Crave expands snacking offer with gluten-free and vegan pink wafer biscuit

Free-from snacking challenger Crave has debuted what it claims is the UK’’s first gluten-free and vegan pink wafer biscuit.

Crave Pink Cheetah Wafers will land in 480 Sainsbury’s stores from 19 April (rsp: £2/100g).

The launch would tap into “rising consumer trend of nostalgia-driven purchases” and offer shoppers “a free-from twist on a much-loved classic”, said Crave.

Sweet biscuits had “consistently proven their resilience even during periods of economic uncertainty”, the supplier claimed, pointing to Mintel data forecasting the category was set to be worth £4.8bn by 2030.

Furthermore, with a 2023 Bidfood report showing 57% of consumers finding retro or nostalgic food appealing, the launch of Pink Cheetah Wafers came at a “topical time”, it said. The NPD would offer “an affordable, comforting treat that’s emotionally resonant for shoppers”, it added.

“We recognised a clear gap in the market for a gluten-free and vegan version of a nostalgic favourite like the pink wafer,” said founder Rob Brice. “The free-from sweet biscuit market has seen minimal new product development in recent years, and we felt it needed a refresh – something fun, familiar, and genuinely tasty for everyone to enjoy.”

With one in 20 adults in the UK suffering from a confirmed food allergy [FSA], adding Pink Cheetah Wafers was a “strategic move” to “ensure those with dietary restrictions don’t miss out on craveable treats”, Brice added.

First created by Edinburgh’s Crawford’s Biscuits in the 1960s, pink wafer biscuits are typically made from vanilla creme squashed between dyed wafers. In 1962, Crawford’s was acquired by United Biscuits, which continued making pink wafer biscuits under the McVitie’s brand.

Another rival brand, Pink Panther Wafers, were relaunched in 2017 after Wigan’s Rivington Biscuits collapsed in the wake of Brexit.

The launch comes after Crave entered the frozen category last May, rolling a six pack of free-from ring doughnuts into Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Ocado stores.