Fruit brand Dole is moving into bagged seed and nut snacks and bars as it ramps up its healthy snacking offer.

The Live Right range, rolling out to Tesco now, is aimed at professional women and features front-of-pack calorie-count labelling. It was a natural extension to its core line-up, which includes fresh and tinned fruit and ambient fruit snack pots, claimed Dole.

There was a big opportunity to grow nuts and dried fruit in the snacking market, said marketing director Frédéric de Vanssay. More than 75% of consumers viewed nuts as a healthy snack, but some were put off by the lack of portioning and calorie control, he said. “People are fed up with low-calorie snacks which offer ‘empty’ calories that aren’t necessarily good for you, and want a natural product.”

The range, which will also be listed at P&H from 3 June, comprises three variants. Crunch fruit and nut clusters come in three flavours: almond & cashew, pomegranate & raspberry and cranberry (rsp £1.59 for a 56g bag), and are also available as Mini Crunch (rsp £2.99 for a five-pack).

Trio Bars contain seeds, fruit and nuts and are available in cranberry, blueberry and strawberry flavours (rsp £2.19 for a three-pack). And Rice Stix (rsp £2.39 for a 113g bag) come in mango & strawberry, cranberry & blueberry, and cinnamon & cranberry variants.

The range, which has been endorsed by cholesterol charity Heart UK, will have sampling, TV, radio, print and online support, and is being fronted by TV nutritionist Amanda Hamilton.

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