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General Mills launches snack limiting blood sugar spikes

Coming out of General Mills’ Innovation Lab is a new snack brand called Good Measure that is designed specifically to not spike the blood sugar of the person snacking. While this product can serve a wide variety of consumers, including those following a Keto regime, Good Measure is aimed specifically at people with diabetes and prediabetes where blood sugar levels need to be monitored.

The Good Measure brand currently has two products: creamy nut butter bars and crunchy almond crisps. The bars will be available in multiple flavors starting with Blueberry & Almond, Peanut & Dark Chocolate and Almond & Dark Chocolate. Initially, these glucose-maintaining snacks will be available on Amazon as well as Hy-Vee stores in Minnesota.

While consumers who need to monitor their blood sugar is a niche market, it is also one that may be being overlooked to the detriment of CPG manufacturers’ bottom lines.

“Nearly one in six adults in the U.S. have already been diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes. And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates one in two adults actually have prediabetes or diabetes but most don’t know it yet,” said Good Measure co-founder Jonathan Scearcy in a statement.

With such high levels of medical conditions in the U.S. that require blood sugar monitoring, there are nevertheless limited pre-packaged options currently available for these customers. “95% are not happy with current offerings, in particular snacks,” Scearcy said.

However, limited selection for consumers presents a large opportunity for General Mills. Increasingly, functional foods are becoming a consideration for shoppers that are looking for food to do more than just satiate their hunger. In 2019, ingredients company Kerry released a white paper showing that 65% are interested in their food and drink providing functional benefits. In the two years since this study was released, there has been a proliferation of functional foods arriving on grocery store shelves to serve both general and niche populations.

From grain-free snacks catering for those suffering from Celiac disease to beverages promoting relaxation through adaptogenic herbs, food that aims to improve an individual’s life one bite at a time has become the new gold standard when trying to make a splash in an increasingly segmented market.

It is clear that Good Measure is actively promoting its functional capabilities. On the packaging, the words “Little Impact on Blood Sugar” are highlighted over the brand name itself. While the brand clearly targets a niche market, it may still find widespread success since it will appeal not only to those who need to remain contentious of their blood sugar levels but also to people who reside with individuals living with these conditions.