KALAMAZOO, MI -- Move over raisins and peanuts: traditional trail and snack mixes are including more variety with ingredients such as balsamic vinegar, sea salt, Moroccan Harissa and chipotle peppers, writes the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Josh Schroeter and Edmond Sanctis, creators of Sahale Snacks in Seattle, Wash., have found success with "out-of-the-ordinary trail mix," combining ingredients such as pecans, sweet cranberries, black pepper and orange zest in their Valdosta blend, writes the newspaper, designed to "evoke the taste of the American South."

"We were climbing Mt. Rainier, eating trail mix, were ready for real food, and thought it was time to do something better," said Schroeter, adding, "When we got back home, we went crazy in the kitchen for three days, pulling out cookbooks and cooking. We were creating the product we wish we had on the trip, something you want. You need a snack, but don't want junk food."

The popularity of trail mixes is not just a domestic hit. Snack food companies such as Gladstone Under the Sun sells its Maine Munchies trail mix products abroad. "We sell to the military, to a large New England grocery chain, to L.L. Bean, [and] lots of gift-basket companies. You name it, people are buying it all over,'' said Maine Munchies Owner Craig Gladstone.

Sean Oliver, owner of the Oliver Pecan Company in San Saba, Texas, has found that men seem to gravitate towards the spicy snack mixes, while women grab more for the sweeter stuff, such as the company's Texas White Trash mix, which contains pecans, honey-graham cereal and raisins coated with white chocolate, notes the newspaper.

Organic trail and snack mixes are also finding their niche. According to Al Heilman of Heilman's Nuts & Confections, freshness is what sells his products. Each order is packed fresh and includes ingredients native to Michigan, such as dried blueberries, cherries, cranberries and almonds. To maintain the freshness, Heilman does not add nitrogen to the packaging prior to shipping.

Pricing also comes into play with snack mixes found at Irving's Market & Deli. Kitchen director John Mulay told the newspaper that the store keeps low-end and high-end mixes in stock from the larger companies such as Planter's, to the independent companies such as Barnacles.

According to the Snack Food Association, millions of Americans enjoy munching on party mixes and trail mixes, making the tasty treats one of the "fastest-growing categories among snack foods," writes the newspaper. The Snack Food Association notes that the category increased by 14.2 percent in sales during 2004.

With Super Bowl Sunday approaching, "snack food sales are bound to spike, as Americans typically double their daily average of snack-food consumption," notes the newspaper. The Snack Food Association also adds that Super Bowl Sunday "may be the biggest snack-food day of the year." Furthermore, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, shopping prior to the big game suggest that Americans spend about $50 million on snack foods.