HaruPlate Targets Child Food Poverty with Functional Snacks and Fortified Treats
- PYD
- May 2
- 2 min read
Singapore’s HaruPlate is addressing the growing issue of child food poverty—prevalent even in middle- and high-income economies—by reformulating everyday favourites and introducing functional snacks that align with both children’s nutrition needs and modern parents’ lifestyles.
Insights & Strategic Moves:
Food Poverty in High-Income Economies:Despite growing income levels, millions of children in Asia suffer from inadequate nutrition. According to UNICEF, 440 million children under five face food poverty globally, impacting growth, cognition, and long-term economic potential. In countries like Singapore, China, and South Korea, rates of childhood overweight are rising.
User-Centric Innovation:HaruPlate focuses on parents’ pain points—lack of time, picky eating, and low nutritional literacy. The brand’s product development framework revolves around integrating health into daily routines, making products easy to use, attractive to kids, and convenient to purchase both online and in-store.
Functional vs. Emotional Snacking:Parents differentiate between snacks (functional, school lunch items) and treats (rewards). HaruPlate designs products to serve both roles—healthy enough for daily use, fun enough for emotional occasions.
Product Portfolio:
Cooking Sauces: Currently being reformulated for texture and fibre enrichment using Citrus Fiber Peak.
Fruit Jams: Naturally sweetened and preservative-free.
Fundaes Ice Cream: Made with fresh fruit and veg, enriched with probiotics and prebiotics, suitable for toddlers (12+ months), with no refined sugar.
Smart Cookie (Upcoming): A chocolate cookie fortified with iron and B-vitamins, sugar-free, bite-sized, shelf-stable, and designed to reduce mess.
Scaling via DTC and Retail:After initial challenges reaching preschools, HaruPlate successfully pivoted to DTC and retail distribution. Within a year, they entered major supermarkets, niche grocers, and expanded into Malaysia—demonstrating the power of agile go-to-market strategy.
As parents increasingly prioritise immunity, cognitive growth, and gut health, HaruPlate’s blend of nutritional fortification, convenience, and kid-approved formats positions it well to lead the “better-for-you” snacks category in Asia.
By designing snacks that solve real parenting pain points while elevating childhood nutrition, HaruPlate is redefining functional snacking for the next generation.
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