Flapjacked Finds Success with Probiotics

The smell of pancakes cooking on the griddle brings everyone to the kitchen for this breakfast treat. But what if a healthy makeover could transform America’s favorite breakfast treat into a healthy daily option? Leave it the parents of five children to reinvent pancake mix so that you can serve up pancakes guilt-free whenever you choose.

Jennifer and David Bacon launched Flapjacked Protein Pancake and Baking Mix in 2012. Not only is the pancake mix a hit, but the company’s product line is quickly expanding with some runaway favorites made from its gluten-free mixes that are boosted with protein and probiotics.

Healthier Pancake and Baking Mix

The Bacon family always strived to be active and healthy but when 13-year old Jace was diagnosed with autism, food began to receive even more scrutiny. “Jace’s diet had consisted of products produced with ingredients that we weren’t exactly proud of, but sometimes getting him to eat at all is a fight,” explains Jennifer Bacon. “This constant struggle with Jace encouraged us to change the eating habits of our entire family. Because we loved pancakes and couldn’t find a healthy, protein-packed pancake mix on the market that we were happy with, we developed a healthy, easy to prepare (just add water!) pancake mix that’s perfect for active people with busy lifestyles, just like ours.”

The couple’s offering of lesser-evil pancake and baking mix resonated with consumers and Flapjacked is now available in 4 SKUs: Buttermilk, Banana Hazelnut, Cinnamon Apple and Carrot Spice. Ingredients like oat flour, whey and pea proteins, coconut flour, and natural sweetener monk fruit, pack each pancake serving with an impressive 20 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.

Success Breeds a Breakthrough Product

On the heels of the pancake mix success the company launched its Mighty Muffin SKUs and sales have skyrocketed for this innovative product which is available in Double Chocolate and Cinnamon Apple. What makes Mighty Muffin so unique? First, its fresh-baked concept: you simply add water and microwave the muffin ‘cup’ for 35 seconds and you have a warm, nutritious snack or light meal on-the-go. But it’s Mighty Muffins’ unique nutritional profile that truly appeals to consumers: each muffin cup offers 20 grams of protein and the many benefits of the science-backed probiotic BC30™ (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086).

Why a portable probiotic muffin mix? “Our family consumes probiotics on a daily basis to support our immune systems,” says Bacon. “We had been working on a new Mighty Muffin line extension for FlapJacked when the BC30 team approached us with a heat-stable, non-GMO and gluten-free probiotic. We wanted to provide our consumers with a seamless, great tasting way to get the benefits of protein and probiotics in their diets, without creating a burden on busy schedules. With the on-the-go mentality of today’s busy lifestyles, our new portable Mighty Muffins make probiotic consumption convenient and delicious.”

Figuring out Formulation

“We were excited for the option to add probiotics to a dry mix, which is almost impossible. Given the studies that had been conducted on BC30 enhancing protein utilization, we knew we wanted to add this benefit to our on-the-go items giving our health-conscious consumers with a benefit that is usually consumed by eating yogurt or drinks,” Bacon explains.

Formulating the muffin mixes to include BC30 was surprisingly easy, according to Bacon. “Our recipes had been completed and the addition of BC30 was simple since the product added no color, flavor or textural changes.”

Survivability Analysis

“The BC30 team was able to quickly turn around a survivability analysis to ensure that we were adding the proper amount of probiotics per our claim. It’s been very beneficial to consult on ideas, language and questions with this very educated team,” Bacon says.

Facts About Formulating Foods and Beverages with Probiotics

Mighty Muffin

Based on the success of its Mighty Muffin product, FlapJacked will continue to build consumer loyalty by innovating with nutrient-dense, protein-packed food products that contain the added benefit of probiotics. “We’re working on several other products that will include BC30,” Bacon says. “It is our hope to not only inspire people looking to make healthier food choices but also to improve their overall health and well-being.”