Tropical Heat launches SuperFit rice cakes, targets healthy foods market

KENYA – Tropical Heat Group has introduced a new brand of rice cakes called SuperFit, marking a significant step towards producing healthier snack options.

According to the company, they are trans-fat free, gluten-free, popped instead of fried, and contain fewer than fifty calories per cake, making them the to-go choices for consumers looking for healthy snack alternatives.

The SuperFit rice cakes feature eye-catching packaging and are available in three unique flavors: cheese, salt and vinegar, and fruit chutney. Additionally, there is an unflavored range that includes varieties such as quinoa, unsalted, salted, and brown rice cakes.These rice cakes are round in shape and contain visible rice grits. 

The rice cakes follow the company’s recent launch of yet another snack offering, chocolate-flavored rice cakes, underscoring the company’s drive towards healthy snack options.

According to the company, while a typical chocolate bar might have around 500 calories, the firm’s chocolate rice cake contains only 80 calories but still delivers a chocolate-like taste.

Established in 1973 as a small ethnic snack cottage industry, Tropical Heat is now one of the leading manufacturers of spices and snacks made in the East African region, with the Tropical Heat brand being a household name in Kenya.

In a past interview with Marcopolis, Sawan Shah, CEO of Tropical Heat Group, highlighted that despite the  company mainly being known for spices, they have diversified into a wide range of categories to meet the surging demand.

According to Shah, the company has diversified to four different categories including spices and seasonings, snack foods, breakfast cereals, and healthy snacking as a fourth category.

“The main innovation we are focused on is a product called rice cakes. They are basically pressed, so they are not a fried product within which there is a whole range of flavors.” 

Shah also noted that while the firm does not claim the rice cakes to be entirely healthy, they aim to create a product that balances health and flavor.

The company seeks to tap into the evolving global rice cakes market, which is poised to reach USD 55.2 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% from 2023 to 2030, according to data from Data Bridge Market Research. 

According to Data Bridge Market Research, the market growth in the rice cake category is driven by the increasing health-conscious consumers seeking alternatives to traditional snacks that are high in calories and processed ingredients.

Their low-calorie content, gluten-free nature, and versatility in flavoring have contributed to their popularity across diverse demographic groups.

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