Snacking Trends: And Where They Come From
Snacks continue to replace the three standard meals we are all used to, and it is no longer just millennials that are snacking, a growing number of Americans snack four or five times daily. Data shows a 47% increase in snacking from 2010 to 2014 and where we once looked to the restaurant industry to glean industry trends, experts are now looking to the aisles of the supermarket.
The trends that are spotted in grocery, quickly translate to c-stores, and since many consumers are already heading to c-stores to pick out their snacks, these store can capitalize even more on these trends by expanding their sweet and salty offerings.
For bakery snacks, which account for 16% of total c-store sales, focus is on new, exciting tastes, as well as mini or single pack options. People want to indulge, but they still want to watch portion control to be “healthier".
Speaking of healthier, many consumers purchase healthier items for the morning and more indulgent items for later in the day, so while it is important to provide these healthier options, we can’t forget about the traditional sweet and savory treats.
Many retailers are adding more breakfast snacks into their cookie and cracker sets while some chains are dedicating entire end-caps to breakfast snacks. Morning snacking is growing more rapidly than other day-parts and in particular healthy, morning snacking options. This trend is driven by younger consumers and households with kids.
In addition, nutrition bars trail mixes and popcorn are leading the pack in unit sales, which is another nod to the healthy snacking trend.
Let’s not forgot about another important “healthier” snacking category; meat snacks. Some retailers asked merchandisers to expand their meat-snack set from 4 to 8 feet in 2017. They are focused on not only the core, but small batch options.
View All
Previous
