OAKLAND, CALIF. — After tapping into the grain-free and paleo snack markets, The YES Bar is now looking to capture the attention of vegan consumers with the release of two new plant-based bar varieties: Dark chocolate chip and salted maple pecan.

The new flavors offer an alternative to the organic honey that the company currently uses in its other bars and incorporates organic coconut nectar or low-glycemic maple syrup to naturally sweeten the product. Other ingredients stay in line with the company’s commitment to clean label; the bars use a combination of eight different nuts and seeds. The product is also free from preservatives, additives, refined sugars, processed proteins, grains and major allergens such as gluten, dairy, corn, soy, eggs and peanuts.

Before launching the new varieties, The YES Bar tested the product at small and independent natural and specialty grocers nationally.  In addition, the brand’s team offered in-store samples to consumers, so it could receive feedback on the product’s taste, texture and demand for the plant-based option.

Sticking with its signature production method, the vegan varieties are mixed, baked and shaped similar to cookies. Unlike other bars that may be extruded, this process gives the snack a unique taste and artisan texture.

The bars have a suggested retail price of $2.99 to $3.49 per 1.4-oz package and are available through more than 300 retail channels.

While rolling out new vegan products, the brand also took the opportunity to launch new packaging for all of its snacks. The re-design features illustrations of the bar’s premium ingredients while the packaging materials are now made of white kraft paper and include compostable point-of-sale boxes.

“We eat with our eyes, and although we had great packaging in our prior branding, we wanted to do a better job showcasing our ingredients and commitment to the amazing food found in each and every bar,” said Jeremy Cohen, partner, The YES Bar. “It speaks in a clean and elegant way to our flavors and ingredients and does a better job of telling our customers simply what they are getting in every bar.”