The Vegan Caramel Popcorn That's Flying Off Trader Joe's Shelves
Caramel is one of the most popular candy ingredients on the market these days. In fact, it is growing at a faster pace than any other sector of the candy industry with business that is worth over $2.2 billion, according to Hank Izzo, the Vice President of Research and Development at Mars Chocolate (via Candy Industry). It is a popular ingredient in a wide variety of yummy desserts, from cakes and ice creams to candy bars and chocolate. However, there is one small hiccup in this growing market. Caramel is made with three central ingredients: sugar, butter, and cream (via Belly Full). While this might be a tasty combination, it also means that anyone who avoids dairy or follows a vegan diet cannot enjoy the sweet, chewy confectionery treat.
However, Trader Joe's has just released the perfect snack to help everyone enjoy the delightful flavor of caramel, no matter what their dietary restrictions are. The chain is now selling its new Peanut Butter Caramel Coated Popcorn, which delivers a delectable snacking experience with none of the dairy.
This snack received rave reviews on social media
Instagram user @traderjoeslist recently made a post alerting their followers to the new vegan find, writing "Take a look at this new peanut buttery popcorn! It's #vegan and here to satisfy your popcorn and PB cravings!" This vegan snack starts off with crispy mushroom kernel popcorn, which gets its rich, sweet taste from layers of tapioca syrup, cane sugar, and salted peanut butter, according to Veg News. And it is not only a satisfyingly sweet, salty, and crunchy treat, it is also completely vegan.
It seems that quite a few shoppers couldn't wait to get their hands on this crave-worth snack. "Ooh, it's vegan! ... so rare for a caramel product!" one user replied, while another follower celebrated "VEGAN YES!!" "I bought them two days ago and am having trouble not devouring the entire bag in one sitting! They're DELICIOUS!!!!!" a fan raved, and they were far from the only ones who had trouble with portion control when it comes to this product. "These are SO GOOOOD just finished the bag I got the other day and I'm already craving more lol," another person wrote. Another user, who gave the popcorn a 10/10 rating, described it as "a peanut butter lovers dream! It's like a Reese's peanut butter cup crashed into a popcorn popper! So good!" Based on the social media responses, it certainly looks like Trader Joe's has a hit on its hands with its popular new Peanut Butter Caramel Coated Popcorn.