam’s Club stores nationwide.

This sweet treat captures the essence of the beloved Girl Scout cookie flavor in a whole new way, with a combination of rich, chocolatey brownie base with a burst of mint frosting and chocolate mint crumble topping.

“Partnering with Girl Scouts of the USA and Member's Mark on our Thin Mints brownies launch is a tremendous honor for Golden Dough Foods,” says Wil Torres, founder and chief executive officer of Golden Dough Foods. “We are thrilled to bring this iconic Girl Scout cookie flavor to millions of people who shop at Sam's Club. Our expertise in crafting delicious baked goods combined with the popularity of Girl Scout cookies will surely be a winning combination.”

The Girl Scout Thin Mints brownies, developed by Golden Dough Foods, is the beginning of what will be a multi-product lineup available at Sam’s Club locations nationwide and other retailers.

“We are excited to partner with Golden Dough Foods to create another great twist on the chocolate and mint pairing – a Thin Mints-inspired brownie,” says Wendy Lou, chief revenue officer for Girl Scouts of the USA. “We hope that when people enjoy this treat, they’re reminded of the millions of girls who earn entrepreneurship badges each year as part of our cookie program that makes Thin Mints so popular.”

Fudgy options

Snack and sweet lovers will be rejoicing before they even take the first bite of a new, decadent, fudgy brownie, unveiled by Otis Spunkmeyer. Melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chips, baked into the dense brownies, ignite a craveable experience that will leave consumers wanting more.

The three-ounce brownie joins the Otis Spunkmeyer Double Fudge Chocolate Chip Brownie 1/4 Sheet in the long line of minimal labor, decadent snacks and sweets that are available from the company. The new brownies are individually wrapped, providing “grab and go” treats and underlining safety reassurances for customers, along with a zero-labor solution for In-Store Bakery, foodservice, C-Store, and vending operators.

“This is the sweet treat consumers will reach for time and time again,” said Paul Stippich, director of marketing, Otis Spunkmeyer. “Brownies are considered one of the top three desserts in America. The talented Research and Development team at Otis Spunkmeyer developed this fudgy brownie with the perfect texture, flavor, and just the right amount of chocolate.”

In more developments, General Mills Foodservice has introduced Pillsbury™ Thaw & Serve Brownie Sheets, a convenient, low-labor solution to help operations turn out decadent desserts with fudgy, scratch-like quality. Available in full or half-sheet options, the no-bake brownies can be served as a standalone treat or customized for a variety of other desserts.

Pillsbury Thaw & Serve Brownie Sheets help foodservice operations meet growing consumer demand for indulgent desserts yet require minimal labor. Fifty-three percent of consumers enjoyed dessert the past day and 60 percent of operators reported that desserts help drive profits, which is why they are such an important and treasured part of daily menus.

“The new Pillsbury brownie sheets give operations a way to streamline prep and offer a consistent foundation for several desserts,” says Chef Gilles Stassart, a member of Chefs of the Mills. “The brownies come ready-to-serve and are great plain or topped with ice cream, but they also offer endless opportunities to create elevated desserts by using different toppings, cutting into shapes or packaging as a grab-and-go option.”

The pre-baked brownies come in uncut sheets, which make them a versatile option for retailers, restaurants, cafeterias, catering and coffee shops to use in different ways to accommodate their menus. A parchment-lined trap also allows easy removal and serving.

“We know desserts can be a challenge for operations that are understaffed or don’t have pastry chefs so our team is always looking for ways to help them serve scratch-like or semi-scratch desserts with ease,” says Chef Stassart. “The consistently rich chocolate flavor and fudgy texture of these brownies offer a perfect balance of quality and pre-made convenience.”

The Pillsbury Thaw & Serve Brownie Sheets were developed with a proprietary process backed by rigorous testing from the culinary experts at General Mills.