KANSAS CITY — Entrepreneurs are aiming to capture consumer interest in snacking through globally-inspired flavors, protein content and offerings formulated for children.

Beeyond Snacks launched pasteli honey and sesame bars based on pasteli, a traditional Greek snack made from roasted sesame seeds and honey. The bars feature Greek honey and are available in original and peanut chocolate sea salt flavors. The former was formulated to highlight the pasteli’s sesame seeds and honey, and its peanut chocolate sea salt flavor is a modern take on the snack, according to the company.

“Our mission is to introduce an ancient snack that has nourished generations for centuries to a new audience here in the US,” Angelina Papanikolaou said. “Pasteli represents more than just a snack for us — it’s a piece of our heritage, and we’re thrilled to bring this story, and these flavors, to the American snack aisle.”

Hummus manufacturer Little Sesame expanded into the children’s snack aisle with its Kids Hummus Cups. The product features a grab-and-go format and a clean label formulation to offer a convenient snacking option or lunchbox inclusion, according to the company. Each 2.5-oz individual cup is made from organic chickpeas and contains 5 grams of protein.

“With the introduction of our Kids Hummus Cups, we’re not only offering children a delicious, plant-based snack that nurtures their growth but also promoting regenerative farming practices essential for the future of our planet,” said Nick Wiseman, chief executive officer and co-founder of Little Sesame.

Finland-based Solar Foods debuted Solein Protein Bites Nut Mix Edition. The snack is formulated from Solar’s proprietary Solein protein, a protein grown through fermentation using air and electricity that contains all nine essential amino acids without cholesterol or saturated fats. The bites also feature such ingredients as peanut butter, hazelnuts and a chocolate flavored coating.

“For this first product concept, we wanted to choose the beloved flavors of hazelnuts and peanut butter to demonstrate how seamlessly Solein fits into existing, popular product categories and flavors already on the market,” said Juan Manuel Benítez-García, chief commercial officer at Solar Foods.