Taking first place in the Baked Goods category is a product that’s attacking the lucrative school canteen market, and becoming the big new name in lots of little mouths.
In October 2006, the Victorian Department of Education and Training released its latest School Canteens and Other School Food Services Policy. The Policy has been the driving force behind Future Bake’s new product — whose qualities include valuable nutrients combined with moderate amounts of saturated fats, sugars and salts.
“We wanted to do something a little bit extra,” explained Future Bake’s director, Steve Bitzios. “So we added a lot more nutritional benefits to our cookie product to create a healthier option for kids.”
The resulting cookies are Ookies, which havebeen specially designed to be high in fibre and lower in fat than regular cookies, with portion size specifically designed to cater for children’s appetites. Ookies are also dairy free and perfect for kids with dairy allergies or intolerances, making them the only product of their type to meet the stringent Policy requirements.
Winning the Awards is, for Future Bake, “a great step in the recognition of our efforts. It’s only the beginning of what we can achieve and do with the availability of new ingredients on the market.
“We’re honoured to have won this Award and feel that it’s an achievement to get this far. With any new product it’s always a challenge to satisfy the requirements of the public, and everybody else.
“We knew that we were innovative, and that we had something unique, but there was a lot of tough competition there, and we were slightly surprised to have won. I didn’t prepare a speech, let’s put it that way,” concluded Bitzios.
To increase the nutritional benefits, the fruits used contain antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, to help maintain a strong and healthy immune system. Omega 3 is also used to increase kids learning abilities, by maintaining concentration and alertness. Increased fibre and protein helps to avoid over eating. Psyllium husk increases fibre, Soy Crisp enhances protein levels and Potassium BiCarb helps with reduced sodium levels.
Lena Zak is the editor of FOOD Magazine.
There are a multitude of cookies on the market, but none seem to cater for the healthy nutrition that growing children need. But even with a healthy, wholesome, well portioned treat, getting kids to eat it, is a challenge. Future Bake has met this challenge with a groovy character who’s colourful, dynamic and totally original. Living in a future retro-themed world, the Ookies cookies are a product that’s out of this world.