Quaker Rolls Out Two New Crispy Mini's Rice Cakes

Quaker Oats says the average person eats 9-lb of chips per year, and has been nibbling at the edges of the chip market with baked snacks like Crispy Mini's rice cakes. The company has just introduced two new varieties of the little crispy things: Nacho Cheese and Creamy Ranch.

"These new flavors of rice snacks have a light and crispy texture and will give families who like to snack a new choice," said Katie Donoval, marketing manager for Quaker Crispy Mini's. "Our two new flavors are familiar to chip lovers, and they're oven-baked." Ranch and nacho cheese are the top two preferred flavors of tortilla chips, according to a 1998 survey by Snack World.

The product line is positioned as a "flavor-packed alternative to higher-fat chips" and alternately, "the rice snack that eats like a chip." The market focus is on "family."

Balancing one family member's sweet tooth with another's favor for savory can be a challenge. The new savory flavors are seen as ideal for "nighttime nibbling, but with a more reasonable nutrition profile than most chips."

On the topic of nibbling—snacks in between meals—Quaker cited research that shows people prefer savory flavors.

Crispy Mini's come in five savory flavors: Nacho Cheese, Creamy Ranch, Cheddar, BBQ, and Sour Cream and Onion.